• by Danielle Oster , August 2, 2024

Olipop is going back to school.

The better-for-you prebiotic soda brand is releasing a new flavor this month. But before they pop the details on the new addition, they’re giving college students a chance to get their hands on it first.

Olipop is giving away some 25,000 cans of the surprise new flavor to students trickling into college campuses this month via the “Olipop University” sweepstakes, open only to college students, through Aug. 15.

“When we realized the timing of this launch lined up perfectly with the back-to-school season, we knew it was the best way to give students the first look,” Olipop director of growth and partnerships Steven Vigilante told Marketing Daily.

To enter, students can visit the “Olipop University”page on Olipop’s website and fill out a form with information including an.edu email address from an accredited college. Winners will be notified on Aug. 16, and receive eight cases (96 cans) of the mystery flavor shipped to them by the end of the month. For non-students, the brand is also offering a 20% off promotional discount for its existing flavors on its website.

While Olipop is keeping quiet about the name and full details of the new flavor, it did offer some hints, describing it as “inspired by a nostalgic soda classic.” which incorporates “a fusion of lemon, lime, and orange juices creating an energizing blast of flavor,” Unlike the majority of the brand’s flavors, it also contains added caffeine, derived from green tea. T

That caffeinated component ties into some existing consumer behavior. “Through monitoring social posts and speaking directly with customers, we’ve learned that consumers love turning to OLIPOP as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up during a tough work day,” Vigilante said, describing the new offering as “the perfect antidote to that midday slump” due to its 50mg of caffeine “providing just enough caffeine to get you through the work day” (or school day) “without keeping you up all night!”.

“We love expanding our portfolio of nostalgia-inspired soda flavors, and this one was a clear next adventure for us,” he added. “

The brand is amplifying the initiative across its owned channels, including driving traffic to a campaign landing page via its social media accounts, and emails to Olipop subscribers, as well as leveraging influencer marketing to expand its reach.

Vigilante also teased an upcoming marketing initiative which will see the brand partnering with a “well-known athlete who has publicly been a long time soda drinker, to help him kick his soda habit.”

Olipop’s new flavor will start rolling into retail stores later this month -- including Target, Walmart, Sprouts, and Meijer – and officially launches Sept. 4.