Rituals: The extra mile for a stress-free Christmas

Little wishes, big impact

The Rituals Christmas campaign revolved around the things we wish for ourselves nearly every day. Like the ability to live in the moment, to feel less stress, to enjoy the little things. The brand believes that everyone can make wishes like these come true, by changing everyday routines into meaningful rituals. And the luxurious Rituals products are a perfect way to do that.

Touchpoints at Schiphol

During the holiday season, millions of people travel to, from and through Schiphol. So Rituals focused on helping them all take a step back, take a deep breath, and simply enjoy. Rituals found ways to grasp travellers’ attention in different ways, throughout the entire passenger journey.

1. Oh Buddha Tree, oh Buddha Tree

Travellers were greeted in the main entry Plaza with an enormous Rituals Christmas tree, adorned with more than 900 ornaments and 150 Rituals gift sets. But their senses were also stimulated in other ways. The tree didn’t smell like traditional pine. Instead, the invigorating scent of The Ritual of Happy Buddha emanated from the branches. A campaign video played continuously on 63 digital screens in Schiphol Plaza.

2. Peace pops up in the Lounges

Rituals created special pop-up stores in Lounges 1 and 3, and offered a wide assortment of Christmas products and luxury gift sets. Visitors to the permanent shops were treated to hot cups of tea and relaxing hand massages. An enjoyable moment of indulgence during a busy travel day.

3. Last-minute shopping at the gates

Rituals even had solutions for those who leave their shopping until the last minute, constantly second-guess their gift choices or are constantly in a rush. With the Last-Minute Gifting Service at Gates B and C in Lounge 1, Rituals offered stylish gift carts overflowing with gift sets. The very last chance to buy a gift for a loved one before hopping on board.

Impressive results

Rituals’ total gross sales at Schiphol in November and December 2018 were 21.5% and 27.8% higher, respectively, than the same months in 2017. And its year-to-date revenue was 27.9% higher than the year before. The enormous Rituals Christmas tree and extensive advertising campaign at Schiphol were viewed an estimated one million times per week. The high number of selfies and photos taken near the Christmas tree – and tagged with Rituals or Schiphol tags – confirm that this was the highlight of the campaign.

We chose Schiphol because it’s the perfect place to inspire stressed-out travellers with our ‘slow down’ philosophy. We are also very pleased with the multi-brand partnership between Rituals Cosmetics, Royal Schiphol Group and Kappé Schiphol. Together, we had everything we needed to create a memorable experience for travellers. – Neil Ebbutt, Director of Global Travel Retail at Rituals Cosmetics