Rogers Wireless aimed to make a big impression at Winterlude in Ottawa this year on the world’s longest skating rink, now known as the Rogers Ice Star Alley.

The 3,000-square-foot rink on the Rideau Canal – recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world – is playing host to a ‘wireless bar,’ where visitors can make national calls on Rogers phones for free, and a heated tent with lounge furniture and a fire pit, interactive games and Rogers Wireless brand ambassadors. For the Winterlude weekends (Feb. 2-3, 9-10, 16-17), Olympic medallists including Elizabeth Manley, Don Jackson and Josee Chouinard were engaged to perform on the Rogers Rink.

While Rogers has partnered with the National Capital Commission for the past 20 years, nothing on this scale had been done before. ‘We wanted to have a large-scale, branded interaction that was relevant to Winterlude and the Rideau Canal, with local figure skaters and celebrities. Our own branded rink made perfect sense,’ says Jason White, marketing manager, Ontario North East, Rogers Wireless.

The Ice Star Alley was promoted through a ‘Skate with a Champion’ contest in which entrants could win a private skate on the Rideau Canal with Josee Chouinard on Feb. 10. The campaign, which ran from Jan. 14-Feb. 9, ran on Rogers English (22) and French (23) stations and included daytime on-air host chats, Winterlude calendar listings, in-studio segments, throws and live remotes featuring Chouinard and the winner.

The contest was also promoted on www.televisionrogers.com and through a radio partnership with 105.3 KISS FM, as well as activity guides, posters, window clings, ballot boxes and ballots in 25 Rogers Plus and Rogers Video stores in Ottawa. Pictures from the festivities are posted on the Rogers Ice Star Alley Facebook page, which can also be accessed via wireless phones on site.

The event was executed by Toronto-based Fuse Marketing Group. All media was done in-house.