SodaStream Canada is getting up close and personal with Torontonians with its first-ever summer tour. The activation offers hands-on demonstrations of SodaStream, an at-home device that turns tap water into sparkling water.
“We discovered that people understand our machine when they see it and they try it out. But other than that, there is a very limited knowledge about it,” said Susie Macrae, marketing director at SodaStream Canada.
A branded food truck has already made stops at various locations in Toronto (including the Distillery District, Bloor West Village, Evergreen Brickworks and St. Lawrence Market). The tour wraps up on Sept. 14, with two (not yet confirmed) locations.
“It’s not necessarily about high-traffic areas,” said Macrae. “We have to go where there are people who are willing to stop and give us three minutes to talk and try [the machine] out. We had great success at the Brickworks market because people were in shopping mode and they were ready to have a refreshing beverage.”
SodaStream Canada learned that 65 – 70% of those who have engaged with the tour so far had no experience with the brand or awareness of what it had to offer. “We’re still evaluating the results, but the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Macrae. “We’re really happy with how people are responding to this.”
Aside from raising brand awareness, SodaStream is also aiming to build its database of consumers. At each stop, people are asked to register to receive recipes, ideas and special offers. Those who sign up are also offered a discount code for making a purchase on the spot.
The tour is being promoted through social media channels and the microsite. The Mint Agency helped develop the tour and is handling PR.
