Guinness is embracing the festive spirit by launching a holiday pop-up that immerses customers in the essence and heritage of the brand.

The World of Guinness experience celebrates the brand’s history through interactive and festive activities, such as a storytelling session with the company’s national beverage manager, Hugo Silva. There will also be a “Pull Your Own Pint” experience, where visitors can learn how to correctly pour a Guinness, as well as the “Stoutie” machine, which allows consumers to personalize their Guinness pint with their photo. There will also be a store selling Guinness products, and the pop-up will be open from December 11 to 14 in Old Port Montreal, Quai Jacques-Cartier.

“The World of Guinness holiday pop-up encourages visitors to celebrate community and make magical memories with loved ones and we’re thrilled to be offering this one-of-a-kind experience to one of Canada’s most dynamic and culturally diverse cities,” says Nadia Niccoli, head of marketing at Diageo Canada. “Featuring interactive elements like the ‘Stoutie’ machine and ‘Pull Your Own Pint,’ this experience emphasizes personalization and immersive storytelling, highlighting a modern, localized approach that sets it apart from past campaigns.”

Led by We Are Social, the paid social initiative highlights Canadian creators pairing cultural dishes with Guinness on Instagram, while offering the public a chance to win exclusive products. The media planning and buying, handled by Touché!, includes street-level ads near Old Port and in the Montreal Metro, as well as Uber spots to encourage people to visit the experience.

Niccoli tells MiC the media plan was chosen to connect with the public along their journey to the pop-up, with ads strategically selected to coincide with the transport most used by consumers. “While the Metro is a commonly used method by consumers in Montreal, with the colder months upon us, we see an increased usage of Uber within the city as well. So, by meeting consumers where they are on various routes, it allows us to expand our reach against audiences, regardless of their method of transportation,” she says.

According to Niccoli, OOH ads are also an effective tactic to amplify campaigns, as has been done with previous Guinness initiatives. However, the Uber ride ad placement is a new digital layer that is intended to reach consumers who were already on the go.

The brand’s target audience is beer consumers who are interested in craft and cultural moments. They also plan to reach out to the sober curious and those exploring non-alcoholic lifestyles with Guinness 0, as this is a very important target for Diageo Canada, says Niccoli.

The development of the pop-up was handled by Mosaic, with community outreach done by trevor//peter and Middle Child in charge of PR.