After six years as a sponsor of the Calgary Stampede, Mott’s Canada, of Mississauga, Ont., is spicing up the relationship to include promo teams that will sample product at the grounds and off-site venues.
According to Ian Malcolm, president of Mississauga, Ont.-based Desperado Marketing, the program was updated to promote Mott’s new ready-to-drink bloody caesars, which were introduced to Canada two years ago.
In past years, the sponsorship centred on ‘made-to-measure’ bloody caesars; a contest at the Stampede had judges vote on their favourite cocktail out of a slew of entries mixed by competing bartenders.
‘Now Mott’s is involved in the ready-to-drink category, which is more portable and accessible, so it’s important to promote the master brand,’ explains Malcolm. ‘They’re going after a younger audience, because there are times when made-to-measure caesars aren’t possible.’
Eighteen teams will visit three ‘cantinas’ at the Stampede, scheduled to run between July 4 and July 13, as well as liquor stores and bars in Calgary, where they will encourage patrons to taste the zesty beverage and reward them with goodies such as T-shirts and key chains. For the first time, the initiative also includes a radio buy, and reps will drop into local stations for morning and afternoon drive programs.
In total, the plan is to interact directly with 60,000 people through the span of the promotion, but Malcolm says that brand identification on-site will help the brand reach deeper. At last year’s Stampede, for instance, total attendance numbers exceeded one million.
According to Malcolm, the association with the Stampede makes sense for a couple of reasons. First of all – believe it or not – the bloody caesar was actually invented in Calgary back in 1969, so there is a connection from a heritage standpoint. But it is also an excellent brand fit. ‘The Stampede is Calgary’s biggest party, and Mott’s is all about having a good time,’ he says. ‘Part of the importance of this initiative is to put a face to the brand, and create dialogue.’
