Press For Bubly: An Encouragement for Dry January

 Hello to anyone who bothers to read this! This is my first marketing review on this blog and I've decided to aim for something extremely topical as of January 2024. The ad that caught my attention the most is PepsiCo's launch of the "Press For Bubly" campaign. This campaign interested me because PepsiCo is one of the biggest names in advertisement in the world and Bubly is not my favorite beverage in the world from them. So I was intrigued about the reasoning behind this advertisement and at the end of this blog post, I will have made up my mind on whether I think it was a good idea or not.

In case you didn't know, January is known as Dry January to some people looking for a good new year's resolution. Dry January involves giving up drinking alcoholic beverages for a whole month or at least attempting to limit one's intake. It's a personal challenge of will power that millions of people participate in every year. Of course, this act of human betterment would be appealing to some large companies hoping to cash in on people in a hard time. While one could definitely assume such a big brand like PepsiCo to be of this same mind, I'm not entirely convinced.

The sheer size of PepsiCo has always made it somewhat of a top dog in brands. And many people like to root for an underdog, myself included. However, this ad campaign might be one of the most selfless things they have ever done. This campaign is actually a sweepstakes for a chance to win a "Press For Bubly" button, with 50 buttons up for grabs to consumers in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Those who win the button will receive a year's supply of Bubly, 52 8-packs over the course of 365 days. Additionally, 1,000 other entrants will also receive a free 8-pack of Bubly. This campaign is targeted towards those looking for a healthier lifestyle in cutting alcohol, made clear by using the "healthier" Bubly opposed to PepsiCo's other products. Not only is PepsiCo banking off of new year's resolutions for better health but also the viral Dry January challenge to give people another option instead of alcohol.

This is also why PepsiCo chose Bubly as the give-away item rather than other PepsiCo products. When Bubly was released in 2018, it was meant as a healthy drink that stood out against PepsiCo's lineup of sugary sodas. I'd also like to think of Bubly as the product that PepsiCo tests out marketing campaigns on. Bubly is one of PepsiCo's less notable products in my opinion and therefore, any ad campaigns that seem potentially controversial are advertised via Bubly first. This was also true for a 2022 campaign that advocated for safe spaces for members of the LGBTQ+ community. I think it was smart to use Bubly for the "Press For Bubly" campaign as well, specifically because of it's branding as a healthy drink and as a non-alcoholic beverage. It appeals to those participating in Dry January and also to those looking for healthier lifestyles.

In my opinion, I think this ad campaign is genius. Not only is the idea of supporting Dry January admirable, but a sweepstakes is a great way for consumers to feel more connected to the brand. They can feel as though they're participating in something personally. The free Bubly also makes a good impression for consumers. Other companies are also looking to sell products off of Dry January, including alcohol companies themselves who promote their lesser known non-alcoholic beverages. However, none of these companies are giving away free products in the way that PepsiCo is. On top of all that, even people who don't win will see Bubly as a direct alternative to unhealthy beverages because of this campaign, promoting sales anyways. I think what the public will go for most, though, is the potential selflessness behind this campaign. The possibility that PepsiCo really only intends for healthier habits and not just their product is inspiring to many consumers. This is also solidified by the fact that PepsiCo is doing this all for free. There's no pressure to buy their products at all, only a chance to win free Bubly. And this is what I think is the most compelling part of the campaign. The illusion, at least, that PepsiCo cares about those suffering from problems with alcohol and wish to do good on the world by giving away free products if it helps a cause. This kind of action sticks with people and leaves an incredibly good impression on the company as a result. 

That being said, there is one small tweak I would make to the campaign and that is outreach. The coveted "Press For Bubly" buttons are only winnable in three major cities. The logistics behind this is valid, as it would be way too much wasted energy to supply dozens of smaller cities with year supplies of Bubly. However, I think inclusion of anyone would really help round out the campaign's goal of helping people in any state, whether that's people trying to be healthier or people struggling with alcoholism. Instead of giving "Press For Bubly" buttons to every city in the country, I would recommend that the 1,000 other winners of a Bubly 8-pack get some sort of trinket along with it as well. This would help even those who didn't win the year supply to feel accomplished in winning anything in the sweepstakes. I mean, they are 1 out of 1,050 people who won anything from the sweepstakes in the entire world! It should feel special. A more modest replica of the button would be a nice touch or even a specialized box for their 8-pack would be really simple changes that could make this campaign really memorable for anyone involved. A personal thank you letter to all those who entered might be nice as well. It doesn't have to be individually made for every person but just an expressed thank you for those that supported the sweepstakes would really help sell the sense of selflessness that PepsiCo is aiming for in this campaign.

PepsiCo has always been an interesting brand when it comes to their value proposition. Their wide range of products make it unclear what kind of food statement they're trying to make. Do they want everyone to be healthy or to eat their indulgent junk food? I never really understood it until I took out the thought of their individual food products entirely. PepsiCo specializes in food services and all food can be united under a certain label no matter what the nutrition facts say. Food gives people life, gives people a reason to smile in the morning. Whether that food is a bowl of Quaker oats cereal or a bag of Doritos, people smile to eat PepsiCo foods. And that's all that really matters isn't it? I'd like to think that PepsiCo had this in mind with this "Press For Bubbly" campaign as well. To make people smile from their efforts and maybe, smile beyond their product as well.

Article: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/bubly-dry-january-button-mobile-campaign/704252/ 

To Enter The Sweepstakes: https://pressforbubly.com/#landing