On the Cover
Pandemic Rebound? First Start with a Clean Slate
St. George's freshened up its brand before reconnecting with shoppers whose habits COVID altered.
An example of sustainability commitment, the Centropolis (Laval, Canada) Eco-Gourmet Event increases audience engagement, elevates customer experience, and strengthens community relations. Inspired by the transformation of the shopping center’s spring landscaping, from flowerbeds to a vegetable garden, the initiative is an annual occurrence. In its sixth year, the one-day meet and munch remains the only event of its type in the region. Tapping into the clean and green eating market, it maintains high environmental standards to guide operational and marketing practices.
“More than a gathering of local producers, this open-air market [proposes] many green initiatives that are easy to put into practice at home, as well as many agri-food trends and innovations related to the industries,” Centropolis noted in its event summary.
“On the menu: family cooking workshops with the chefs from Centropolis, exhibitors, and harvest of the vegetable garden for Moisson Laval.”
Designed to promote active nourishment, support the buy local movement, and maximize the environmental and social impact of the community, the Eco-Gourmet Event features more than 25 exhibitors and attracts foodies of all kinds who come to meet local producers and taste their products. In addition to sampling, visitors are encouraged to hop on the STL 360 Shuttle and head to Centropolis via its free extended service.
This summer, the center team implemented a mixed-media strategy to promote the green initiative, including press outreach, signage, social platforms, and media campaigns.
“The Eco-Gourmet Event gathered local, regional, and national media attention, elevating Centropolis’ eco-responsible reputation. Exhibitors added social channel amplification, generating 821,717 earned impressions,” said marketing director, Karine Rodrigue.
A Closer Look…
Event Partnerships
Event Fundraisers
Social Channels
Twitter reach: 50,109
Instagram fanbase: +95%
Website – event page views: +147%
On the day of the event, in addition to a boost in social media activity, Centropolis experiences an increase in overall traffic. For 2018, the expected numbers were more than 2,000 attendees and a 10-percent increase in traffic (vs. a typical Sunday).