• by Danielle Oster , August 1, 2025

“A Real Boost” focuses on IRL Boost drinkers who used the beverage to aid in their recoveries from cancer or surgery.

When people turn to a product to help them recover from challenging life events, it can build the kind of authentic brand loyalty that lends itself perfectly to marketing. A new campaign from Nestlé nutritional drink Boost leans into such an appeal, sharing a series of stories from real users of the brand, who claim it provided “A Real Boost” in their recoveries from cancer and surgery.

One spot shares the story of Victor, a percussionist and cancer survivor who says Boost helped him get back on stage by providing an easy, portable way to meet his nutritional needs. Former barrel racer and horseback riding instructor Jennifer credits the beverage with helping her maintain "my protein levels and my muscles" to help her recover from hip surgery following a fall.

The campaign is running across linear and streaming TV, including ABC, Disney+, Hallmark, and Roku; social media, including influencer partnerships; and retail marketing platforms.

“We’ve heard so many inspiring stories from adults who turned to Boost nutritional drinks during some of the most difficult moments of their lives -- after a diagnosis, an accident or major surgery. They relied on Boost drinks as part of their nutrition regimen, which helped them feel resilient and hopeful throughout their journey,” Boost Senior Director of Brand Experience Megan Smargiasso said in a statement.

During a recent earnings call with investors discussing the company’s first-half financial results, Nestlé shared that advertising and promotion investments reached 8.6% of sales for the first half of the year.

“We said we would step up investment in our brands. Good progress in our brand value proposition has meant we have done this faster,” Nestlé S.A. Chief Financial Officer Anna Manz said during the call. “Our ‘Fuel for Growth’ program is delivering efficiencies that are allowing us to achieve more consumer impact from our spend.

“We are on track to reach our planned increase in marketing intensity earlier than expected, and at a lower cost,” she added. “So, given the efficiencies, we expect second half A&P as a percentage of sales to be similar to the first half.”