• by Danielle Oster , Yesterday

DEK: The hop-infused sparkling water brand launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign around interstellar comet 3i/ATLAS, including partnering with “Ufoligist” and former physician Dr. Steven Greer, founder of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence.

Brands who offer people a satisfying alternative to alcohol tend to lean in that feature for Dry January, when many give up alcohol for the first month of the year. But hop-infused sparkling water brand Hop Wtr is telling audiences “Drink Whatever You Want” in its latest campaign.

Launching ahead of interstellar comet 3i/ATLAS passing by garth on Dec. 19, the tongue-in-cheek campaign reasons that viewers should drink whatever they feel like, since an alien invasion may be on the horizon.

As part of the campaign, Hop Wtr partnered with “Ufoligist” and former physician Dr. Steven Greer, founder of the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Greer appears across a series of organic and paid social media content for the brand, discussing 3i/ATLAS and his views on the existence of intelligent extraterrestrial life.

Hop Wtr is also releasing some alien-themed brand merchandise for the campaign, including such unusual items as reflective hats and “alien-proof”jackets, as well as a “The Aliens Have Landed” hoodie and a “Dr. Greer” T-shirt.

“The holiday season and Dry January should feel celebratory, not stressful or restrictive," Hop Wtr co-founder and CEO Jordan Bass said in a statement. “This year, everyone is talking about mysterious objects in the sky and the possibility of an alien touchdown, so we thought why not have fun with it? If aliens really are coming, you might as well drink whatever you want. And if they’re not, at least you’ll feel great the next morning.”

The approach also allows the brand to position itself as a drink audiences can drink instead of, or alongside, alcoholic beverages, during the holidays and January.