Bubly Uses Y2K Nostalgia for 'Melted Ice Pop' Campaign
PepsiCo’s Bubly sparkling water is giving consumers a reason to take an ice-cold sip this summer. The brand is offering a new flavor, Melted Ice Pop, for a limited time — and taking fans back to their days of eating frozen ice pops.
Bubly partnered with actor Chad Michael Murray for the Y2K-inspired social campaign. He stars alongside creator, podcast host and self-proclaimed 1990s and 2000s historian Erin Miller in a spot that brings consumers' first-crush fantasy to life. (See video below.)
Inspired by the classic red, white and blue ice pops, Bubly Melted Ice Pop combines cherry, lime and raspberry flavors with other natural flavors made with no calories and no sweeteners. It is available in eight-packs of 12-ounce cans at retailers nationwide while supplies last.
The video spot, set to The All-American Rejects' 2005 hit "Dirty Little Secret," recreates a playful rom-com daydream with Murray as the "hero love interest," tapping into Millennial nostalgia. The campaign is promoted across Instagram and TikTok, with in-store displays and product locator tools to help consumers find the product.
To celebrate the summer campaign, a limited-edition Bubly Melted Ice Pop Y2K Summer Kit became available exclusively at Walmart.com starting on June 25. The $20 kit includes Y2K-inspired accessories such as a digitally signed poster of Murray, a charm anklet, an eight-pack of Bubly Melted Ice Pop, an inflatable cooler, a beach towel and a tote.
"Bubly Melted Ice Pop was made to tap into the kind of nostalgia that instantly takes fans back — to freezer pops, first crushes and the summer daydreams they still remember," Katelyn Meola, Bubly's brand marketing director, said in a news release.
