Summertime and the livin’ is easy... At least that’s the case for the many consumers who have some free time to play with during the summer months. In response, brands are hitting the highways to help fill that downtime with compelling mobile tour programs. Whether it’s inviting people to unleash their frustrations and grab a free ice cream, or educating the public on cannabis with a branded Airstream trailer named Bertha, companies are not only taking advantage of the weather, but delivering relevant experiences directly to wherever their target audiences play, work and shop.

Take 1800 Tequila and its Taste Tiendita Tour, which is bringing a dose of Mexican culture to markets like New York, Atlanta, L.A. and Miami with a branded “18(00) Wheeler” in tow. To showcase how tienditas (local corner stores filled with snacks, gifts and daily essentials) are embedded in the culture, the brand transformed its mobile unit into a bustling bodega offering Mexican cuisine, artist performances on the rooftop deck, scratch-off cards that yield brand merch, frozen cocktails from the “deli counter” and a selection of shoppable fashions.

Then there’s Newman’s Own’s Pay What You Want Pizza truck tour. In the wake of sky-high food prices, the “give it all away” brand is inviting consumers to choose their own price for a slice of pizza, and sample three to five different types of the brand’s ’za based on local availability.

Whatever the objective, brands are leaning into summer mobile tours that satisfy their desire to engage local communities, while scaling reach by hitting multiple markets. Two birds, one trailer.

Now, take a spin through more mobile tour strategies that have helped set brand campaigns in motion. ’Tis the season.

–Kait Shea, Senior Editor-Digital Content,
Event Marketer, kshea@accessintel.com