You don’t need alcohol to have fun.
As more Millennials and Gen Z adults explored alternatives to alcohol, IYKYK saw an opportunity for a new kind of party drink. The goal: build a distinctive brand, win strong retail distribution, and turn curiosity into trial. The nascent market lacked a quality product with a desirable flavor profile. The hurdles? Unfamiliar category, THC stigma, and a shifting legal landscape – to name just a few. We had to make the brand fun and inviting while asserting responsible use.
Our team started from scratch: market research, defined the audience profiles, created the brand name and the products, and built the brand voice, visual identity, packaging, and swag. We positioned it as the perfect party drink with three central differentiating claims: no fizz, real fruit, and a THC+CBC blend designed for an uplifting social experience. We brought the brand to life through an interactive website design, educational content, and e-commerce functionality, as well as trade and consumer campaigns across social media, events, email, and point-of-sale materials. The rigorous product testing, expert reviews, and awards supported the quality story. All of the communications included prominent safety guidance and legal warnings. Actually, we turned the disclaimers into headlines for our creative campaign. While championing industry self-regulation, we organized and promoted a national straw poll and supported a petition to Congress to keep THC beverages legal, called Don’t Ban My Drink.
The response? Beverage experts, distributors, retailers, and consumers loved the taste and enjoyed the experience. IYKYK earned multiple awards for taste and packaging and quickly expanded into 10 states, including major retail chains. A newcomer brand gained recognition as a significant player and a leader in the fight for the category’s future.
Client: IYKYK Beverages
Industry: Hemp-Derived THC Beverages, Food & Beverage (F&B), Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Ready-to-Drink (RTD), Liquid Refreshment Beverages (LRB), Nonalcoholic (NA), Alcohol Alternatives, Adult Beverage Cross-Over, Noncarbonated Beverages (NCB), Functional & Wellness Beverages (The “Better-for-You” Market), Organic and Natural Products, Convenience Stores & Liquor Retail, Mass Merchandisers & Big Box Grocery, Direct-to-Consumer (e-Commerce) & Distributed Logistics.
Services: Full-Service Brand Agency Support, Integrated Marketing Strategy, Brand Development, Go-to-Market Strategy, Media Planning, Media Buying & Campaign Management, Creative Campaign Concept, Photo & Video Production, Logo Design & Visual Identity System, Brand Style Guidelines, Packaging Design & Production, Print & Swag Production, Website & Email Development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), In-Store & On-Premise Point-of-Sale (POS), Out-of-Home, Paid & Organic Social Media Development, Fleet Graphics, Business-to-Business (B2B) & Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Communications, Event Marketing, Activation, Cause Marketing
Media: Paid Social, Organic Social, Website, Digital Display, Digital Remarketing, Point of Sale, Event, Email, Direct Mail
