7UP Is Levelling Up with a Mixology-Focused Strategy

7UP may be a go-to drink to grab on a hot day, but the team at PepsiCo are hoping to open our eyes to its potential to liven up our mocktails and cocktails as we roll into the festive season (or the ‘Golden Quarter’ as we’re apparently calling it now).

Their new campaign ‘#LEVELUPWITH7UP’ features a lively hero film and an influencer and creator strategy that’s all designed to engage millennials and gen z consumers, inspiring them to use the lemon and lime drink in new ways.

According to Eric Melis, VP of marketing for carbonated soft drinks at PepsiCo IB, the catalyst for this strategy was rooted in the interests of the target market.

“At PepsiCo, we are human-centric in everything we do, and we are led by the passions of consumers. This campaign was inspired by popular insights and online trends which showed us that gen z and millennials are more open to experimenting with food and drink options than ever before,” explains Eric. “We saw an opportunity to use this insight to get closer to consumers, driving engagement where the brand is already established but also to move into new locations. We wanted to capture how experimentation with 7UP can effortlessly elevate the good vibes and create excitement and curiosity around exploring new concoctions.”

The focus on opening up new occasions and ways to enjoy and experiment with the product is a strategy that mirrors what we’re seeing over in the alcoholic beverage sector, which is also seeing more of a focus on mixology (which you can find out about here).

 

“Many brands are noticing and tapping into intent and openness from consumers, and as marketers, we know that they want to get an enhanced experience from the products they engage with – not just with the beverages they drink, but with so many products and services they consume,” says Eric.

“‘#LEVELUPWITH7UP’ aims to celebrate the creative expression we have seen from gen z and millennials who are mixing up new drink creations and, in doing so, we want to reiterate 7UP’s role within social occasions and cement it as the go-to drink for crafting new mixes and provide a refreshing experience that elevates any moment spent with friends,” he continues. “Whether that’s sipping a mocktail spritz on the beach or using 7UP as the ideal mixer ahead of a social gathering.”

The concept was developed by 7UP’s brand team and the campaign was brought to life by Vayner Media EMEA, who worked on the creative, production house Wenneker Amsterdam, and post house No. 8, as well as PepsiCo’s in-house design team. 

Alongside the hero film, which features a group of friends using 7UP in creative ways, the brand has also partnered with an international group of influencers. They’re starring in a content series that has been created to show how easy it is to mix and enjoy your own mocktails and cocktails. The creators include Patricio Razo (Mexico) Sabrina Uyen Luu (Vietnam) Simran Jagwani Luthria (India) and Afonso Lopes (Portugal), who will demo how to include 7UP in classic drinks as well as share bespoke recipes.

 

“The aim of the influencer arm of the campaign is to showcase how easy it is to ‘Level Up with 7UP’, with creators from around the world being challenged to create a delicious, refreshing, non-alcoholic drink using 7UP and encourage consumers to do the same,” explains Eric. “We want to highlight that there’s no right or wrong recipe but rather it’s about being creative with 7UP, and that creative freedom and expression brings the fun, and great taste, to your social occasions. This is why creators were given the freedom to make whatever mocktail they desire!”

The creators were selected carefully to line up with specific, strategic sub-groups and demographics. The team also wanted to ensure that the balance of global reach and local relevance was finely tuned.

 “Considering the campaign targets are gen z and millennials, we consciously selected creators with audiences in this bracket. Similarly, we’ve ensured content across TikTok and Instagram to reach the target audience on the platforms best suited to them. We also made sure to work with those who matched the consumer cohorts laid out in the strategy like ‘The girlies’, ‘Alcohol free party-goers’ and ‘21-25 year old creatives’,” says Eric. “At PepsiCo, it’s always important to ensure we’re locally relevant in any of our global campaigns. Our ‘glocal’ campaign deployment strategy ensures we are selecting locally relevant influencers across markets to activate this campaign.”

This campaign has also been informed by larger social and cultural trends. Within the meta trend of ‘mixology’, for example, Eric explains that there are particular moments and passions emerging in our evolving society. ‘Circadian Cocktails’, to name one, is a response to the hybrid working world, where our time is less structured and drinking occasions are becoming more varied. “This brings opportunities for creations that align with an individual’s rhythm, mood and fluctuating social routine,” says Eric.

Another sub-trend they’re responding to is ‘Nostalgia with a Twist’, that is to say, the desire for nostalgia in a world plagued with tension and uncertainty. And the third is ‘Carefree Creations’ as bartenders are embracing innovations and consumers are looking to follow. “This new landscape is providing places where bartenders can push the boundaries with experimentation, liberation, and fun ingredients,” he says.

Alongside this huge new platform for 7UP, Eric’s also been busy ensuring the other brands in his portfolio are relevant and keyed into the trends and changes shaping the audience. Earlier this year, the team rolled out a new look for Pepsi, which was all about balancing the need to keep things fresh and current while not losing what makes it such an iconic brand.

“Again, I think it’s the importance of human centricity – this means we are guided by the passions that drive and excite our audiences to ensure our brands have a role to play in a way that feels relevant and authentic. We’re meeting fans where they are, at the intersections of culture. From sport and music to gaming and technology,” says Eric. “Recognising the role played by fans’ nostalgia for the iconic origins of the brand, the new logo borrows equity from Pepsi's past whilst incorporating modern elements to create a look that is unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi.”

Looking forward to the rest of the year and 2025, it looks like Eric is set to mix up and ‘level up’ across the whole portfolio.

 

“At PepsiCo, we’ve been busy transforming our portfolio to increase choice for consumers. In particular, through zero or low sugar alternatives, pushing from an R&D point of view to find new ways to delight and meet consumer needs. We have made more than 80% progress towards our 2025 sugar reduction targets,” he says. “For 7UP in particular, we will be focusing on the continued roll-out of the ‘Level Up With 7UP’ campaign across markets. Across all the brands in my remit, we will continue to move at the speed of culture, delivering on what people are thirsty for – innovative products and iconic collaborations.”