• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

There are hundreds of ready-to-drink (RTD) canned, boxed and bottled cocktails on the market, but not many can say they’ve been around since 2014. And only one can tout both “Shark Tank’”s Mark Cuban and Shaquille O’Neal as investors.

BeatBox launched nine years ago as wine-based RTD cocktails in a box shaped like a vintage boom box. Its makers appeared on “Shark Tank,” snagging a $1 million investment from Mark Cuban, reportedly one of the largest in the history of the show.

Since then the brand has evolved and expanded to sell single-serving RTD cocktails in flavors such as Cherry Limeade and Blue Razzberry. Earlier this year BeatBox added basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal as an investor, who also helped create his own Blueberry Lemonade flavor.

The Big Man also appears in the brand’s largest advertising effort to date, with a “Shaq-sized” OOH campaign with billboards and bus and trolley wraps across the country, especially at festivals such as Lollapalooza, to support the Blueberry Lemonade launch.

Marketing Daily caught up with BeatBox’s co-founder and CMO Brad Schultz  and Senior Vice President of Marketing Zech Francis.

Marketing Daily: How did Shaq become involved with the brand?

Schultz: We connected with him while he was on tour as DJ Diesel. He kept seeing BeatBox at festivals where he was performing, and really resonated with our passion for live music, our incredible community of superfans and our mission to bring fun to the alcohol industry.

When Shaq asked Mark Cuban what he thought about the brand, Mark gave his full endorsement. That sealed the deal. Shaq decided to invest and collaborate with us on a custom flavor that truly brings the party and the essence of both brands together.

Marketing Daily: Why such a large investment in outdoor advertising?

Francis: OOH gives us massive visibility during peak party season and amplifies the energy we're already building through social media and live events.

With the debut of our Blueberry Lemonade and summer being a season full of celebratory occasions, we felt it was the ideal timing to go all-in and truly promote our partnership with Shaquille to make a national impact. This out-of-home campaign is our biggest to date, spanning 89 billboards across 14 states, plus wrapped buses, trolleys, and light rail takeovers from LA to Miami, Dallas and Atlanta -- places we know BeatBox and Shaq’s fans will be.

Schultz: Our audience is always in motion, traveling to a show, commuting, heading downtown or just looking for their next great experience. Out-of-home lets us meet them in their world with big, colorful, can’t-miss moments. I am constantly getting texts from friends or family who see our OOH “in the wild.”  We are everywhere our fans are.

Marketing Daily: Who is the target demo for BeatBox?

Schultz: We’ve built an incredible following with drinking-age Gen Z and millennials, but with our expanded reach (new retailers, sponsorships and events) and partners like Shaq, we are growing that demographic to expand our audience. We truly exist for those who love music, live events, good times, fun and bold flavors. Last year we reached more than 12 million consumers in person via 250 live events, and in 2025 we will have a presence at over 300 music festivals and live events.

Marketing Daily: What else is BeatBox doing to market the brand?

Francis: One of the most exciting things we’ve launched recently is “11.1 Questions,” our YouTube interview series named after the ABV of BeatBox, where we sit down with major voices in music, sports, and culture... Recent guests include [musician] BigXthaPlug, [comedian] Jaren Bretz and Kaylor Martin [“Love Island”].

We’ve also got the most amazing community of over 10,000 brand ambassadors active on Discord and other channels. We are a fan-first and focused brand, so we are constantly connecting with our audience and evolving our strategy based on real-time feedback.

Last year we hit over one billion social media impressions. We’ve also continued to invest in life events and sponsorships like our new partnership with [soccer team] Las Vegas Lights FC and new festivals including Lollapalooza, Gov Ball and a BeatBox Stage at Warped Tour.