DESIRE AT DEPARTURE
WHY AIRPORTS ARE BECOMING THE NEW CREATIVE PLAYGROUND FOR DRINKS BRANDS
Airports are changing. What was once a purely functional space – a place to queue, wait, and pass time – is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting arenas for drinks brands to build connection, culture, and desire. In our latest Wonderworks Insight Report, Miramur Volume 05: Desire at Departure, we explore how Global Travel Retail (GTR) is evolving into a creative playground where experience matters more than efficiency.
For drinks brands and the creative drinks agencies who support them, this shift presents both a challenge and a transformative opportunity.
FROM DUTY FREE TO DISCOVERY, THE NEW TRAVEL RETAIL MINDSET
The traditional duty free model was built on convenience, price savings, gifting, and novelty. Today’s traveller is operating on a completely different wavelength. Gen Z and Millennials arrive at airports already inspired – scrolling TikTok reviews, comparing prices online, and looking for experiences worth sharing. They want discovery, not discounts.
In essence, the airport is becoming a stage, and every traveller is both an audience member and a creator.
This shift mirrors a wider transformation across the drinks industry; brands must work harder to engage emotionally, not just transactionally. As a creative drinks agency we see first-hand how brands that lean into storytelling, theatre, and immersive design are setting new benchmarks for what GTR can be.
WHY AIRPORTS ARE BECOMING CULTURAL CROSSROADS FOR DRINKS BRANDS
Airports now operate at the intersection of media, retail, entertainment, and identity. They bring together global travellers at a moment when they are open-minded, curious, and psychologically primed for indulgence. This creates fertile ground for modern drinks brands wanting to build cultural relevance.
The report highlights several macro shifts reshaping GTR:
• The move from transactional mechanics to experience-first retail.
• Tech-enabled personalisation, from AI signage to AR discovery.
• The growing importance of authenticity, provenance, and meaningful luxury.
• The environmental and social expectations of the new conscious traveller
For drink marketing agencies and brand teams, the message is clear: GTR is no longer a channel to “add on” to existing plans. It is becoming one of the most strategically powerful environments for building brand equity.
THE RISE OF ‘DESIRE ZONES’ AND THE POWER OF EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT
Our report introduces the idea of “desire zones”, intentionally designed spaces in terminals that spark curiosity, slow travellers down, and invite them into a world of brand storytelling. These zones move GTR beyond shelves and sampling into something closer to culture and experience.
Examples highlighted in the report include:
• Bacardi’s Whisky Emporium at Narita Airport, turning whisky education into sensory theatre.
• Hennessy x NBA, where sport and luxury meet to capture younger audiences.
• Don Julio x Pacha, bringing nightlife energy and social connection into the terminal.
• Suntory Time at Changi, blending craftsmanship and intelligent technology.
• The Dalmore Portfolio Series, where art, performance, and whisky collide.
These activations prove a fundamental truth: in GTR, emotion drives engagement, and engagement drives conversion.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DRINKS BRANDS IN 2025 AND BEYOND
To win in this evolving landscape, brands must embrace creativity with confidence. Our report outlines five moves that will define success:
1. Designing 360 journeys that begin before departure and continue after landing.
2. Curating portfolios that ladder from impulse treats to prestige statements.
3. Making exclusivity experiential, not just scarce.
4. Thinking like a media brand, every activation is a broadcast moment.
5. Playing bold in environments where safe choices disappear in the noise
For drinks brands seeking competitive advantage, GTR offers something rare: a global stage, a captive audience, and moments where emotion outweighs logic. With the right creative strategy, those moments can become unforgettable.
Explore the full report
Miramur Volume 05: Desire at Departure is available now. It is packed with case studies, cultural insights, and strategic frameworks for brands looking to elevate their presence in Global Travel Retail.