Crown Royal gets Pop Up treatment

[Sally Toms]

The latest marketing gimmick – the Pop Up – has come to the world of whisky – in New York at least. A Pop Up is a promotion tool aimed at the fast pace of modern urban life.

A brand is promoted in an unusual place such as a deserted building, 'popping up' to offer passers-by a chance to sample the brand while offering something back to the customer at the same time.

In the case of Canadian Crown Royal Reserve, consumers were offered a choice of drinks including a new Dale DeGroff created cocktail called The Royal Gingersnap, a free haircut while enjoying music clips and videos on giant screens.

The event took place in New York's trendy SoHo district but Pop Up events – which obviously provide great scope for creativity – are becoming increasingly common in cities such as Tokyo, Shanghai, London, Paris and Los Angeles.