Skip has expanded its retail portfolio by adding Shoppers Drug Mart and the brand’s Quebec banner Pharmaprix to its app, and has opened a new pop-up store in downtown Toronto to celebrate the collab.
The “Grab N’ Glow” activation made its debut at Stackt Market, an evolving collection of shops, cafes and event spaces built out of shipping containers, in a high-traffic downtown Toronto location.
The pop-up, aimed to showcase the range of Shoppers Drug Mart products available now through the app, offered attendees makeup touch-ups, customized toiletry bags and samples from various cosmetics and skincare brands, including Clarins, E.L.F. and L’Oreal.
According to Skip, the launch event for influencers, managed by Pomp & Circumstance, hosted 59 creators. Overall, the company says, it generated 229 pieces of earned social coverage, resulting in over 8.9 million impressions on Instagram and TikTok.
Wasserman was responsible for the activation.
Rachel MacAdam, VP of marketing at Skip, tells Media in Canada that the ultimate strategy behind the activation was to showcase how the brand’s partnerships make it easy for Canadians to skip the store run when they’re short on time. This approach reinforces Skip’s brand promise, “Skip to the Good Part,” which is all about helping Canadians avoid everyday hassles.
“As a digital brand, it’s critical for Skip to create moments for Canadians to see, touch, feel and experience our brand and our partners’ brands in the real world,” MacAdam says, noting that events like this help Skip differentiate itself in a saturated market and meet growing consumer demand for quick access to everyday staples.
The activation also highlighted the company’s ongoing evolution, she notes. Over the past year, the app has grown beyond food and grocery delivery to include a broad array of retail categories, such as alcohol, pet supplies, dollar stores and pharmacies. This expansion is tied to the introduction of its Skip+ membership program in 2024, which offers members benefits and exclusive perks from new partners, including CIBC, Live Nation Canada and WestJet.
The pop-up was part of a broader launch campaign for Shoppers Drug Mart in collaboration with UM Canada, which included TV, influencer marketing, earned media, integrated media, digital platforms and promotion on owned channels. Skip also launched a $20 discount offer on orders of $35 or more at Shoppers, within the app, to encourage purchases.
“While we don’t disclose exact numbers on our spend, we supported this launch robustly across our channels,” MacAdam says. “We are strategically investing across the entire marketing funnel for launches like this, from mass channels like TV to more targeted digital channels and consumer activations. The channel mix is always customized to the partner and the target.”
