Zürich stages Toblerone birthday celebrations

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The Swiss airport will host the first in a series of non-stop celebrations spanning the year for Toblerone’s 100th anniversary

Kraft Foods World Travel Retail division has kicked-off a year of non-stop celebrations for Toblerone’s 100th anniversary with a promotion with The Nuance Group at Zürich airport until the end of February. The retailer’s two main shops have been converted into virtual Toblerone zones with branded counters and bright displays, while a Toblerone hostess invites travellers to taste products and participate in promotional activities.

Passengers are also being given one of 150,000 vouchers for the limited edition Toblerone Fruit & Nut when they check in. The vouchers offer a free 100g bar when customers make any Toblerone purchase worth more than SFr15 ($13.63). All travellers are also entitled to enter the “Win a Holiday in the Swiss Alps” raffle, which is being run in partnership with SWISS International Airlines and Zermatt Tourism. According to Kraft, the raffle is designed to “drive increased footfall and penetration in more than 50 key locations globally this year”. Early results from Zürich airport show a 39% increase in sales compared with the previous corresponding period after one month of promotional action.

Kraft Foods World Travel Retail area manager for Continental Europe Thomas Bodenmann said: “The important thing with any new product launch is to stimulate trial purchases. And with Nuance’s enthusiastic cooperation we have done that. Obviously, everyone is already very aware of the Toblerone brand so gaining a big uplift in sales wasn’t easy. But the visual effect of Nuance’s in-store displays is stunning.”

Nuance European confectionery buyer Lorenz Asch added: “Toblerone is a key part of Switzerland’s confectionery heritage and a travel-retail icon so a centenary celebration strikes a chord with many travellers. We welcome the opportunity to cooperate with Kraft World Travel Retail to stage the first Toblerone birthday mega-promotion at Zurich airport.”