Global Travel Retail launch
Introduction
When Isle of Harris Distillery decided to step into exclusive offerings for Global Travel Retail for the first time, they weren’t looking for a quiet introduction. They wanted a launch that would stop travellers in their tracks and make their new higher-strength spirits – Tidal Strength Isle of Harris Gin and The Hearach Croft Strength Single Malt Whisky – impossible to ignore. With around two million passengers passing through Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports in September alone, the stage was set for an experience that had to be both spectacular and strategically sharp.
The brief
Our remit was to create a fully immersive brand environment inside two of Scotland’s busiest airports.
The campaign needed to achieve three things at once:
1. Drive awareness and sales of the new spirits.
2. Deliver Isle of Harris’s elemental story to local and international audiences.
3. Enable large-scale tastings in a high-footfall, highly regulated space.
This was more than a sampling exercise, it was an opportunity to introduce the latest expressions from Harris to the world.
Creative and technical approach
The solution was a multi-screen, motion-led installation that wrapped travellers in the sights and spirit of Harris. We designed synchronised video content across a curved bar display and a soaring three-sided column, creating a seamless panorama of land, sea and sky. With no audio allowed, every frame had to work hard. A refined, script-led design carried key product messages with minimal text, while cinematic footage and product close-ups told the story in pure visuals.
To bring the elemental character of the island to life, we used AI tools to extend photography, animate static assets and source authentic stock footage. The result was a visual narrative that felt both contemporary and true to the brand’s heritage. And our technical expertise helped us push the hardware to its limits, ensuring perfect playback across formats and screen ratios.
Collaboration in action
This was a genuine creative partnership with the Isle of Harris in-house team. Working hand-in-hand, we developed storyboards, refined layouts through rapid feedback loops and coordinated with technical suppliers to achieve flawless execution. Every decision – from pacing to colour palette – was made to ensure we delivered a premium, impactful and insightful experience.
Results and impact
The installations became a focal point for tastings, helping travellers discover the new spirits first-hand – a key driver of conversion in travel retail. Early feedback from the client and the target market have been overwhelmingly positive, with discussions already underway to adapt the content for social and digital channels. Final sales and engagement metrics are pending, but the project has already demonstrated the power of combining creative storytelling with cutting-edge technology.
Ed Walker Dog's Creative Director“It’s not often you get to work with such a dynamic canvas. The chance to synchronise motion across multiple screens let us craft an experience that was not just seen, but felt—drawing travellers into the Isle of Harris story in a way only moving image can.”