Dubai Duty Free introduces M&M's retail offer in Concourse A

Covering some 28 square metres, the new retail area is creating a great deal of customer interest, especially with young travellers, and is the result of a collaboration between Dubai Duty Free and Mars International Travel Retail (Mars ITR). Dubai Duty Free is the 5th airport in the world and the 1st in GCC to introduce a dedicated M&M's store.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman at Dubai Duty Free, explains how the M&M's store is perfectly aligned to his company's retail ambitions, "Concourse A has provided Dubai Duty Free with the opportunity to introduce new brands and innovative retail concepts. The M&M's retail area is a good example of our team working with our supplier to produce a fun and interesting retail attraction that has great shopper appeal."

Lieke Duijmelings, Marketing Director, Mars ITR, comments on the opportunity from the Mars perspective, "Dubai's stunning Concourse A, specifically tailored to serve the A380 and its passengers, exemplifies an exciting new expression of the airport experience and we aim to echo that commitment in the retail experience. We believe that not only can we engage more strongly with existing shoppers but we can also seduce non-shoppers by tapping into the travellers' thirst for entertainment with a highly engaging and satisfying reason to step out of their seats and into the store.This approach is uniquely effective within Confectionery as the category has the highest levels of impulse purchase."

The new Dubai Duty Free retail area delivers a vibrant sense of place through a strategic blend of the fun and energy of the M&M's brand with the dynamism and excitement of Dubai. This local twist is expressed through images on wall units, special destination merchandise and picture opportunities with M&M's 3D characters. The store carries a tailored and extensive range of M&M's products, including a wide range of novelties, souvenirs, toys, candy dispensers and M&M's-themed travel accessories, providing the shopper with an appealing array of Gifting, Self-treating and Snacking options. In-store theatre includes a series of interactive encounters to enhance the shopper experience.

The in-store experience taps into the global appeal of the M&M's brand, expressed through the instantly recognized M&M's yellow and red characters, using fun and energy to promote the strength of the brand to engage with travellers of all ages. This global appeal makes the M&M's brand the ideal focus to drive the under-exploited potential of the Confectionery category by delivering a unique, fun and memorable experience to every traveller's journey.

Lieke Duijmelings adds, "Dubai is an amazingly dynamic destination that epitomises the way to blend retail into the airport experience and we're delighted at this opportunity to work with Dubai Duty Free to develop a compelling approach to drive footfall and conversion. The category growth and performance of our M&M's brand have been phenomenal across all regions, implementing the right blend of in-store theatre, attractive point-of-sale, innovation and promotions."