The lap of luxury
Sophisticated in presentation and taste, Martell Création Grand Extra has rapidly established a strong profile in travel retail since its initial launch into the channel at the very end of 2006. Enhancing a well-established TR product range – which includes Martell VS, Noblige and Cordon Bleu, among others – Création Grand Extra also taps into the ongoing trend for premium and super premium offers that has been one of the defining characteristics of the liquor category over the past few years.
The premium message is unmistakable to anyone coming into contact with both the bottle and outer packaging of Création Grand Extra, the emergence of which marks the reinvention of the long-serving Martell Extra. The new cognac was developed by Martell cellar master Bruno Lemoine, who devised the reworked Martell XO back in 2005. Combining the freshness and fruity notes of the Borderies eaux-de-vie with the subtle and spicy notes of lengthily matured eaux-de-vie from the Grande Champagne, the latest offer is contained in a distinctive decanter by Serge Mansau, a designer more readily associated with the world of fragrance. “A modern shape but one which is steeped in history” is Mansau’s description of the triple arch bottle, which is topped off by a neck cap decorated with a sculpted ‘M’ embossed in gold – one of the design hallmarks of Martell’s super premium range.
The package is completed by a blue and gold embossed presentation case. “That really is meant to glorify the bottle,” confirmed Elisabeth Ricard, Martell’s communications director, during a recent
industry press trip to the brand’s centre of operations in Cognac.
So who is the lavish end-result intended to appeal to? According to Ricard, the likely Création Grand Extra consumer is male, aged between 31-50 and involved in business, and is purchasing for the purpose of gifting or as a way of highlighting his status. Confirms Ricard: “Martell Création Grand Extra is aimed at top-end business travellers, cognac connoisseurs.”
With the overall brand long established as a mainstay in global travel retail, it is no surprise to find that Martell Création Grand Extra – which is trading at a price of around US$250 – has rapidly secured listings in some of the world’s leading airports. Available in DFS Singapore since December 2006, it has since appeared in travel retail outlets at airports in London, Paris, Germany, Scandinavia, Vietnam, China, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Russia is next on the itinerary, with the new Martell expected to debut in travel retail there in June, while launch into the US domestic market is also pending.
There is no doubt, however, that it is the Asian market that Martell has the greatest hopes for with this new offer. As marketing director Eric Benoist recently noted: “We are confident that Création will meet the growing demands for luxury cognac in travel retail, particularly in Asia which is a key market for us.”
Speaking to Frontier, Elisabeth Ricard elaborates on the appeal of the Martell portfolio to Chinese travellers. “Martell has a long and well-established history as the premium luxury cognac among Chinese throughout Asia,” she says. “In Asian travel retail we are presenting Martell as the fine luxury brand that is in line with our presentation throughout the domestic businesses in Asia. Our partnerships with luxury brands (Dunhill, Bang & Olufsen) in Asian airports have evidenced our commitment to showcase the brand in a tasteful manner.”
As might be expected, the in-store furniture and promotional materials follow through on the luxurious presentation of the drink itself. Visibility and heritage are among the watchwords, as Ricard explains: “The merchandising of Martell Création Grand Extra aims at maximising the visibility and
delivering an outstanding and luxury brand image. By the harmonious use of Martell iconic blue and Création colour, with the exquisite emphasis of the unique triple arch shape and the triple square M, the design creates a subtle and inspired combination between modernity and classical tradition, conveying Martell heritage.”
Meanwhile, a print advertising campaign with the tagline ‘Mark of Triumph’ continues the
inspirational theme evident in other recent Martell campaigns, which include ‘Shape your World’ for XO and ‘Only a Few Can Tell’ for Cordon Bleu.
There is no mistaking the excitement of Ricard and her team at the initial reaction to Martell Création Grand Extra, and the feeling that – together with the relaunch of XO two years ago – Martell has now more than risen to the challenge of meeting the increasingly specific demands of global travellers. As Ricard notes: “The successful relaunch of the new XO (2005) and the launch of Martell Création Grand Extra shows the brand’s ability to meet the consumer’s appetite for luxury products.”
With the demand for luxury liquor showing no sign of entering a decline – or, it might be said, even reaching a plateau – it will be fascinating to see if this latest, unashamedly high-end offer helps Martell’s influence in travel retail to spread even further, particularly in the vibrant Asian markets. The only question that remains is one that could equally apply to all other leading liquor suppliers – when you have perfected super premium, as it would appear so many now have, where do you go from there? Only time will tell.
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