Sparkling Ice, a brand of Talking Rain Beverage Co., Preston, Wash., announced the launch of a new marketing campaign: Anything But Subtle. The campaign features Emmy Award-winning actress Annie Murphy, best known for her starring role as over-the-top celebutante Alexis Rose in acclaimed sitcom “Schitt’s Creek.”
The launch marks the latest salvo by the company increasingly focused on positioning Sparkling Ice for long-term growth.
“Sparkling Ice is Anything But Subtle ― and so is our strategy for 2024 and beyond,” said Ken Sylvia, CEO at Talking Rain Beverage Co., in a statement. “This is the largest marketing investment we’ve ever made, and with it, we are attracting world-class talent, planning energizing new product launches and flavorful brand partnerships. This will be the most significant year in our company’s history as we proactively and aggressively look to expand our position as the number one sparkling water brand in the U.S. Combined with our overall investment in operational excellence, we are in a very strong market position heading into the new year.”
Developed in collaboration with advertising agency powerhouse Red Tettemer O'Connell + Partners, the Sparkling Ice brand campaign is launching with two spots with Murphy as “chief flavor officer,” a colorfully clad executive gushing about the secret behind the full-flavored taste of the premium sparkling beverage. Whether she is guiding a tour group through the company’s Flavor Lab or perched at the lab’s control center, Murphy’s character highlights how the company manages to infuse such intense flavors into the zero-sugar sparkling beverage.
“I’m so excited to partner with Sparkling Ice. Fun, bold and full of flavor ― wish that was my yearbook quote in high school,” Murphy said in Sparkling Ice’s Anything But Subtle campaign.
Focusing on new marketing vehicles, platforms, and approaches that reflect consumers’ changing habits, the Sparkling Ice campaign seeks to entice new customers by illustrating why loyal fans love the brand. Major CTV players, such as Hulu, Peacock, Amazon, and Spotify, will carry the ads, along with display, audio, eCommerce and social media.
“This marketing investment, coupled with several other transformative company-wide initiatives, will set the stage for Sparkling Ice to become a world-class brand,” said Rich DePencier, chief growth officer at Talking Rain Beverage Co. “Now the delicious taste our loyal fans love about Sparkling Ice will be available to a wider audience of flavor lovers, as we expand opportunities with our retailers and distributors. This is an exciting time to be in the Sparkling Ice business.”
Bringing extensive experience with consumer packaged goods and ready-to-drink products at Fortune 100 companies, DePencier was announced as Talking Rain Beverage Co.’s first-ever chief growth officer at the beginning of 2024. The addition of this role reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to putting the right talent in place for growth, starting last fall with the promotion of Oscar Mayorquín to chief operating officer, and Tiffany Boyd to vice president of omnichannel marketing for Sparkling Ice.
With a new enterprise resource planning solution being rolled out in 2024, the company is laying the groundwork to meet future customer and consumer demand quickly and seamlessly, the company says.
Anything But Subtle campaign creative can be viewed on YouTube and Instagram.
