Summer came early for Milan with the help of a few pairs of Oculus Rifts, a container of sand, and some beach chairs. In the latest promotional event from Corona, participants found themselves escaping the streets and cold city weather, only to find themselves virtually on sandy beach.

The “Find Your Beach” Corona Extra tour kicked off earlier this year, starting in Milan, allowing passerby’s to stop in on a portable room and slap on a pair of VR headsets. Sinking your toes in the sand, with Corona in hand, participants were transported to a beach in Mexico, all while being served a Corona with a lime by a helpful swimsuit model in tow.

Corona partnered with Imille, an advertising agency based in Milan, to launch the “Find Your Beach” campaign and help raise awareness for the Corona virtual reality tour. Imille uploaded a wrap video of the experience on their Vimeo channel.

We have seen other promotional VR events from alcohol brands in the past and discussed whether or not virtual reality ever has a place in a bar environment. Although we may not all agree with VR and bar drinking as an experience, utilizing virtual reality to bring consumers closer to a brand’s culture and extend the brand experience to a larger audience outside the bar can be a winning formula.