Anheuser Busch’sBud Lightbrand sure knows how to throw a party. Not only are they the purveyors of one of America’s most popular party libations, they are also the connoisseurs of one kick ass party. Whatever, USA weekend long excursions are the events dreams are made of.
Last year’s inaugural Whatever, USA rewarded 1,000 #UpForWhatever consumers with an unforgettable weekend that included branded jets, LED suits, drag queen drag racing, hype hop karaoke with Lil Jon, a Vanilla Ice ice cream truck, concerts by Questlove, Charli XCX, Alesso (and more), and dozens of other unexpected, unbelievable experiences.
Bud Light then continued the#upforwhatever fun during Super Bowl XLIX by introducing the first-ever, equally crazy, Bud Light House of Whatever (which you can now see at various events and festivals likeTomorrowWorldas it travels across the country).
This year’s event is shaping up to be even better than the last. This May 29-31st thousands of exclusive invite-only guests and contest winners will flock to Catalina Island where the amazing Bud Light team has constructed an entire party city on the beautiful island. The experiences that await attendees will truly be mind-blowing.
The Evolution of Partying
First, crowds were going to 1 concert to see 1 band they loved. Then we evolved into going to 1 concert to see 2 bands we loved, then three. Then some genius came up with idea of a day long music event filled with music and art. Then someone capitalized on that idea to create a weekend long music festival that brought an entirely new experiential nature to enjoying music. Now, Bud Light has taken things one step further by curating an entire weekend of music + celebrities doing hilarious things that you can interact with. Vanilla Icemight roll up in an ice cream truck and serve you vanilla ice cream.Lil Jonmight surprised people at a super small underground venue and act as a hype man while guests do karaoke. at Super Bowl.Nellymay join fans in participating in a dating game.Shaqmight serve as a model in a painting class before hopping on stage to DJ. The sky is honestly the limit at a Whatever, USA event. On top of all of those amazing experiences you have some of the best live music being played by top artists in all genres. The best way to explain what the experience is like is to watch the recap video from the event last year. Be prepared for mad FOMO.
Will sell region-specific bottles in Texas, California, Northwest, Canada
SEATTLE --Jones Soda Co., a leading premium beverage company that features customer-designed packaging, has announced the expansion of its limited-edition, region-specific Jones Soda.
In 2013, Jones launched the Made in Michigan initiative as a way to thank Michiganders for years of support. In 2013 and 2014, Jones bottled and sold the product exclusively in Michigan, with labels featuring images of Michigan submitted by consumers.
This year, Jones will expand this program to Texas, California, the Northwest and Canada.
It will produce Made in Canada and Made in California limited-edition bottles in each of these markets and feature consumer-submitted photos showcasing these regions. Although Jones will not produce bottles of the cane sugar soda in Texas or the Northwest, Shot in Texas and Snapped in the Northwest will be a shout out to these two markets. These products will be available at retailers throughout each region while supplies last.
“Just like Made in Michigan, this year’s program is aimed at honoring the communities that have supported Jones over the years,” Jones Soda CEO Jennifer Cue said. “From the enthused emails and posts on social media, to the amazing fans who show up at our events, it truly is a testament to our brand. For us, it’s always been about the people, so we created a tribute to our fan base in a way that only Jones Soda can.”
Based in Seattle, Jones Soda markets and distributes premium beverages under Jones Soda, Jones Zilch, Jones Stripped and Jones Sparkling Water brands and sells them through its distribution network in markets primarily across North America. The Jones product line offers pure cane sugar soda, zero-calorie soda, an all-naturally sweetened sparkling beverage with 30 calories and a sparkling water with no sugar, artificial flavors or calories. Jones product lines are available through traditional beverage retailers and other retailers that also sell carbonated beverages.
If you thoughtCoke Zero's drinkable billboardwas impressive, Carlsberg would like to serve you some outdoor advertising with a bit more kick.
The Danish brewer, with help from ad agency Fold7 and design company Mission Media, unveiled abeer-dispensing billboardat The Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane in London. The billboard was emblazone with the headline, "Probably the best poster in the world." The brand was on hand to monitor the drinkers, making sure no one was under 18.
"We want to get the Carlsberg brand in front of as many beer drinkers as possible," says Dharmesh Rana, senior brand manager at Carlsberg U.K. "To do this, we have to think differently with our approach and can't just rely on great TV advertising."
This interactive outdoor campaign by Lew'Lara\TBWA is a real yawner—which is exactly what the Brazilian agency intended.
The shop set up a digital panel equipped with a motion sensor at São Paulo's busy Fradique Coutinho subway station at morning rush hour. When commuters approached the sign, the face on the panel would yawn. Naturally, many of the commuters themselves also began yawning—yawning being notoriously contagious,after all—at which point the screen made a product pitch.
In case the sign wasn't enough of a wake-up call, perky glamor gals arrive on the scene with some product samples. (Watch the clip to savor the big reveal.)
That last bit—the glamor gals—might strike some viewers as gratuitous, but otherwise this a prime example of what prankverising has been morphing into over the past few years.
Shocking stunts have by and large been replaced by a fusion of technology and street theater as brands create positive real-world experiences designed for subsequent media consumption. Of late, they've run the gamut fromfuntomovingtodoggone adorable.
As long as such campaigns remain clever and inclusive, it will be along time before the public tires of this approach.
Pepsi launched a new flavor to target Latino consumers giving them a touch of lime in their cola beverage, according toPR Newswire.
The new flavor, Pepsi Limón, has real lime juice and real sugar in it, giving it a popular tart taste familiar among Latinos.
"Pepsi knows the importance of authentic flavor and delivering on its promise for great tasting products," said Melissa Miranda, Cultural & Commercial Strategy, Pepsi."Pepsi's roots have long showcased the brand's connection and affinity with Hispanic consumers and Pepsi Limón was created with those consumer preferences in mind," she added.
Pepsi Limón is hoping to be a great beverage choice for barbeques, beach days, social gatherings and more. It is now available in 20 oz. bottles in select markets throughout California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Chicago.
The beverage company began working with Adelante, PepsiCo's employee association, to really figure out what the Latino community wanted. Adelante has formed relationships with the Latino community and learned that Latinos wanted more flavor in their drinks.
Many brands are trying to reach out to Latino consumers since they make up almost one-sixth of the U.S. population,Buzzfeed reports.
Pepsi tried making a lime flavored drink in 2005 after Coca-Cola's lime Coke launch. The company discontinued the branch soon after.
"We knew that we couldn't just recreate the product like we did in the past, but that we needed real sugar and real lime juice to capture the taste profile that Hispanics love," Pepsi spokeswoman Elisa Baker said in an email.
There is more hope for the new product, according toAdvertising Age.
"I will not be surprised if this ends up becoming a very big success in those markets," said Al Carey, CEO for PepsiCo.
The beverage company ditched using artificial lime flavor and high fructose corn syrup to target the Latino community.
There is no doubt that the world of electronic dance music is on fire right now, with different topics trending on a seemingly daily basis. That being said, numbers don’t lie. So, let’s take a look at some:
EDM grew 37% in valuation from 2012/13 to 2013/14, an unprecedented growth seldom seen in the music industry that raised valuation from $4.5 to $6.2 billion. The official estimates from the International Music Summit: Ibiza are now in for 2013/14 – 2014/15 and measure an additional 12% growth, raising the international value of the electronic dance music industry to a whopping $6.9 billion.
This accompanies a $2 billion valuation for the whole of EDM in North America and $1 billion in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition to the expected infographics, Kevin Watson – the man behind the IMS report, threw in some fun factoids courtesy ofEventbrite. For example a quarter of all nightlife tickets sold in the US are for electronic music events, and an average night out costs around $80.
Check out the full IMS Ibiza reportherefor accurate information about the state of the EDM industry and current trends.
While recent efforts for Coca-Cola have celebrated the centennial of the classic Coke bottle, JWT Brasil chose to highlight a different side of the experience of cracking open a Coke: the sound. The agency teamed up with Dolby to capture the sound of opening a bottle of Coke and pouring it over ice in Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound for a cinema campaign in Brazil.
The resulting 30-second spot presents a view from inside the bottle as it is popped open. As the carbonation bubbles and the soda streams upward, the shot changes to the soda being poured into a glass. All the while, the main focus is on the sound of the drink’s effervescent release. While it’s hard to get the full experience without being in a theater, JWT Brasil seems to have done a good job capturing the moment of opening a Coke in auditory form — not a bad way to get movie goers thirsty for the beverage.
“Only an iconic brand like Coca-Cola can turn the act of opening a bottle into an amazing sensory experience,” said JWT Brasil chief creative officerRicardo John, in a statement. “With that in mind, our goal was to bring this sensation to the extreme. To achieve that, we could only rely on the sound quality of a brand like Dolby.”
Defunct retro soda company 'Original New York Seltzer' rallies to conquer carbonated drinks.
When beloved products are resurrected from the dead, those comebacks can be hit or miss. There’s always immense pressure to tap into a former fan base, all while updating the item and addressing the issues that led to its extinction in the first place.
Original New York Seltzer—the 1980s classic soft drink that was a favorite ofRamboactorSly Stallone—is making a triumphant return today after a two decade absence, beginning withonline salesand expanding to grocery stores and restaurants across the country in the coming days.
Founded in 1981 by the father and son team Alan and Randy Miller in Walnut, California, the brand's popularity soared in the 1980s, focusing on a "natural" approach to soft drinks using a preservative-free formula in an era when such a practice was largely unheralded. Bubbly, fizzy and sold in charming siphon-style glass bottles embellished with a New York City motif, ONYS was omnipresent, with flavors ranging from vanilla cream soda to orange. One of the company’s biggest points of differentiation quickly became the complete foregoing of artificial color, meaning that while raspberry tasted like raspberry, no unnecessary magenta hue bogged it down.
"ONYS was a genuine, start-up boutique brand with a mission," said freshly-minted ONYS President Ryan Marsh. A longtime leader in the beverage industry, Marsh sees almost limitless potential in a brand left dormant by its original owners for 20 years. "ONYS launched in the face of giant beverage companies and was distinctly different. I think people felt that independent spirit and rallied around the brand. Everyone roots for the little guy."
During the 1980s, the company’s original owners became well-known for their colorful, often over-the-top personalities and antics. During public appearances, the duo wore the kind ofMiami Viceinspired suits that would make Don Johnson blush, riding into events on roaring motorcycles with their flowing, David Lee Roth-style locks blowing in the breeze.
"They were little guys when they were here. The flamboyance grew as the brand took off," said Francisco Queseda, a longtime employee of the bottling company responsible for cranking out ONYS.
Original New York Seltzer was, perhaps, the 1980s in a bottle.
Their flamboyance quickly became the story almost as much as the seltzer. In one particularly notorious advertisement, a shredding guitar blares with ear-piercing wails as Randy Miller stands perched on the side of the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, ready to take a flying leap for the sake of seltzer and stunt. A Tiffani Amber Thiessen look-a-like grabs a bottle (hair flip!) and—woosh!—Randy jumps from the building towards the ground below as a Whitesnake-sounding seltzer jingle blares in the background.
Smash cut! The paparazzi are swarming around Randy as he lands.
Smash cut! Randy is pouring seltzer triumphantly over his head.
Smash cut! Randy is walking a tiger on a leash.
Original New York Seltzer was, perhaps, the 1980s in a bottle. And of course, there’s that thing with the tigers. During a late-80s episode ofLifestyles of the Rich and Famousfeaturing the pair, a live tiger is paraded around the ONYS office like a gigantic lapdog—the utter and complete picture of terrifying chill.
"They did occasionally bring the tigers to the plant, but would leave them in the pickup with a cage over the back," said Queseda. "The crew was always trying to get glimpses. Not the usual day at work."
While the sparkling drink business didn’t quite work out for the Millers, wild animals remained. After the rapid decline of ONYS and ultimate demise of the company in the early 1990s, Randy launched a second business, Predators in Action, which "specializes in location and studio-trained exotic animals" for film and television. For two decades now, the company has raised an assortment of silver screen-suitable lions, tigers and bears (oh my!) that are more than ready for their close-up, having appeared in films includingGladiator,The Last SamuraiandTransformers 2.
"[There were] no bumps at all [with the re-launch of ONYS]," said Marsh, who is thrilled to revive a brand he watched his family enjoy so much during the 1980s. "Everything was smooth and a lot of fun. We believe the original owners have moved on to other interests. We didn’t have any interaction with them during the process."
It seems, perhaps, that everyone has found their true calling. The featured photo on the Predators in Action Facebook pageshows a smitten-looking Randy Miller (long locks still intact) in a warm, snuggling embrace with a lion.
Seltzer, on the other hand, is nowhere to be found.
When the brand folded in the early 1990s, ONYS quickly became one of the first true "cult" soft drinks. Enthusiasts staged letter writing campaigns for the drink’s revival and sought out leftover packs of the soda wherever available. (For some reason, a staggering amount of the product landed at the low-budget supermarket chain Big Lots.) The re-launch of the brand seeks to quench the thirst of nostalgic drinkers two decades on, all while tapping into the modern, health-conscious drink trend it helped to spearhead.
"Original New York Seltzer really was ahead of its time [with] no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives," said Marsh. "Adding color to drinks is just stupid. Everything made was crystal clear. I think that turned things upside down and made people think, ‘Wait a minute … you mean lemon and lime [flavor] isn’t really anti-freeze green?’"
The drink’s rebirth will see very little change from what made ONYS so popular in the first place, with all aesthetic choices—right down to the glass bottles—standing firm and an even greater focus on being a "natural" drink through the use of cane sugar as a sweetener. ONYS has an ambitious confidence in its decades-old product.
The plump, sparkplug-shaped glass bottles are twee enough, but have a heft (thick glass exterior, perforated tin cap) that is firmly reminiscent of their origins in a bygone era. The brand’s look is almost identical to its 1980s design, tapping into a sampler platter of neon-hued nostalgia that offers a little something for everyone.
"ONYS never has and never will make boring drinks. Sparkling waters were a fancy, indulgent thing. We’re making that happen all over again," said Marsh. "ONYS took off then for the same reasons it’s taking off now. And now, with health consciousness at an all-time high and rising, it’s perfect timing. The fact that people have a genuine emotional commitment to ONYS is just a whole separate unique advantage that we enjoy."
The company hopes to find a receptive audience and new era of fans with its six inaugural comeback flavors: peach, raspberry, cream soda, lemon & lime, root beer and black cherry.
For first time drinkers—who perhaps grew up faraway from the imagined glamour of Manhattan—it’s a welcome remembrance of a time when a cartoon skyline and art deco fonts captivated with big city allure. For original drinkers? It’s a top-to-bottom Proustian glug of the past with glimpse at a bottle.
Now Brisk is teaming up with Brooklyn-based streetwear brandMishkaon a limited-edition apparel collection that will be available on MishkaNYC.com and through social media giveaways in key local markets all summer.
"We started partnering with street wear brands like alife back in 2013, and had great success—product was well received, and sold out quick," says Brisk marketing director Kathryn Kennedy. "Consumers responded well—to them it was an authentic partnership. This year, we wanted to work with Mishka to do something bigger and more collaborative than ever before, both in the design process and in terms of point-of-sale."
Kennedy says the brand gave Mishka designers full creative license to re-imagine and interpret Brisk's packaging characters. The Brisk x Mishka line—which includes two shirts, a snapback hat, jersey and backpack—was designed by street artistL'Amour Supreme, who used the Brisk can art characters as inspiration. It's also the first time Brisk's collaboration products will be sold online through a retailer.
Tennessee whisky brand Jack Daniels has unveiled a number of music festival tie-ins as it seeks to align the brand with "great music moments".
For the first time, Jack Daniels will sponsor stages and experiential areas at The Isle of Wight Festival, Kendal Calling, Boardmasters, The Great Escape and Hackney Wonderland festivals.
Experiential work will roll out at the festivals under its "Jack Rocks" initiative, with stage sponsorship focussing on showcasing emerging talent.
The brand will also sponsor three 'meat and whisky' festivals: Red Rooster, Grillstock and Meatopia.
Jack Daniels will promote the tie-ups on social media channels and through ticket giveaways.
"Our festival season is jam-packed this year, with a great mix of smaller, more boutique festivals, alongside some of the world’s largest and most famous," said Jack Daniel’s senior brand manager, Michael Boaler.
"It’s always been important for Jack to have a hand in supporting great new music, as well as more established artists, and this is exactly what we’re set to do this summer."
Jack Daniels added it had "significantly upweighted" investment in sponsorship this year.
In April, Coca-Cola announced that its "Share a Coke" campaign, which places real people's names on the brand's cans and bottles,would be going much bigger, and the number of monikers to appear on the labels would triple. But even before that, the brand, along with Mexican agency Anonimo, did something even more remarkable -- it put people's names on cans in Braille.
In February, at Comite Internacional Prociegos A.C., a private nonprofit that helps to train blind and visually impaired adults so that they can be integrated into the workforce, the brand put out vending machines that dispensed the personalized cans in Braille, allowing 100 student patrons of the center to experience the "Share a Coke" phenomenon. More recently, the campaign went broader and the cans are now available at Coca-Cola's customization centers around the country, with the backing of Fundacion Cinepolis, a Mexican chain of movie theaters. The centers typically allow people to customize the cans with particular names, but with Braille, the personalization has been leveled up.
Usher is working on what will likely be the biggest video of his career. As part of a Pepsi Challenge campaign that kicks off Tuesday, the singer will incorporate his fans in the project in two different ways.
Beginning Tuesday through June 2, fans can submit photos of themselves toPepsiChallenge.com. Usher will select a winner who will have the opportunity to meet him on the set of his accompanying short film to be released this fall. Usher asks entrants to, “Show me your world through your eyes in only a way that you can see it. The realer, the better. The more honest, the more creative.”
Usher and Pepsi have teamed withUrtheCast, the world’s first full color ultra high-definition cameras located on the International Space Station (ISS), to film footage of the pop star’s fans across the globe. Part of the recordings will be incorporated into a short.
“I wanted to do something very unique that would actually cover the globe, we are actually going to cover the entire planet,” Usher told Yahoo Music during an exclusive interview. “I wanted something that would definitely push the limits.”
Usher is excited about using the UrtheCast technology. “UrtheCast was something that was just that next level that was beyond any of our imaginations,” Usher said. “We all have an idea of what space looks like but we haven’t really seen it through the eyes of this camera that is streaming live through space.”
The short will feature Usher’s new song “Miracles.” A clip of the song is used as background music for the “Without You” singer’s Pepsi Challenge video.
Usher’s excitement about the project recalls memories of one of pop music’s biggest video moments. “I remember the first time I saw Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ how excited I was,” he said. “It’s going to be amazing, like a piece of history.”
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3705436/11209756_847473391985673_2915869870003722659_n.0.jpg)
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3705458/10915332_794043547328658_1171050582989136806_n.0.jpg)
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3705470/1508213_1068673889826863_5803267003563798886_n.0.jpg)
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3705460/11008422_843722045694141_1138163785604207925_n.0.jpg)
/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3705486/10897806_852176548182024_3298772646396638482_n.0.jpg)
