Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal is hitting the road to strengthen its connection with local residents in Manitoba.

From March 25 to 27, the Crown Royal Rig – an oversized, whisky barrel-inspired, 18-wheeled purple truck – will travel to three different locations across province. At each stop, the brand will invite the local community to watch a Winnipeg Jets game, sample free Crown Royal cocktails, enjoy country music and participate in contests.

With Touché! heading up media planning and purchase, the activation will also support non-profit org Harvest Manitoba, with Crown Royal donating non-perishable items and encouraging guests to contribute. TSN’s BarDown podcast host Jesse Pollock will join the tour, helping to pack boxes for Harvest Manitoba and greeting fans visiting the platform.

Nadia Niccoli, head of marketing at Diageo Canada, tells MiC that the tour celebrates the community that has been part of the brand’s history for decades. “With our Gimli distillery at the heart of Crown Royal since 1968, this is a meaningful opportunity to connect with Manitobans and give back to the people who fuel our brand in a tangible way.”

Niccoli notes that the three stops allow the brand to deepen local engagement through immersive, hands-on experiences. By combining hockey and country music, the province’s two core cultural pillars, the brand is also tapping into the shared passions of Manitobans to forge stronger community bonds.

On March 25, the Crown Royal Rig will stop at True North Square in Winnipeg, where fans can watch the Winnipeg Jets-Washington Capitals game live, before heading to Gimli Recreational Centre on March 26 to meet with local community members and prepare boxes for Harvest Manitoba. On March 27, it will return to True North Square for a pre-concert celebration of country artist Kane Brown’s High Road Tour.

Niccoli adds that while they’ve already done large-scale activations with the Winnipeg Jets, BarDown and Brown, this tour is different because of its hyper-local approach.

“Our focus is on Canadians and Manitobans who are longtime Crown Royal fans and whisky enthusiasts who take pride in supporting Canadian whisky,” she says. “It has always been important for us to celebrate our Canadian roots, and to honour the folks in Gimli and Crown Royal fans alike who power up our brand.”

The activation is supported by a multi-channel campaign that combines digital, OOH, social media, influencer and PR initiatives with retail and venue promotions in partnership with MBLL, True North and local bars and restaurants.

Mosaic and Proof spearheaded the creation and production of the experiential concept, while trevor//peter leads the creative adaptation. Anomaly and Vayner Media are in charge of content and video assets, while StarPower manages talent. Middle Child manages PR and community engagement, with We Are Social handling social media.