Reese’s has tapped into the cherished Quebec Cabane à Sucre (sugar shack) tradition to promote its Big Cup with Caramel snack. The Hershey’s Canada chocolate brand says the two-day activation, which opened during National Caramel Day (April 5) in Montreal, drew more than 1,000 locals.

The sugar shack “Reese’s Cabane à Caramel” featured a lounge area with branded signage and traditional Quebec music, plus product samples. It invited consumers to enjoy the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and caramel, served in a traditional taffy fashion over snow and topped with a Big Cup with Caramel. 

The activation was promoted through digital and social media, including Meta and TikTok, with UM supporting the media buy. Additionally, Craft PR and Bureau22 led a paid creator and influencer campaign, and Reese’s also partnered with various media outlets for advertorials.

Cerella Zhao, marketing manager at Reese’s Canada, tells MiC that the brand wanted to celebrate National Caramel Day in an authentically Québécois way by paying homage to the classic shack, a beloved tradition that offers a festive experience centered around maple syrup, traditional cuisine and music.

“We’re particularly excited about this activation in Quebec, a region where the brand has shown strong momentum,” Zhao says, adding that in its 2024 launch year, the product ranked number five among all king-format SKUs in Quebec, highlighting the strong resonance with consumers in the province.

This is the second year Reese’s has invested in marketing efforts to promote its Big Cup with Caramel during National Caramel Day. Last year, to support the product launch, the brand created two CGI videos in English and French based on digital street art that highlighted the sticky caramel coating it has added to its peanut butter cups.

The first video showed a car in Toronto covered in creamy caramel before panning to reveal a larger-than-life Reese’s Big Cup with Caramel hanging from one of the city’s many cranes, dripping from above. In the second video, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is transformed into a Big Cup, with a faucet of caramel filling the stands. UM also managed the media buying for the campaign, which was launched on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Zhao notes that marketing initiatives in Quebec are frequently just translations or adaptations of what is happening in English Canada, so it was important for the team this year to take a Quebec-first approach to truly engage with its target audience.

“This year’s activation brought the brand to life through an in-person experience in Quebec, where consumers enjoyed a sweet Reese’s Big Cup with Caramel treat in an immersive and engaging setting,” she says. 

Reese’s Big Cup with Caramel was initially kicked off during last year’s Superbowl with support on TV, social media and with product centric assets on Reese’s platforms.