The Hershey Company, which introduced a new visual identity at the 2025 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, is translating its new ‘Take the Taste With You’ platform into measurable in-market performance. The company reports that early activations across key airport hubs are driving stronger shopper engagement and improved sell-out.
Hershey says that the new campaign marks a pivotal step in the brand’s commitment to delivering joyful, emotionally resonant travel experiences through confectionery. Centered around a ‘Take the Taste With You’ call to action, the message reflects the company’s sharpened strategy to connect with young shoppers through moments of indulgence, gifting, and delight.
In travel retail, The Hershey Company is applying the platform to address the realities of the channel’s fast-paced retail environment where visibility, immediacy, and relevance are critical to conversion.
Ahmad Nasser, General Manager Middle East and Africa, and World Travel Retail, commented: “Travel retail demands brand platforms that can operate at scale while remaining effective in highly compressed shopping environments. ‘Take the Taste With You’ was developed to provide that balance, enabling consistent global expression alongside locally relevant execution. The early performance we are seeing across markets indicates that this approach is resonating with both travelers and retail partners, giving us confidence as we continue to build and extend the platform across world travel retail.”
A single platform performing across diverse markets
Permanent visibility fixtures are now live in major airports including Singapore Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, with further installations underway in Mumbai, Delhi, and Doha.
In the Americas, the company has launched updated visibility at Los Angeles International Airport and will debut a refreshed presence at the new 3Sixty store in Orlando Airport.
While the platform provides a consistent global brand framework, its application varies by market, with engagement mechanics adapted to local shopper behavior and retail context. Across markets, the platform is applied through varied engagement formats shaped by factors such as dwell time, store layout and journey stage, allowing flexibility.
Prioritizing immersive visibility and digital amplification
Early activations of the platform are primarily focused on immersive displays and digital touchpoints, reflecting The Hershey Company’s operational priority to modernize the brand in-store while strengthening consistency across the Hershey’s, Reese’s and Kisses portfolios. Digital touchpoints include branded content delivered via in-store digital screens, supported by retailer-owned digital platforms and social media activation.
Digital screens are live in locations including London, Madrid, and the Caribbean, with additional activations in Madrid and the Caribbean delivered through the Club Avolta app and supported on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. High-impact visual updates are being deployed across permanent and semi-permanent fixtures to elevate visibility and reinforce brand recognition in travel retail, allowing the brand to connect with travelers both in-store and beyond the shop floor
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Early performance signals point to stronger engagement and sell-out
Initial feedback from travelers and retail partners has been positive and indicative that activations incorporating interactive or sensory elements are delivering tangible performance benefits. In Paris, the introduction of sampling contributed to increased sell-out during the activation period, increasing by 119% between July and August. In Abu Dhabi, a gamified engagement element inspired by Connect 4, delivered a more than 70% increase in sell-out compared to the previous year. Retail partners have also highlighted improvements in shopper interaction, particularly where activations invite active participation. The activations being adorned with vibrant colors and travel-related creative cues gave the point of sale a more cohesive presence and increased visibility.
Seasonal visual updates, including executions for Chinese New Year and Christmas, have further reinforced relevance during key gifting periods, earning strong praise for shopper appeal and engagement. Together, these early results reinforce the value of engagement-led mechanics and the effectiveness of traveler-focused retail design in driving conversion across different travel retail environments.
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Looking ahead to 2026
Building on this momentum, The Hershey Company will continue to evolve the platform in 2026 through a pipeline of high-visibility and experience-led activations. Planned highlights include a new Departure Gate activation at Mumbai Airport, scheduled to launch later this month, as well as an AR Treasure Hunt experiential activation in partnership with Avolta at Athens and Guarulhos Airports in the second half of the year. Further modernization of visibility and digital engagement is also planned across airports in the Americas.
