Dive Brief:
- PepsiCo sparkling water brand Bubly has teamed with fashion brand Apple Bottoms to promote the limited-time return of its apple flavor, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The “Apple Bubly Jeans” effort includes a denim bundle, a branded remix of a song that mentioned the fashion label and other Y2K-themed extras.
- The social-first campaign was created by PepsiCo’s in-house agency and includes paid support across social and influencer collaborations.
Dive Insight:
To promote the return of its apple-flavored LTO, Bubly is reaching back to a couple of 2000s pop culture icons: Apple Bottoms, the jeans brand founded by Nelly in 2003, and Flo Rida’s 2008 hit “Low,” which nodded to the label in lyrics (“Shawty had them apple bottom jeans / Boots with the fur / The whole club was lookin' at her”) that are insistently recognizable to consumers who came of age during the era.
“Long before the peach emoji, Apple Bottoms made curves cheeky and iconic. This partnership is our gift to fans: the return of Apple Bubly, made with a playfully refreshing Y2K denim twist,” said Katelyn Meola, brand marketing director for Bubly, in a statement.
The partnership revolves around jeans customized with “Apple Bubly” script and gold metallic detailing that feature the brand’s signature apple-shaped back pocket — which now fits a can of Bubly. The jeans come in a curated box alongside Apple Bubly, which has denim-inspired packaging, and additional Y2K-inspired items, including a themed tank top, keychain, mini denim clutch and iron-on patch. The limited-edition collection retails on applebottoms.com for $79.
As part of the effort, the brand has commissioned a remix of “Low” that turns lyrical mentions of “apple bottom jeans” into “Apple Bubly jeans.” The campaign will be supported by a microsite on applebottoms.com and paid support across social, and it will run on Bubly’s social channels including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Millennial influencers including Trey Kennedy, Erin Miller, Drea Montgomery and Emily Scott James will also support the push.
“Apply Bubly Jeans” was created by PepsiCo’s in-house agency, which recently enlisted VaynerMedia for its expertise in activating around social media. Bubly is one of the five brands that the fully integrated team will focus on, alongside Starry, Mug, Pepsi and Mountain Dew. The move demonstrates one way that legacy CPG marketers are attempting to shore up social-first efforts.
PepsiCo in April appointed company veteran Mark Kirkham as CMO of U.S. beverages, the unit that houses brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Bubly, Starry and Gatorade.
