Dive Brief:
- Welch’s is putting the spotlight on its sparkling juice portfolio for the holiday season with a nostalgia-fueled five-episode microdrama, according to a press release.
- “Before the Toast” features actors who first gained recognition in the 2000s, including Christy Carlson Romano, known for her role as Kim in “Kim Possible.” The microdrama, with a storyline that touches on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, will run Nov. 17 to Dec. 8 on the brand’s TikTok and Instagram channels.
- The series is part of the larger “That’s Worth a Toast” campaign. The social-forward effort includes creator partnerships, retail and holiday programming and paid media. The brand will also run ads alongside holiday movies on Disney+ and Hulu and work with Instacart on a giveaway.
Dive Insight:
Welch’s is jumping on the microdrama trend as consumers head into the holiday season. “Before the Toast” features many of the trappings typically associated with the format — like absurdly high stakes and plenty of drama — and a nostalgia-fueled cast to promote the brand’s line of sparkling juices during a time of year when demand is usually high.
Joining Romano in the series is her husband, Brendan Rooney, Sabrina Bryan of The Cheetah Girls and Heather Morris, from “Glee.” Storylines largely revolve around navigating holiday season chaos with young children and creating new memories.
The actors chosen for the campaign, in addition to its strategic placement around family-friend holiday programming, may help the brand reach families with younger children. The demand for sparkling juices has gone up as consumers look for alternatives to soda and alcoholic beverages. This season also sees the introduction of Welch’s Sparkling Low Sugar Grape, which is available at Walmart.
The cast may also be nostalgic for Gen Z parents who grew up on Disney Channel shows, many of whom are sharing the media with their own children.
As part of the campaign, the brand teamed up with Instacart to give away full-size bottles of its products in the lead-up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Shoppers are able to claim the offer via the product card on the Instacart app.
Microdramas are being embraced by brands looking to reach consumers. The format has proven popular with Gen Z, who have grown used to watching short, vertical videos on their phones. The scale of efforts have varied, from just a few episodes to P&G’s 50-part series for Native. Welch’s isn’t the first beverage brand to jump on the microdrama bandwagon. In May, Dr Pepper promoted the return of its Creamy Coconut product with a four-episode series in which a young woman has a fleeting love affair with a can of the dirty soda-inspired flavor.
Welch’s, which operates as an agricultural cooperative and does not release earnings statements, replaced its CMO position with a chief brand and innovation officer in October of last year. Andrew Hartshorn, who previously held roles at PepsiCo and Danone, assumed the role. Shortly after he arrived, the brand introduced a new kid mascot, marking the first time in 25 years that Welch’s creative starred a child character.
