The Poutinerie POP-UP
- Denver
- Brand Activations
- Travel
Crafting the Taste of the Airline
THE CHALLENGE
A Tricky Timeline
To raise awareness about the advantages and options for Air Canada’s flights from Denver through Canada to destinations in Asia and Australia, Impact XM partnered with marketing partner, ISL, to create a unique pop-up experience. With under two weeks to build and launch the design concept, the biggest challenge for us as the build and management partner was the coordination of the various support elements—temporary liquor licensing, catering, valet service, contractors, staffing, etc—in such a short timeline.
THE SOLUTION
Taste of Canadiana
Designed by ISL to look like an upscale airport lounge, Impact XM converted an old and abandoned hookah bar in downtown Denver into a one-of-a-kind pop-up restaurant for Air Canada serving only poutine, entitled “The Poutinerie”. Featuring ten different poutine flavours, one for each destination city being promoted, the entire activation—from brand ambassadors and street teams to brand messaging and material selection—was outfitted in the class, care, and sophistication of Air Canada.
The choice of the poutine itself was a Canadian world-famous comfort food that embodied the values of Air Canada as a brand, allowing guests to taste the airline quite literally. Guests were encouraged to share their experience on social by offering a daily sweepstakes that would grant one lucky winner a pair of tickets to any Air Canada destination.
THE IMPACT
The activation was a huge success in Denver, generating 5x the expected attendance in the few days of the activation. Based on the local media coverage, lines down the block, and volume of social media posts, it was clear to everyone that Denver loved The Poutinerie! With an integrated social sharing component, social posts by local Denverites netted over 1.1 million potential impressions. The pop-up restaurant also earned coverage on CBS, NBC, Fox, and The Denver Post. To extend the investment in the local community, Air Canada donated all revenue generated by the pop-up to a beloved local charity, The Adoption Exchange.
