Category: Brands and Partnerships

Sprite has launched a new range of limited-edition soda cans emblazoned with inspirational lyrics by Drake, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and Rakim. The 16 can designs comprise the inaugural “Obey Your Verse” Lyrical Collection, which will run through summer. Artists were picked “based on their reputation for being true to themselves through their music and advancing the culture,” a press release says.

In the press release, Nas, a longtime partner of Sprite, says: “Legacy means everything to me. When I wrote these lyrics, I never imagined my fans would someday have the opportunity to enjoy a can of Sprite and experience my art in a totally original way.”

Lyrics will appear on individual cans as well as 20-ounce bottles and multipacks. See a table of the featured lyrics below:

TORONTO, ONTARIO – JUNE 23: Vanilla Ice attends the Joyburst Summer Launch Party at Rebel Nightclub on June 23, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Ryan Emberley/Getty Images for Joyburst). Getty Images for Joyburst

George Clooney has Casamigos. Diddy has Ciroc. Angelina Jolie as a rosé brand and now, Vanilla Ice has solidified his beverage legacy: a spiked and no-proof energy drinks.

The flavor? Well, I don’t need to tell you: it’s vanilla ice.

The “Ice, Ice, Baby” rapper, whose real name is Robert Van Winkle, launched the product in partnership with Canadian energy drink brand Joyburst. In addition to Vanilla Ice’s namesake flavor, the naturally-caffeinated, plant-based energy drinks are also available in elderberry, frosé, grape, lime and peach treatments.

“I like creative control,” Van Winkle told me during the Toronto launch. “I want to let the juices flow during projects. Joyburst allowed me to come into this project and design the can, the flavor — everything.”

Every part of the brand, from the tune to the label, leans heavily into 90’s nostalgia. (Apt, considering Van Winkle was one of the kings of the decade). Cans are glowing blue with neon pink graffiti announcing the flavors, drinks are neon-hued, and the namesake single accompanying the launch finds Van Winkle and Joyburst CEO Brad Woodgate shoot hoops in front of lava lamps and cruise in a 90’s mustang, all while wearing shimmering silver sweatsuits.

I bring the good vibes when I do my joy walk, the song buzzes. “It has the perfect amount of catchiness,” says Van Winkle. “We’ve been going around just singing it because it really gets stuck in your head.”

Van Winkle and Woodgate channel heavy 90’s nostalgia with the launch of Joyburst’s new Vanilla Ice flavor. (Photo by Ryan Emberley/Getty Images for Joyburst) Getty Images for Joyburst

“I wanted to make the product feel like the 90’s in a can,” said Van Winkle. “I want drinkers to relive the era! I want to give people a little pep in their step, get out their front door, live their life and be successful because we all need a little energy to tackle things.”

“The brand is called Joyburst for a reason,” Woodgate continues. “We want you to experience that nostalgia.”

The partnership was born when Woodgate’s team tossed around potential names for future collaborations. “When it came to creating a campaign, I thought: who was someone I would really vibe with?” explains Woodgate. “We tossed out a few names, then one of my team members mentioned Van Winkle. Are you kidding me? I am a huge fan of Vanilla. I’m 44, so I was there when he brought hip hop into the mainstream for us. ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ is an anthem.”

“When we met,” he continues, “I wanted to see if we got along, because he wouldn’t be just a brand ambassador – his name is on the product! I went to his house, and we just developed a friendship from there.”

Vanilla Ice recording his new track ‘Joyburst’ to promote the 90s icon’s energy drink. Joyburst

You can tell the two are close. They laugh in step and finish each other’s sentences. “I’m from the business world, so walking the red carpet and performing in front of people,” describes Woodgate. “Rob has made it so comfortable and easy.”

You can tell the two are close. They laugh in step and finish each other’s sentences. “I’m from the business world, so walking the red carpet and performing in front of people,” describes Woodgate. “Rob has made it so comfortable and easy.”

Van Winkle immediately turned to Woodgate: “You’ve got a great energy about you, and it’s very inspiring. You have that energy, that push, and that drive, and a lot of characteristics that I see in myself. We need those qualities to sprinkle that fairy dust on whatever we’re doing. I appreciate this opportunity and the freedom to create this product the way we want.”

Joyburst is based in Toronto, Canada and is a sister brand of No Sugar Company, a brand focusing on sans-sugar energy bars and snacks.

While the celebrity drink space is saturated — the number of actor-backed rum brands and model-slung roses surpasses 80 – Joyburst is jovial, capturing both Woodgate and Van Winkle’s love of nostalgia.

“Projects like these are all corporate until you meet the people and you gel and become real friends,” says Ice. “All of a sudden, it becomes fun. We’re going to set the world on fire with this fun. It’s an all-day, party seltzer. We give you that energy drink to get you through the day and get your work done, and the party seltzer for the night.”

Vanilla Ice, Rob Schneider and even a Bob Ross plant rush to help Bob’s Furniture

Bob’s Discount Furniture, one of the largest and fastest growing omni-channel furniture retailers in the country, today announced a lively, new national brand campaign, “Assemble the Bobs,” to celebrate the company’s growth and entry into new markets. The campaign includes Bob’s iconic Little Bob and Puppet Bob, as well notable celebrities and influencers including Rob Schneider, Rob Van Winkle (“Vanilla Ice”), WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley, a likeness of artist Bob Ross, Roberto Hernandez, and of course the company’s founder, Bob Kaufman.

Launching on January 24th, “Assemble the Bobs” will engage consumers across TV, radio, digital, and in-store channels. Among the unexpected “Bobs” celebrities assembling for the campaign are:

• Rob Schneider, movie star and veteran of Saturday Night Live.
• Rob Van Winkle (aka Vanilla Ice), American rapper, actor, and television host with 9 Seasons of “The Vanilla Ice Project”. He is best-known for his Billboard Charts top hit “Ice Ice Baby’ and has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide. Vanilla Ice is in constant demand for corporate events and tours extensively with the “I Love 90s” concert package.
• “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley, WWE Superstar, WWE Champion, three-time wrestling national champion and four-time wrestling All-American.
• A likeness of artist and creator of The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross.
• Roberto Hernandez, Cuban model, actor, and backstage host of Falling in Love.
• One of the most iconic Bobs – Bob’s Founder Bob Kaufman – will make a special appearance in the company’s ads around President’s Day.
• As part of the campaign, the company will reveal how the public can become honorary Bobs too.

“After 30 years in business and with 150 Bob’s coast-to-coast and counting, it was only a matter of time before we needed to call in more Bobs,” said Steve Nesle, Chief Brand Officer of Bob’s Discount Furniture. “Stylish, affordable furniture in every home in America – who wouldn’t want to answer that call?”

The campaign includes 30 and 60 second spots and invites Bobs from all over to join the company, letting consumers know where they can find stylish and quality furniture at affordable prices. The campaign will be included in programming such as This is Us (NBC), Chicago Fire (NBC), I Can See Your Voice (FOX) and the Olympics (NBC/Peacock).

In addition to television and radio, the “Assemble the Bobs” campaign introduces an amplification of previous marketing efforts through engagement in media platforms such as Twitch and YouTube (via a YouTube takeover on January 27th), as well as partnerships with Univision and Telemundo. Andres Cantor, well known for his narration of soccer matches and his prolonged shouting of “Goal!” will also be assembling with Bobs through Univision and Telemundo.

The campaign was co-produced by the Bob’s internal marketing team, LB & Co., and leading creative shop Arnold Worldwide. “We value opportunities where we can really work hand-in-hand with our clients,” said George Sargent, CEO of Arnold. “We partnered closely with the Bob’s internal team, as well as Havas Media to bring this milestone campaign to life. The Havas Village model allows us to truly work as an integrated team with both agency partners and clients alike, and we’re very proud of that.”

Unique among furniture and other retailers, Bob’s has maintained a full-service internal advertising and production department since its founding, and today benefits from the efficiency of a fully equipped editing, print and production studio at its headquarters in Manchester, Connecticut. The studio includes a fabrication shop where Little Bob and Puppet Bob are made along with other props. Havas Media Boston planned and bought media for the campaign.

Please visit the following links to view the creative:

• :15 second anthem
• :30 second anthem
• :60 second anthem
• :30 second Bob-O-Pedic Prize with Bob Ross
• :15 second Bob-O-Pedic Prize with Bob Ross
• :30 second ad with Rob Schneider
• :15 second ad with Rob Schneider

About Bob’s Discount Furniture

Founded in 1991, Bob’s Discount Furniture is one of the fastest growing furniture retailers in the country. Keeping true to its founding principle that everyone deserves quality furniture, Bob’s provides unsurpassed value with honesty and integrity. Through all the work that happens behind the scenes, Bob’s engineers this value, offering its discount on a wide variety of stylish, quality furnishings, mattresses, and home accents.

With 150 furniture stores across 23 states, the Manchester, Connecticut-based company has become the 10th-largest U.S. furniture chain. In 2021, MyBobs.com was named one of “America’s Best Trending Online Shops” by Newsweek, and for the second year in a row has been recognized as a leader in sustainability by both the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) and the National Wildfire Federation (NWF). The company also offers a unique and enjoyable shopping experience, featuring cafes in each store with complimentary gourmet coffee, ice cream, cookies, and candy.

Bob’s is committed to supporting local communities through a variety of charitable giving efforts. Bob’s Discount Furniture Charitable Foundation has anchored the company’s philanthropic work for more than 20 years. Additionally, the Bob’s Outreach program was created as a separate entity to help schools and children-related charities. In total, Bob’s and its Foundation donate more than $2.75 million to charities through these programs each year. For more information on Bob’s charitable programs, visit Bob’s Cares, and follow Bob’s on Twitter @MyBobs, on Facebook, and Instagram.

A new Super Bowl ad for Cheetos stars MC Hammer. Cheetos

If you ask Stanley Kirk Burrell about his favorite Cheetos memory from childhood, it doesn’t take him long. He remembers the Fremont Pool in his hometown of Oakland, California, where he and his friends took breaks from swimming to walk over to the supermarket for Cheetos and sodas.

“When I think about Cheetos, besides the taste, what I’ve always loved is the crunch,” he told Forbes in an interview. “The crunch was both fulfilling and filling. You could eat some other snacks and say ‘Okay I’m good.’ But when you eat Cheetos, you actually kind of get full.”

That memory from decades ago is coming full circle. Burrell—who grew up to become MC Hammer—stars in a new Super Bowl ad for Cheetos featuring “Can’t Touch This,” his most famous song that also happens to turns 30 year old this year.

The 30-second commercial—created by the San Francisco-based agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and directed by Harold Einstein—will be the first time in more than a decade that Cheetos has made an appearance in the Big Game. The purpose: to promote the new Cheetos Popcorn, which as anyone might have guessed based on the song selection, riffs off the realty that eating Cheetos make touching anything a bit of a messy situation.

The spot itself features a man in various scenes eating a bag of Cheetos popcorn to get out of various situations as MC Hammer pops up here and there along the way. But MC Hammer said one of his favorite scenes is actually part of the teaser that debuted last week. The scene shows seated by a piano, humming a song while eating a bag of Cheetos with old-school packaging. As he looks to press a key, he realizes his hands are full of orange dust.

“Wait,” he says. “I can’t touch this.”

That’s when the revelation sinks in that maybe the lyric might be a little sticky, too.

According to Rachel Ferdinando, CMO of Pepsi’s Frito-Lay brand, the dust that Cheetos has become infamous for actually has a name: Cheetle. While the snack itself has been around since the late 1940s, the term was trademarked in 2005. However, the term has never really been promoted by Pepsi or Frito-Lay until now.

Asked when the brand trademarked the term, it’s been so long that Pepsi North America CMO Greg Lyons couldn’t remember the exact year offhand—explaining that they’ve been calling it Cheetle since “forever.”

“We started by just telling people this has a name and it’s called Cheetle and we thought about how to tell this story, when you’ve got Cheetle on your hands, you can’t touch this,” Ferdinando said. “It’s a very true thing. And so when you can’t touch things, there’s this oh….can’t touch this?’”

That’s when the idea hit them.

“And that’s how the whole MC Hammer thing happened,” Ferdinando said. “The concept fits really well and given it was a nostalgic moment for us coming back after 11 years, who better to partner with than with the iconic artist MC Hammer who is loved by everyone it seems and the song is iconic.”

 

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The commercial for 3M’s Command Picture Hanging Strips. Photo via YouTube.