Halewood Artisanal Spirits plans dynamic activation programme for Whitley Neill and Dead Man’s Fingers

Halewood Artisanal Spirits is planning an extensive activation programme for its flagship brands Whitley Neill Gin and Dead Man’s Fingers Rum and Creams in partnership with retail activation agency Kounter.

Launching in April, the campaign will roll out across key UK and European locations in partnership with leading travel retailers Avolta, Lagardère Travel Retail, Gebr. Heinemann and ARI.

The initiative aims to elevate brand awareness and consumer engagement, offering travellers an interactive experience with Whitley Neill’s and Dead Man’s Fingers’ diverse spirits range.

New expressions will be showcased, including Whitley Neill Gin Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin, Whitley Neill Gin Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin and Dead Man’s Fingers White Rum.

Travellers will also have the opportunity to discover hero variants, such as Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger and Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum, Mango and Cherry alongside a selection of flavoured Tequila Cream Liqueurs.

The activations will feature prominently across major UK airports, including London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Stansted. These locations will host pop-up campaigns incorporating digital screens, tasting bars and merchandising displays.

Additional activations will take place at Stansted, Newcastle and Manchester airports, with further engagements planned onboard P&O Ferries.

As part of the campaign, Halewood will introduce an interactive Lift & Learn digital experience in select locations. This feature will allow travellers to place a spirit in a dedicated slot on a podium, which will then trigger detailed product information on adjacent digital screens. The concept is designed to enhance consumer education and engagement at the point of purchase.

In addition, Halewood is collaborating with Gebr. Heinemann to introduce shared brand activations across European airports, including Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Billund.

A partnership with ARI will see activations at Larnaca and Paphos airports in Cyprus, scheduled to take place throughout June, July and August.

Whitley Neill Gin has maintained its position as the UK’s best-selling premium gin and the number one flavoured gin in global travel retail, the company said.

New expressions from Whitley Neill include Japanese Yuzu & White Strawberry Gin, which blends delicate white strawberries with bright citrus notes of Japanese Yuzu; Distiller’s Cut London Dry Gin, which offers a refined citrus profile with dried orange peel and white pepper notes and subtle floral undertones.

Dead Man’s Fingers has expanded its range with Dead Man’s Fingers White Rum. The rum presents a vibrant profile with hints of vanilla and tropical fruit, making it ideal for cocktails such as Daiquiris and Mojitos.

Halewood Artisanal Sprits Global Travel Retail Director Eamon Prunty says: “Our activations provide the perfect opportunity for consumers to experience our latest innovations and bestsellers in an exciting and interactive way.

“As always our main ambition is to get liquid on lips through tastings, supported by bold impactful displays that reflect the colours of the various brand flavours. We want to connect with consumers in a fun and engaging way while being informative too and our new Lift & Learn experience allows consumers to explore the various flavours in a dynamic and engaging environment.

“This year’s airport activations offer travellers an exciting opportunity to discover the latest expressions and to engage directly with the brand in some of the busiest travel destinations,” Prunty added. “We know that success in travel retail demands campaigns that travellers cannot fail to engage with. Fun, eye-catching and impactful pop-ups, merchandising units and digital screens are the first step in engaging with travellers; encouraging them to taste and explore the various flavours is the second vital stage in sales conversion.

“We’re delighted to again be working with specialist retail agency Kounter this year to bring this ambition to life.”