Matt & Steve’s, the Canadian brand behind Caesar cocktail products, has taken its marketing to new heights with an activation launched at 36,000 feet.
To celebrate its official launch on Flair Airlines, the brand hosted a 30-hour activation on back-to-back flights in a single day, from Toronto to Calgary and back. More than 200 passengers on each flight were given ready-to-drink Caesars, and engaged in Matt & Steve’s trivia for a chance to win branded merchandise. Co-founder and CBO Steve McVicker also took to the intercom to chat with passengers.
The brand promoted the activation through its own Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels. The campaign was created by Matt & Steve’s in-house team in collaboration with Flair’s marketing team. Flair also shared the activation across its channels, which helped broaden the reach and give even more visibility to the experience, the brand says.
Touchwood was in charge of public relations.
McVicker tells Media in Canada that the activation aligns with the brand’s broader strategy to differentiate itself from competitors by creating immersive, fun experiences that foster emotional connections and boost brand recall.
McVicker felt that the activation was a success and said the social content reached 91,000 views, 824 likes, 46 comments and 104 shares on Instagram, which outperformed the brand’s typical content on the platform.
“For us, it was about making an impression, starting conversations and turning the passengers into brand fans,” McVicker says.
The activation is also part of the brand’s strategy to highlight its Canadian roots and the fact that its products are made in Ontario. Through trivia, passengers learned about the brand’s history, including its founding in Mississauga in 2000.
Although this activation is the first for Matt & Steve’s, the brand often interacts with fans at events and festivals. It has a long-standing partnership with Golf Canada, serving as the official Caesar partner until 2027. At Golf Canada events like the RBC Canadian Open and CPKC Women’s Open, the brand operates the “Caesar Deck,” a place for fans to enjoy Caesars and other Matt & Steve’s products, and participates in other activities, including the Main Fairway area at the CPKC.
“We launched this activation to push the boundaries of where and how people can experience Matt & Steve’s,” McVicker says. “What made it different was not just the altitude, it was the element of surprise.”
