LCBO Pop-Up Booze Store Uses Digital Touchpoints To Market Wine, Whiskey
December 19, 2017 by Dave Haynes
When I think of pop-up stores, I think apparel start-ups. But in Toronto, Ontario’s giant booze monopoly is running a pop-up store for the holiday season that includes several digital components.
The LCBO Pop-Up west of downtown Toronto, at the hipstery nexus of King Street and Portland, was set up to build awareness and attract new customers to several beverage alcohol categories, like whiskies and Ontario VQA wines.
The LCBO Pop-Up has several digital touchpoints – like a “lift and learn” area that displays detailed product information on a screen when a product is lifted from the shelf right in front of it. Customers can learn about wine varietals as well as suggested food pairings. The feature wall highlights twelve limited release Ontario VQA Chardonnays that are also available to taste at the experience bar. Using a mobile app, customer can also scan barcodes related to these products for additional details and tasting notes.
Events from the space are being live streamed on a digital screen in the store (why?) and on the LCBO Facebook page.
To encourage browsing and shopping the endless aisle of Ontario VQA wine products, there are several tablets stationed around the space. There’s also a screen running curated social media content.
Make sure to swing by the @LCBO #LCBOpopup at King & Portland in #Toronto this holiday season. Our 'lift & learn' installation will help you pick out that perfect gift for a friend. #popupshop #FestiveFriday #holidayshopping #cheers pic.twitter.com/Acz1dUUAkG
— BIG Digital (@_BIGDigital) December 8, 2017
“We are always looking for new ways to connect with our customers in a fun and responsible manner, and we are confident we have that achieved that with LCBO Pop-Up,” says Kerri Dawson, Vice-President of Marketing, LCBO in a press release. “We have created a perfect place to attract an audience seeking a bespoke and immersive shopping experience. From the digital innovation, exclusive product and event offerings and exceptional customer service throughout the space, we are confident the experience will have customers making return visits.”
The digital Experience components were all put together by Toronto-based Big Digital, which specializes in temporary digital.
Ontario, for the wine crowd, is best known for world class ice wines. It also does some really good whites. Reds … not so much. You can buy a decent bottle for $20, but that same $20 will get you a killer bottle from Aussie Shiraz or Chilean Carmenere.
The store is open until Dec. 31.
They sure look better than the Beer Stores interactive kiosk effort. I’ve yet to find one of those that is actually functional.