Have you ever had one of those pitches where you pour your soul into the work, you are so deeply proud of what you brought forth and at the end of the day, the agency wasn’t the right fit? That’s this puppy. So while it’s probably weird to have an example of work that’s not only never seen the light of day beyond a conference room, but also did not result in a win, it’s one o

the situation

For years, Lipton Iced Tea has been a brand all about time well-spent with others. But togetherness is an overplayed trope in the beverage category and also leans hard on tired brand associations of front porch rocking chairs and picnic table gatherings. In order to make the brand more relevant, Lipton was exploring a new purpose around interdependence. The brand wanted to move beyond bringing together and instead open people up to interdependence and make wellbeing a team sport. But interdependence is a heady topic and we needed to figure out how to translate this externally in a way that people could connect with. 

Our ask - Modernize Lipton by translating the new, internal purpose of interdependence into external storytelling.

the challenge

We had to find a way into interdependence that felt tangible and meaningful to our audiences. In some ways, this shouldn’t be difficult. Humans are hardwired for connection, and the deeper our connections are with other humans, the more positive impact on our physical health, wellbeing and longevity.

But western cultures celebrate the individual. From our education systems to mainstream entertainment to business leaders, we are educated toward, praised for and revere individualism. So we are conditioned to take on life alone and approach our day-to-day with strength, stoicism and resiliency instead of vulnerability, embracing limitations and asking for help.

We see it in modern parenthood where too many parents are powering through “doing it all” without a village. We see it gendered pressures for men - particularly Black men - to “man up” and not share their feelings with others. Even the way we talk about managing mental wellbeing is an individual pursuit - it’s “self care”.

As we looked for ways to open people up to interdependence, the challenge we had to overcome is people’s conditioning to take on life alone.

the insight

Lipton’s target audience is the Overloaded Optimist. Millennials and Gen Xers balancing all the balls with work and family and life. Many are part of the sandwich generation taking on care responsibility for children and aging parents. There’s never enough time in their day to accomplish all the things they need to, but they still manage to move through their life with positivity. And they’re the worst offenders of taking life on alone - they see themselves as the rock that everyone else relies on. Independence is where they believe they thrive.

But as these individuals show up for everyone else, they’re not getting the nourishment they need. They’re missing the deep connection and joy that comes from opening up to others and letting someone else in. 

So we started looking for the antidote, and what we found is that in order for this audience to open up, they have to feel safe. They have to be in a space where they feel included and valued. They need to be with people who fully accept them as they are. They have to feel like they belong.
The insight - We open up when we feel a true sense of belonging.

the strategy

Lipton is a brand all about positivity and light, so our strategy was to celebrate the sunshine feeling of finding your people.

We wanted to be a reminder of how good it feels to let someone in, and while it can be scary, make it ok to open yourself up in ways that feel vulnerable. And for an audience with an already over-packed to-do list, we wanted to ensure that finding your people felt like a release, not a chore. While it requires time and energy, it’s actually the lynchpin in feeling less overloaded and more whole.

the idea

We declared Lipton as the Official Beverage of Belonging. Through documentary films, we celebrated the unexpected groups and communities where people find their people and the magic that happens in those spaces. 

the results

TBD…This work is launching later in 2023 and will be supported with a financial commitment from Lipton to inspire people to find their spaces of belonging and give existing groups greater reach to create more of these moments.