• by Danielle Oster , July 9, 2024

Lipton Iced Tea has brewed up its first foray into fashion.

The PepsiCo brand partnered with streetwear brand Cruel Pancake for a campaign celebrating “That Summer Feeling” and a collection inspired by ‘90s fashion. The 25 featured items include Harrington jackets (a classic British style), shorts, bandanas, visors, towels, and beach bags.

"This collaboration with Cruel Pancake represents both a turning point and a continuity: Lipton Ice Tea stands for sunshine in a bottle, tangy colors and a passionate community,” Lipton Ice Tea marketing director Victoire Binet said in a statement, adding that the “DNA” of the two brands “is completely intertwined,” with Lipton’s sunshine-centered branding matching  with Cruel Pancake’s “Give this world good energy” messaging.

To promote the  collection, the two brands selected the 92-year-old model known as “The Spanish King” to star in a photo series alongside members of Gen Z (who are a bit more representative of its target audience than nonagenarians). The series was shot by Ludovic Zuili, a photographer known for employing a nostalgic aesthetic, leaning into bold colors and summer settings.

To bring the collaboration to life, the brands are staging a “thirsty" pop-up event in Paris on July 13, where visitors can win collection items and imbibe iced donuts and signature drinks created by Lipton Iced Tea. An earlier promotional giveaway offered audiences online a chance to win select items on July 5-7 via a link on Cruel Pancake’s Instagram page.

The flagship Lipton Iced Tea isn’t the only brand in PepsiCo’s iced tea portfolio receiving a marketing push this season. The company also launched a campaign starring Lindsay Lohan for the Pepsi Lipton Partnership brand Pure Leaf last month, following the introduction of Pure Leaf Zero Sugar this past spring.