• by Larissa Faw , April 29, 2016

Warmer weather is the perfect season for iced tea, which is why Lipton and agencies are embarking on a multifaceted campaign to support Lipton's Sparkling Ice Tea products.

Lipton, a joint venture of PepsiCo and Unilever, has developed a touring experiential event (in partnership with WeWorks and BMF Media) called the Flavor Lounge that will visit office workplaces in various locales.  

The experience includes a personalized sampling beverage station, a DJ hosting a "silent disco," a ball pit for kids (of all ages), manicure station, and a masseuse. The campaign will stop in "young, vibrant cities" including Miami, New York City, Austin and Los Angeles.

"The office takeover is a new event, which is all about helping office workers in any city get out of the 2 p.m. workday slump," says Melanie Watts, director marketing, Lipton. "We’re excited to refresh and uplift these typically drab times at work."

She adds: "This follows the larger trend of businesses looking to inspire employees and the office environment."

At the same time, Lipton is airing new digital content and a television spot that tie into the launch of the newest Lipton Sparkling Iced Tea citrus green tea with actress Brittany Snow. Deep Focus created the Brittany Snow ad. The TV spots began airing Monday, April 25 and will run for four weeks in prime time and on specialty networks.

This campaign underscores PepsiCo's broadening of its beverage portfolio to lessen its reliance on colas. Now, globally, just 12% of its revenues come from trademark Pepsi and less than 25% comes from carbonated soft drinks on a global basis. 

Instead, PepsiCo is focusing more on what it calls "guilt-free products," diet beverages and other drinks such as Lipton that are below 70 calories per 12 ounces. These "guilt-free" products account for around 45% of Pepsi's portfolio by revenue, which the company hopes will continue to increase upward. 

Although Lipton is co-owned by both Unilever and PepsiCo, Lipton Sparkling Iced Tea falls under the PepsiCo umbrella. So-called “ready to drink” Lipton products are marketed by PepsiCo, while “do it yourself” products such as tea bags and items mixed with water are marketed by Unilever.