K-DP
Six Brands. One Growth System
Summary: Six beverage brands. Six distinct growth challenges. One portfolio approach built on insight, cultural relevance and measurable results.
Services Provided For This Project:
Multicultural Consultation
Target Audience Assessment
Consumer Insights
Strategy
Media Planning & Buying
Digital Media Planning & Buying
Creative
Social Content
Production
Consumer Promotions
Strategic Alliances
Event Sponsorship
Event Activation
Celebrity Talent
Publicity & Public Relations
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The Challenge
Restore growth across six very different beverage brands— each facing distinct competitive pressures, audience challenges and stages of maturity— without forcing them into a single portfolio-wide marketing formula.
What Makes It Different
The portfolio included an iconic lemon-lime brand, a disruptive new product, an orange category leader, a youth-oriented fruit drink, a premium adult mixer and a pioneering zero-calorie soft drink.
Each possessed different equities, growth opportunities and roles within the portfolio.
The Insight
Effective portfolio management isn’t about giving every brand equal treatment. It is about defining the specific job each brand must perform, identifying where growth can realistically come from and building the right strategy around that opportunity.
The Approach
We created a distinct growth platform for each brand: “Make 7UP Yours,” “Flip It,” “Charged Experiences,” the “Punchy Relaunch,” “Just a Little Bite” and “Go for Zero.”
Each combined consumer insight, competitive strategy, cultural understanding and integrated activation—allowing the brands to share organizational resources without sacrificing their individual identities.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team provided portfolio and client leadership while leading strategy, creative, media, promotions, partnerships and production across the six brands.
Results
The work reversed 7UP’s sales decline, took Sunkist to #1 in orange CSDs, lifted Hawaiian Punch 20-ounce sales, made Schweppes the #1 mixer trademark, exceeded launch goals for dnL and returned Diet Rite to growth.
Collectively, the campaigns earned two Effie Awards, national industry recognition and greater retail priority—while creating a portfolio-management playbook that continues to influence how Left Off Madison builds challenger brands today.
The Comeback Had a Punchline
The Challenge
Reverse years of declining sales and market-share losses for 7UP. Once America’s third-best-selling soft drink, the brand had become boring, old and bland while Sprite gained relevance with younger consumers.
What Makes It Different
7UP was still one of America’s best-known soft drinks, with an established taste, identity and place within the lemon-lime category. It didn’t need to be reinvented. It needed its personality back.
The Insight
Heavy soft-drink users ages 12–24 weren’t looking for another legacy brand. To compete with Sprite, 7UP needed to become entertaining, culturally relevant and unmistakably itself again.
The Campaign
“Make 7UP Yours” introduced a more provocative, irreverent brand personality brought to life through the comedic performances of Orlando Jones and, later, Godfrey.
Distinctive humor, memorable language and cultural timing helped 7UP break out of the category’s familiar conventions and return to the pop-culture conversation.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, production and client leadership.
Results
The campaign reversed years of sales decline, helped 7UP recapture market share and encouraged grocery chains to prioritize the brand on shelves and end aisles.
“Make 7UP Yours” ran for five years, became part of popular culture and earned an Effie Award.
Punchy Found Its Swagger
The Challenge
Increase sales of Hawaiian Punch’s 20-ounce bottle—the package preferred by younger consumers—while expanding the brand beyond a mom-driven pantry purchase into an individual beverage choice.
What Makes It Different
Hawaiian Punch possessed assets competitors couldn’t manufacture: bold flavor, an instantly recognizable name and Punchy, a character with untapped potential to become a symbol of youthful attitude and style.
The Insight
To earn greater consideration among African American and Hispanic consumers ages 12–18, Hawaiian Punch needed to participate authentically in their culture—not simply place conventional advertising around it.
The Campaign
The “Punchy Relaunch” recast the character with greater attitude, swagger and cultural currency.
Custom artwork, limited-edition apparel, music partnerships and entertainment integrations placed Punchy inside the fashion and hip-hop culture influencing young consumers—including appearances in music videos featuring Snoop Dogg, Layzie Bone, Kurupt, The Liks and others.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, promotions, partnerships, production and client leadership.
Results
Sales of Hawaiian Punch 20-ounce bottles increased by 5% each quarter for the duration of the campaign.
Punchy also gained meaningful pop-culture acceptance, with leading hip-hop artists incorporating the branded apparel and product into their music videos.
CREATED BY SHEPARD FAIREY, DAVE KINSEY
CREATED BY SHEPARD FAIREY, DAVE KINSEY
CREATED BY SHEPARD FAIREY, DAVE KINSEY
CREATED BY DAO YI CHAO
CREATED BY DAO YI CHAO
CREATED BY DAO YI CHAO
CREATED BY DAO YI CHAO
MATTEO "MATTY C" CAPOLUONGO
RECORDING ARTIST, BLACK THOUGHT OF THE ROOTS
RECORDING ARTIST, KURUPT (THE DOGG POUND)
ACTOR, OMAR EPPS
Group of seven young men standing outdoors, holding white bags with a soccer ball graphic and Arabic text, wearing casual clothing and backpacks.
A group of people gathered outdoors, holding posters and banners, some wearing casual clothing and others in formal attire, with a backdrop of trees, power lines, and a cloudy sky.
A tall billboard with a vintage Coca-Cola advertisement featuring a cartoon character holding a bottle, situated next to a utility pole with power lines in an urban area with buildings and parked cars.
People sitting at a table with a red and white checkered tablecloth, eating food, in a festive indoor setting with decorated balloons and other guests in the background.
can you spot the punchy jacket in these music videos?
We Flipped the Category
The Challenge
Disrupt a wave of new product launches from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo while creating an incremental growth opportunity from the awareness and consumer affinity already surrounding 7UP.
What Makes It Different
dnL was 7UP turned upside down: a highly caffeinated, aggressively lime-flavored, bright-green alter ego that transformed a familiar soft drink into something unexpected.
The Insight
Instead of defending 7UP against every competitive launch, the brand could go on offense. Flipping a trusted product’s identity gave young consumers something surprising to discover, decode and share.
The Campaign
“Flip It” made inversion the organizing idea behind the entire launch—from co-created artwork with Shepard Fairey and Dave Kinsey to gaming integrations, live music events and the $5 million “Flip It Shot” basketball promotion.
Every interaction invited consumers to look at 7UP, the category and familiar experiences from a different perspective.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, promotions, partnerships, production and client leadership.
Results
dnL exceeded its initial sales goals and secured additional marketing investment that extended the program for approximately 18 months.
The brand generated strong participation across its custom promotions, remained in market for approximately five years and helped blunt competing launches from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Advertising Age ranked the work its #2 nontraditional campaign, behind Nike.
CO-CREATED BY SHEPARD FAIREY & DAVE KINSEY. PALINDROM CREATED BY COLLEAGUE JEREMY BRITTAIN.
CO-CREATED BY SHEPARD FAIREY & DAVE KINSEY.PALINDROM CREATED BY COLLEAGUE JEREMY BRITTAIN.
ADVERTISING AGE "BOOK OF TENS"
A promotional graphic for a basketball-themed game called 'Flip It Shot' with a green background, featuring instructions about winning a $5 million prize by sinking a half-court shot during halftime of a college hoops tournament, and catching the shot while hanging upside down.
PAC10 SEMI-FINAL HALF-TIME STUNT. HE MISSED.
A colorful basketball-themed display for Dole, featuring a court with a yellow and green area, basketball hoops, and large screens with the Dole logo and the slogan 'Flip It Shot'. There is also a magazine cover with football players in the lower left corner.
dnL VIDEO GAME INTEGRATION
SSX3 SCREEN-GRAB WITH dnL SCENE
SSX3 SCREEN-GRAB WITH dnL SCENE
SSX3 SCREEN-GRAB WITH dnL SCENE
Event flyer featuring Felix Da Housecat with Marcus & Dominique at Centro-Fly, Chicago, on Saturday, December 14, presented by Flip Sessions, Green Slice, and DNL.
Poster for Groove Armada concert at The Roxy on Thursday, August 28, featuring DJ Jools Butterfield and Tim 'Love' Lee, with live percussion, advanced ticket purchase recommended.
Poster advertising the Stones Throw Showcase and Jaylib record release party at the El Rey Theatre on October 10, with featured artists Madlib Peanut Butter Wolf, Wildchild, Dudley Perkins, Oh No, Medaphoar, DJ Romes, and Egon. The poster includes a photo of a person with a censored face, surrounded by musical equipment and records.
Concert poster advertising a Jurassic 5 concert with Talib Kweli, scheduled for Saturday, January 11, 2003, at The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd. Doors open at 7 PM, featuring an outdoor stage with a crowd and DJs.
CLICK TO PLAY RADIO AD
Zero Became the Big Idea
The Challenge
Reintroduce Diet Rite to a new generation of calorie-conscious consumers who had little relationship with the brand and were growing fatigued with the familiar conventions of Diet Coke.
What Makes It Different
Diet Rite offered zero calories, zero carbohydrates and zero caffeine across a broader range of flavors— giving consumers a more expansive alternative to the traditional diet-cola experience.
The Insight
Calorie-conscious adults ages 25 and older didn’t want their choices framed around sacrifice. “Zero” could be transformed from a list of product omissions into a positive, modern expression of freedom and choice.
The Campaign
“Go for Zero” repositioned Diet Rite around everything consumers could enjoy rather than what they had to give up.
Simple, confident messaging turned the brand’s zero-calorie, zero-carb and caffeine-free formulation into a forward-looking platform— before “zero” became a dominant idea across the beverage category.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, production and client leadership.
Results
The repositioning generated strong sales growth and earned an Effie Award.
“Go for Zero” also helped ignite the beverage category’s shift away from the increasingly restrictive language of “diet” and toward the more positive promise of “zero.”
Turning Charge Into Growth
The Challenge
Drive sales, defend Sunkist against Fanta’s growing U.S. momentum and give tangible meaning to the new “Charged Experiences” positioning— an idea previous agency efforts had struggled to translate into action.
What Makes It Different
Sunkist offered more than an unmistakable orange flavor. Its caffeine and bright, energetic personality gave the brand permission to connect refreshment with momentum, ambition and possibility.
The Insight
Young consumers didn’t simply want to hear that Sunkist was “charged.” They needed to experience what that charge could unlock in the areas of culture and creativity that mattered to them.
The Campaign
“Charged Experiences” transformed a positioning statement into access to potentially life-changing opportunities across fashion, music, film, gaming, comedy, surfing and motorcycle racing.
Collaborators ranging from Marc Ecko and Bryan Barber to BET Comic View and California Superbike School connected young consumers with real-world mentors, creators and experiences.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, promotions, partnerships, production and client leadership.
Results
Sunkist became the #1 orange carbonated soft drink, while grocery chains gave the brand greater priority on shelves and end aisles.
The program also generated strong engagement and participation by connecting consumers with real opportunities in the careers and cultural spaces they aspired to enter.
Below: multiple-page, pull-out poster inserted into key print publications announcing the consumer promotion.
Sophistication With Bite
The Challenge
Drive sales and preference over Seagram’s and lower-priced private-label alternatives while clearly differentiating Schweppes from its more mainstream sibling, Canada Dry.
What Makes It Different
Schweppes combined premium heritage, sophisticated taste and a distinctive bite. These qualities gave the brand permission to elevate the mixer category beyond refreshment, familiarity or price.
The Insight
Affluent adults ages 25–54 wanted brands that reflected discernment without feeling overly serious. Schweppes could win by pairing grown-up sophistication with intelligence, wit and just enough edge.
The Campaign
“Just a Little Bite” brought the brand’s distinctive personality to life through Kelsey Grammer’s voice, a memorable leopard metaphor and a sophisticated sense of humor.
PGA partnerships, golf promotions, retail activations, a rewards program and a Match.com integration extended the idea into the interests and social lives of upscale adults.
Our Leadership Team’s Role
Before founding Left Off Madison, members of our leadership team led strategy, creative, media, promotions, partnerships, production and client leadership.
Results
Schweppes became the #1 mixer trademark in the category, while grocery chains gave the brand greater priority on shelves and end aisles.
Golf-related promotions also generated strong consumer engagement and participation.
Behind Every Category or Client Logo Are Advertising Moves Powering Growth
