While NASA announced the discovery of water on Mars earlier this week, 20th Century Fox is bringing the planet closer to Torontonians as it promotes its upcoming feature film, The Martian.

With media from ZenithOptimedia and additional work from JamVan, the movie is hosting street-level promotions this week.

The experiential stunt includes a touring food truck handing out astronaut-friendly desserts and a space pod at Yonge and Bloor, modelled on the one Matt Damon builds in the movie in order to survive.

Ivan Lee, senior account executive, ZenithOptimedia, says the additional experiential elements were added to the promotion to build on the film’s buzz after screening at TIFF, and before it opens this Friday. Additional media promoting the film includes OOH transit ads, as well as radio, digital and TV spots.

The team chose to erect the experiential activation at Yonge and Bloor because that area generally doesn’t have the same densely-packed advertising as nearby Yonge-Dundas Square does, says Lee.

The food truck has been touring popular events like Blue Jays games over the week, as well as busy areas like Liberty Village, Queen and Peter and Yonge and Eglinton.

The Martian opens in theatres in Canada on Friday.