Going to market with shopper programs that tickle the senses is a sound strategy for any brand wanting to engage with consumers beyond the rack. Just ask Canada Goose.

The parka brand adopted a “try before you buy” attitude with “The Cold Room” installation that was exactly that: a sub-zero chamber for shoppers to put Canada Goose jackets under a frigid stress test. Why? Because once you go Goose, you’ll never want to let that parka loose.

The brand has found that people are more likely to purchase its coats after sampling them. But doing that inside an air-conditioned store wasn’t enough, so it fast-tracked the process by allowing shoppers to test it in a cold zone. The 50-square-foot room features an adjustable thermostat, so people can control the temperature (between -18 and -25 degrees Celsius) to suit different environments from spring temps in Manitoba to winter in Ontario.

“The Cold Room” by Canada Goose's internal marketing team, which won a Bronze In-store Engagement, has since seen 30% of customers test the space when visiting five of the global stores that have the room.