To let people know that CBC Gem’s Run the Burbs had returned for its second season, the network’s media AOR Initiative Canada set a bubble tea truck out on the streets of Toronto.

Initiative turned Bubble Bae, a bubble tea shop from the show, in a food truck, which then toured 10 different popular winter spots across the GTA.

“Bubble tea plays a huge cultural role in the series,” says Mike Cortiula, VP of client advice and management at Initiative. “Our goal was to celebrate the second season and drive awareness by tapping into unique moments with viewers. After a successful first season, viewers recognized the Bubble Bae tie-in to Run the Burbs and showed great excitement for the initiative.”

The agency worked with Eat It Up Media to create a fully branded bubble tea truck. At each location, fans could take photos and sip bubble tea. There were even surprise appearances by the show’s cast. Andrew Phung, the creator and lead of the show, stirred up excitement for the travelling bubble tea with social promotion across Instagram and TikTok.

The bubble tea truck activation was supported with an integrated campaign across TV, out-of-home in major markets, cross platform digital video and connected TV channels.

Run the Burbs is a Canadian sitcom streaming on CBC Gem that follows the Phams, a young, Vietnamese-South Asian-Canadian family who take a different approach to living life to the fullest, while changing the way viewers think about contemporary family values and life in the burbs.

Initiative renews its media AOR assignment with CBC last summer.