Choclair takes the stage with models in rehearsals for his cross-country tour. A deejay spins out beats with turntables on the forks of the customised forklift.

Masterlift's "Pimp My Lift" advertising campaign has attracted media attention and now a cross-branding opportunity with a popular Canadian performer (Forkliftaction.com News #319).

Company president Greg Wilson says Choclair, a hip hop singer who has won four Juno awards (Canada's equivalent of the Grammys), has approached Masterlift to partner on several projects, one of them "The Choclair Experience".

Choclair says he is excited to work with Masterlift.

"Having grown up around blue-collar workers and forklifts, there's this 'cool' factor surrounding the brand and it speaks to the audience I'm reaching too."

Wilson adds: "The crowd that attends these concerts is generally in their 20s and 30s and therefore fit the forklift operator demographic which is one of the demographics that our brands speak to."

Starting on 27 February in Whistler, British Columbia, Choclair and other Canadian hip hop and rap performers will go on a 28-city tour that will end on 12 April in Fredericton, New Brunswick. During the tour, a modified Masterlift forklift will take to the stage, where the deejay will place his turntables on a pallet on the forks and models will dance to Choclair's performance.

Both parties are also collaborating on a combined "Pimp My Lift" and "Choclair Experience" clothing line.