Lipton Hard Iced Tea ads 2023 – Obviously

Lipton, America’s iconic tea brand, splashes into the hard iced tea market with a trio of ads that brilliantly fuse deadpan comedy and the absurd in a campaign titled ‘Obviously.’ Brought to life by the independent Founders Agency, these ads are anything but conventional, setting the stage for Lipton’s new hard iced tea product.

The three outlandish spots, namely ‘Mechanical Bull,’ ‘Pool Party,’ and ‘Oil Painter,’ play with the idea of the ‘obvious,’ linking it to the most unexpected scenarios. The ‘Mechanical Bull’ ad humorously depicts a boss relishing a mechanical bull ride in the middle of the office. At the same time, ‘Pool Party’ humorously navigates the confusion between a swimming pool party and a billiards party. ‘Oil Painter’ captures the amusing predicament of a couple posing for days for an artist, mistaking his studio for a photo booth.

The underlying punchline of these spots is that these situations are as ‘obvious’ as Lipton’s decision to venture into the spiked iced tea category. With a 5% alcohol content per serving, Lipton Hard Iced Tea comes in four flavors: Lemon, Peach, Strawberry, and Half & Half.

This campaign not only announces the launch of Lipton Hard Iced Tea but also effectively uses humor to capture viewers’ attention and make the product memorable. Lisa Texido, brand director for Lipton Hard Iced Tea, expressed excitement about the new product, assuring consumers that the brand has worked diligently to ensure Lipton iced tea’s smooth, balanced flavor shines through in this hard variant.

Lipton Hard Iced Tea is expected to hit select markets this year, with nationwide availability in the US anticipated in 2024. The campaign has launched across various US channels, including out-of-home, connected TV, digital, and social media.

PROS

Humor and Surprise: The campaign uses humor and the element of surprise effectively, making the ads memorable and likely to be shared, increasing the reach of the product announcement.
Brand Extension: Lipton’s move into hard iced tea could attract a new demographic of consumers, expanding its market share.
Diverse Media Outreach: The campaign is being launched across various channels, including out-of-home, connected TV, digital, and social media, ensuring a wide reach.

CONS

This campaign is a testament to creative freedom. Founders Agency’s Katie Reid and Kristin Mizushima mentioned the fun they had pitching ideas like “Let’s put a mechanical bull in the middle of an office space.” Clearly, the resulting ads are as exciting as the ideas that inspired them, offering a fresh and entertaining approach to product advertising.