social posts with #GoodTimesOutside


campaign traffic from Ontario and Quebec


decrease in bounce rate

With 30 percent of Canadians spending less than five minutes outside a day, MEC wanted to make it easy for urbanites to get outside—regardless of skill level. To increase brand awareness, inspire activity through social sharing, and expand their reach in less established markets in central Canada, MEC created and launched their #GoodTimesOutside microsite and digital campaign.

Using Hootsuite, the MEC team successfully ran a nationwide campaign that grew their customer base in Ontario and Quebec. The #GoodTimesOutside campaign proved so popular that MEC has made it a permanent feature of their brand.

How they did it

1 Usedsocial

Used social media to drive microsite traffic

MEC built a #GoodTimesOutside microsite that features local content around different Canadian cities. The site showcases low-barrier outdoor activities—like camping in Manning Park or running in High Park—that are easy for anyone to try. Users can filter activities according to their “vibe,” browse local events, and get gear tips.

MEC used Hootsuite to drive organic and paid traffic to their site from all their social channels.

2 Engagedaudiences

Engaged with audiences during events and festivals

MEC paired their microsite with an event strategy that ran throughout the year, which included sponsored festivals and concerts to increase awareness in Ontario and Quebec.

MEC used Hootsuite not only to promote events and increase sign-ups, but also to monitor activity and respond in real time to participants on event days.

3 Targetedaudiences

Targeted regional audiences with hyperlocal social content

MEC’s microsite shows people activities or events that are only a few hours away from an urban center, so geotargeting social posts using Hootsuite was essential for reaching the right audience in the right location.

Hootsuite Impact allowed MEC to identify and target local audiences across Canada to promote over 180 activities. It also offered insights on how to optimize ads and improve return on investment.

4 Shareugc

Shared inspirational user-generated content

MEC’s campaign encouraged audiences to share their own photos and other content with the #GoodTimesOutside hashtag. This allowed MEC to expand their reach and inspire other people to try activities.

During events, people shared a huge amount of  content on social media using the #GoodTimesOutside hashtag. By using Hootsuite to monitor social media activity, MEC was able to engage quickly and efficiently with thousands of posts across various social channels.

Hootsuite was key in terms of helping us manage the social scalability of the #GoodTimesOutside campaign. We were trying to be hyper-regional and deliver local content to different areas of the country. To manage that on social you either need an army of people or you need a tool like Hootsuite.

Photo of Ryan McKee
Ryan McKee Brand Engagement Director MEC


By using Hootsuite to amplify their campaign and deliver hyper-targeted content to specific regions, MEC was able to engage new markets in Ontario and Quebec, with 75 percent of microsite traffic coming directly from those provinces. They were also able to create a more immersive brand experience on the #GoodTimesOutside microsite, experiencing a 20 percent decrease in bounce rate from content on MEC.ca.

The positive reception and popularity of the campaign on social media showed them that the #GoodTimesOutside campaign should become a permanent part of their brand. MEC will continue to evolve their microsite by building out new activities, incorporating user feedback, and sharing user-generated content during upcoming events.

We feel that there’s a responsibility on us to educate and inform people about how to safely enjoy the outdoors in a way that has the least amount of impact on the environment. Hootsuite allows us to amplify that message on social media with our #GoodTimesOutside campaign.

Photo of Ryan McKee
Ryan McKee Brand Engagement Director MEC