Liquid I.V. is coming to Montreal’s Igloofest to promote its new hydration-boosting electrolyte drink mix flavour, Golden Cherry.

The Unilever brand is setting up the Hydration Lodge booth, where festival-goers can take photos and sample the new drink through an interactive game called Hydration Pods. Canadians will also learn about the importance of being hydrated for their health and mental clarity, especially throughout the winter.

Courtney Dodds, brand manager for Liquid I.V. Canada, tells MiC that the booth will help the brand put hydration in the forefront of Canadians’ minds while highlighting Liquid I.V. as a go-to option. “Cold weather is notorious for disguising the symptoms of dehydration, making us think hydration is somehow less essential in the winter. This was a clear finding in our hydration survey, which revealed that 65% of Canadians report they drink less water in winter, and 70% say they don’t even think about their hydration,” Dodds says. 

In the same survey (developed last year in Canada), Liquid I.V. discovered that 63% of respondents feel dehydrated on a regular basis, with Gen Z (77%) and Millennials (74%) feeling the most dehydrated weekly. And given that 71% of last year’s Igloofest attendees were between the ages of 18 and 34, Dodds says the festival allows them to interact with this same demographic. “From the travelling to get there, the dancing, the adventure of the experience, the dehydrating effects of the cold or heat and the recovery the next day, festivals are a collision of so many key use cases for our Hydration Multiplier,” she notes. According to her, Igloofest is also a “natural step” to maintain momentum and attract customers, considering its enormous popularity among Quebecers. Last year, almost 100,000 people attended the festival over the course of 12 days, with nearly 90% of them being provincial residents.

Overall, festivals have been an important venue for Liquid I.V. to engage and educate Canadians about its product. Since its launch in 2023, the brand has led activations at various events, such as the Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, Calgary’s Badlands Festival, Festival d’été de Québec, and Reggae on the Mountain​ in Blue Mountain, Ontario.

The brand will promote the new activation on digital and social channels for those who can’t be there. It is also working with media outlets such as Narcity and has partnered with actress Ludivine Reding and Quebec creators to build buzz around the booth and showcase their experience at the festival. Additionally, it is offering a contest to win a trip for two to Igloofest on its Instagram.

“What we love about working with our wide roster of creators is that each one offers a unique perspective on how they use Liquid I.V. to elevate their experience for their diverse audiences,” Dodds says.

Initiative manages paid media, while U-Studio handles Liquid I.V.’s organic content on social media and Salt XC leads all experiential marketing. Ketchum leads the Integrated Agency Team (IAT) and also drives strategy, creative, influencer relations, media and brand partnerships.