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T ransformation of the consumer conscience was the central theme of an illuminating address from Bobby Jones, best-selling author and co-founder of brand consultancy Conspiracy of Love, in yesterday’s TFWA World Conference. He explored howmodern consumers are increasingly guided by values as much as price. With examples from leading global brands, he highlighted how businesses that embrace purpose, sustainability, and authenticity can forge stronger connections with today’s travellers and succeed in a rapidly evolving retail landscape. “My central message is that travel retail has the opportunity to move beyond transactions and become part of the story for a new generation of younger travellers,” Jones shared. “Overall, travellers are back in record numbers but spend per traveller is still below pre-crisis levels. That gap is the opportunity – to reinvent travel retail as part of the journey, not just a place to pass through. The biggest takeaway I want to leave is that purpose, belonging, and meaning are no longer ‘nice-to-haves’, they’re business drivers, particularly for Gen Z.” We’re living through the biggest shift in consumer behaviour in decades. A Deloitte study in 2024 found that 64% of Gen Z are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products. Nearly nine in ten say purpose is important to their job satisfaction, which is proof that their values guide both how they work and how they shop. “At the same time, Kearney’s latest travel retail research shows the top two barriers to purchase today are high prices (30%) and uninspiring assortments (29-30%),” Jones explained. “That means younger travellers are looking for experiences and values-driven offers that justify the spend. Competing on price alone won’t win them over.” Embracing purpose, sustainability, and authenticity helps forge deeper connections with today’s travellers – and drives success in a rapidly changing retail landscape. “The best examples are happening right in travel retail,” said Jones. “At Changi, Dior’s ‘Couture Twirl’ pop-up transformed retail into a brand universe with Augmented Reality (AR) try-ons, immersive storytelling, and the Miss Dior Café. The results were clear: dwell time tripled from two to seven minutes, 28% of café visitors purchased a fragrance, and over 4,000 new loyalty members were acquired. At Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the ‘Cascadia Collection’ created belonging by showcasing British Columbia artisans, indigenous crafts, and pre-loved luxury goods. Instead of a generic duty free, YVR built a sense of place that travellers couldn’t find anywhere else. And Suntory’s ‘One Night in Toki-O’ at Changi turned a layover into a cultural immersion, with DJs, art, and tastings. It proved that discovery can beat distraction, pulling travellers out of their phones and into the brand’s story.” These examples show that brands that create experiences which compete with the scroll, can win attention, increase spend, and build loyalty. Become more purpose-driven throughauthenticity, consistency and creativity Jones offered compelling advice to brands that want to become more purpose-driven, emphasising the importance of listening and understanding what travellers care about most, whether it’s sustainability, personalisation, or culture. Then, he said, connect those values to your brand in three ways: • Authenticity: “Stay true to who you are.” • Consistency: “Live your purpose across every touchpoint, from product to packaging to retail.” • Creativity: “Use innovation to bring it to life in ways that surprise and delight.” “Travel retail has the opportunity to become part of the story for a new generation of younger travellers” Yesterday’s TFWA World Conference heard a fascinating address from Bobby Jones, best-selling author and co-founder of brand consultancy Conspiracy of Love, in which he explored howmodern consumers are increasingly guided by values as much as price. Bobby Jones, Author and Consumer Expert, Co-founder, Good is the New Cool and Conspiracy of Love: “My central message is that travel retail has the opportunity to move beyond transactions and become part of the story for a new generation of younger travellers. Overall, travellers are back in record numbers but spend per traveller is still below pre-crisis levels. That gap is the opportunity – to reinvent travel retail as part of the journey, not just a place to pass through.” Tuesday 30 September 2025 12 T F W A D A I L Y