Artists of Note fragrance series is showcased onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona and Arvia
British luxury fragrance brand Molton Brown has partnered with leading cruise retail specialist Harding+ to create pop-up activation spaces onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona and Arvia Excel class ships. The immersive sensorial beauty experiences are running on both vessels from January until March.
A key focus of the pop-ups is Molton Brown’s pioneering Artists of Note initiative, first unveiled in September 2024, which invites different creatives to reinterpret selected fragrances through their respective artistic mediums, highlighting the concept of perfumery as artistry – and perfumers as artists. The three-month Harding+ promotional sites are showcasing three of Molton Brown’s much loved fragrances: Re-Charge Black Pepper, Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel, and Rose Dunes.
In addition to the EDPs, passengers are invited to discover the full portfolio of bath and body products for each fragrance, within a dedicated space that highlights the Artists of Note new brand vision and creative direction.
To further enhance the travel experience and bring fragrance discovery to life for the onboard guests, Molton Brown is using cabin drops to offer complimentary 1.5ml samples of its signature scents. In addition to this personal introduction to its luxury fragrance portfolio, passengers who purchase a 100ml Eau de Parfum are eligible for a 40ml Fiery Pink Pepper Hand Cream GWP.
Early results indicate that the pop-ups have been hugely successful, engaging thousands of travellers across both ships, and connecting with both new and existing customers. As each ship has a capacity of around 5,200 passengers and an estimated 20,000 passengers per month, both Iona and Arvia have provided excellent visibility for the brand. Importantly, with typical cruise durations ranging from seven to 14 days, there has been plenty of quality dwell time for travellers to explore and enjoy Molton Brown’s luxury fragrance collections.
“We are delighted to partner with Harding+ to create these personalised promotional spaces and invite P&O Cruises’ guests to discover our Artists of Note series,” commented Molton Brown Head of Business Development, Global Travel Retail Sophie Sponagle.
“In line with our objective to build brand awareness in the channel, we are committed to exploring all new opportunities within travel retail. This latest collaboration has allowed us to present a curated selection of products within an elevated yet engaging environment, in order to deliver another exceptional fragrance discovery experience to a new passenger demographic.”
Harding+ Chief Commercial Officer Linzi Walker commented: “Our partnership with Molton Brown exemplifies the power of cruise retail in delivering immersive and engaging brand experiences, and we are thrilled to be working together on this exciting activation.
“With extended dwell time onboard, guests have a unique opportunity to explore and connect with the Artists of Note initiative in a way that isn’t possible in traditional retail spaces. These pop-ups on Iona and Arvia not only showcase Molton Brown’s exceptional fragrances, but also create a multi-sensory discovery experience, demonstrating how brand activations can elevate and enrich the cruise retail journey.”
