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Coca-Cola Opens UK Pop-Up Store With High-End Fashion Collabs And Beverage Bar

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Coca-Cola has been in the beverage game since 1886. In that long, storied history, Coca-Cola has not only sold a lot of soda worldwide but spawned a thriving ecosystem full of sought-after, licensed memorabilia. The cola king’s signature red, Spencerian script wordmark, ribbon, and contour bottles add value and desirability to everything from vintage appliances, vending machines, and promotional displays to clothing, toys, and personalized cans and bottles.

Now, the brand is bringing a retail IRL experience to the UK with a pop-up store in London’s Covent Garden. Running now through September, Coca-Cola’s retail shop features a beverage bar serving classic Coke products, including mocktails, exclusive merchandise, and clothing collaborations with Alma de Ace, BAPE, BE@RBRICK, Herschel, Soho Grit, and Staple. Additionally, the Coca-Cola store will offer limited-edition merchandise for Pride this upcoming June.

While brands are racing to launch NFTs and meta everything, Coca-Cola seems to be opting for IRL experiences with pop-up stores. Not only that, but they released high-concept sodas like Starlight and Pixel, which flips the script on Web3, bringing digital to the real world instead of the other way around.

Guess it’s nice to be able to physically hold your creations, huh?

Source: The Dieline

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Pepsi And IHOP Are Teaming Up For A Breakfast-Inspired Soda

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Pepsi has teamed up with breakfast giant IHOP to create an all-new soda designed for the early mornings. On Thursday, the cola maker announced plans for a maple syrup-inspired beverage that boasts the same classic refreshment of a Pepsi but with a definitively IHOP twist.

So if you’ve ever sucked down a Pepsi right alongside your brunch pancakes and thought, “Now this is a combo,” you’re in luck! On March 24, Pepsi kicked off the sweepstakes on social media, giving fans the chance to win their own six-pack. While Pepsi Maple Syrup will not be joining retailers (yet, at least—you can never say never), you can post a photo or video of your stacks online alongside the hashtag #ShowUsYourStack, #PepsiSweepstakes, and @IHOP. Then, 2,000 winners will have a chance to try the first-of-its-kind flavor.

“There is truly nothing quite like the indulgent taste of Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola—sweet maple syrup blended with the refreshing taste of Pepsi cola. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with IHOP on this special initiative, as it isn’t often we get to bring together two iconic brands to satisfy the cravings of pancake and Pepsi lovers alike,” Chief Marketing Officer for Pepsi Todd Kaplan said in a press release. “We can’t wait to celebrate those who have an unapologetic love of pancakes by giving the limited-edition cans to 2,000 fans who #ShowUsYourStack online.” 

Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola—which we can only assume tastes exactly how it sounds—follows similar innovations from the drink manufacturer, including a Peeps-inspired Pepsi, Pepsi Apple Pie, and Pepsi x Cracker Jack.

“At IHOP we celebrate our history of bringing folks together and providing a sense of togetherness, belonging and joy when they dine with us,” chief marketing officer for IHOP Kieran Donahue added in the release. “We are thrilled to partner with Pepsi to have some fun and create a moment for our guests to bring home an additional source of happiness with this limited-edition Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola.” 

Source: Thrillist

Adidas x LEGO Unveil New Superstar Sneaker Collab Including A Building Block Model

Posted on by Phil Lam X

This year, LEGO and adidas really upped the ante. Just recently, the two turned the Superstar into a buildable set, everything from the sole up made entirely of black and white blocks. And while some would like to, the collectible is not at all wearable; but fear not as the Three Stripes have you covered with this July release.

Though it may lack some of the aforementioned’s charm, the pair is as close to identical as physically possible. The signature LEGO look is still retained for the most part, channelled by way of the side stripes as well as the heel tab and toe. Each, unlike the smooth white leathers adjacent, are ostensibly made up of actual pieces, covered with studs all throughout their exterior. What’s more, though a subtle addition relative to the rest, the energy is matched by blocky stitching and logo windows.

A release is currently set to hit adidas.com on July 15th at a retail of $140 USD.

Source: SneakerNews

McDonald’s partners with Travis Scott in launching signature burger to win over Gen Z and millennial customers

Posted on by Phil Lam X

Starting September 8, McDonald’s is adding Scott’s favorite meal from the fast-food chain — a Quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, and lettuce, medium fries with BBQ Sauce, and a Sprite — to the menu for $6. It will be available through October 4.

McDonald’s Chief Marketing Officer Morgan Flatley told Business Insider the fast-food chain started thinking about teaming up with Scott more than a year ago, in part because the company knew the rapper was a fan of the chain. The Scott partnership marks the first time McDonald’s has put a celebrity’s name on its menu since Michael Jordan in 1992. 

“His ability to kind of see where culture is going and have a hand in where culture is going is really unique,” Flatley said in an interview on Friday. “Then you couple that with his huge followership and his fans, social-media footprint, and … 3 billion streams. He just has an incredible audience.”

The partnership has caused some controversy within McDonald’s, with some franchisees pushing back against a deal with the rapper. These franchisees felt that a deal with a rapper known partly for explicit lyrics was a departure from the chain’s more family-friendly voice. 

Flatley told Business Insider many other franchisees and employees were excited about the deal and that at a chain as big as McDonald’s, differing opinions are the norm. The Scott partnership is key to remaining relevant and winning over younger customers, she said.

According to Flatley, people under the age of 34 are “becoming more and more challenging for brands to reach.”

Source: Business Insider

Jif settles the great debate with a GIF peanut butter jar in clever collaboration

Posted on by Phil Lam X

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Jif is releasing a limited-edition jar of GIF peanut butter in a collaboration meant to be as smooth as the product itself.

The purpose is to “settle the great debate” over how to pronounce the looping image format that has overtaken in the internet, J.M. Smucker Company (SJM), the brand’s manufacturer, said in a press release.

Although Jif is obviously pronounced with a “soft G,” people often mispronounce the word “GIF,” which is short for Graphics Interchange Format. It’s said with a “soft G like the peanut butter and not a “hard G.” That’s according to creator Steve Wilhite, who made the declaration in 2013 while accepting a Webby Award.

Regardless of the official ruling, the internet has remained divided. Jif is partnering with GIPHY, a GIF search engine, to “put a lid on this decade-long debate”: Both GIF and the peanut butter are pronounced “Jif.”
Source: CNN

Rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony enter sponsorship deal with restaurant franchise Buffalo Wild Wings, collaborate on marketing campaign ‘Boneless Thugs’ to promote Boneless Wings

Posted on by Phil Lam X

It’s almost unheard of for musicians to change their name after 25 years, especially when that change is part of a marketing campaign for an American casual dining restaurant known for their chicken wings. In either a coup for marketing professionals everywhere or a sign that no one (even legendary hip-hop groups) are immune to capitalism’s allure, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony announced on February 19th that their new name is Boneless Thugs-N-Harmony — a homage to Buffalo Wild Wings.

In addition to the overarching name swap, three members of the group will also go by new monikers. Krayzie Bone, Flesh-N-Bone, and Wish Bone are now Krayzie Boneless, Flesh-N-Boneless, and Wish Boneless. According to the marketing materials released by Buffalo Wild Wings, Layzie Bone is not on board with the new “Boneless” identity. “I ain’t changing shit,” Layzie says in a Behind The Music-esque spoof released in conjunction with the announcement. “Bone Thugs-N-Harmony changes their name to Boneless. It’s preposterous.”

According to Seth Freeman, the CMO of Buffalo Wild Wings, there’s a complicated, non-monetary reason for the name change. “These boneless wings are so good, what if they made Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have an identity crisis,” Freeman wrote in a statement. In reality, the group’s longtime manager Steve Lobel says he was approached by a marketing agency a few months ago about the campaign. “Three of the four were down with it,” Lobel says. “Layzie Bone was hesitant, and he’s still hesitant about it. He wasn’t with it, but the other three gentlemen were.” Lobel has worked with the group since 1994, meeting them through Eazy-E.

Source: Rolling Stone