Dr Pepper /1 Productions
In 2013, Dr Pepper introduced its new campaign: “/1 One-of-a-Kind,” to share its brand belief that one-of-a-kinds make the world a better place. Our task was to translate this idea to digital and make it relevant to millennials.
We knew that authenticity was key for our target audience, particularly in digital. We also knew that Dr Pepper consumers are authentic, extremely passionate about the brand, and that the same people who love Dr Pepper have one-of-a-kind stories of their own.
1
Bring an Offline Idea Online
So we created /1 One-of-a-Kind Productions, a digital content series celebrating influential fans of Dr Pepper who had a one-of-a-kind talent to share with the world. The campaign was guided by three brand truths:
- Dr Pepper is one-of-a-kind. There is no other beverage that tastes like it.
- Passion from Dr Pepper die-hards borders on fanaticism.
- Dr Pepper is a grass-roots brand at heart.
2
A One-of-a-Kind Story With a One-of-a-Kind Giveaway
Our strategy was simple: Listen in social, find one-of-a-kind influencers professing their love for Dr Pepper, and ask them if we could tell their story. What we found was that every one of our /1 fans were more than willing to collaborate with the brand they love.
Every month, we created a new One-of-a-Kind story exclusively for online consumption:
… Like Leandra Medine, founder of The Man Repeller, one of the most popular fashion blogs in the world.
… And Mike Mo, a professional skateboarder and sunglasses entrepreneur.
… And heavy-metal guitarist Andy Williams, who wears his love for Dr Pepper quite literally on his sleeve.
… And Colton Haynes, a stylish model, actor and teenage heart throb.
… And Justin Tucker, the talented Baltimore Ravens kicker and Dr Pepper fanatic who had a talent the world had not yet heard: He could sing opera in seven languages.
Each piece of video content was complemented by a custom product giveaway, as well as a collection of lightweight content like Vines, which were optimized for social media—all of which were housed in a centralized digital hub on Dr Pepper’s website.
3
Stoking the Fire at Every Opportunity
When the conversation exploded around Justin Tucker’s hidden opera singing talent, we quickly rallied to join it.
We made sure it made the local news. And the national news.
When Tucker kicked a record six field goals in one game, we scoured every grocery store in New York to send him a gift basket of six Dr Peppers. His thank you Instagram made national headlines.
Soon, Tucker started to become synonymous with Dr Pepper. Sports Center announcers started to shout “Holy Dr Pepper” after every successful play, and a Baltimore ice cream shop named a Dr-Pepper-flavored ice cream in his honor.
When he was making a push for the Pro Bowl, we of course asked our social fans to send another Pepper to the big game.
Justin wouldn’t have made the Pro Bowl without Dr Pepper.
4
The Results
Over the course of the campaign, our videos touched millennial consumers who shared the same passions as our /1 influencers, from skateboarding, to sports, to fashion.
Our mini-documentary for Justin Tucker alone generated 98 million earned impressions, with no paid media. The frenzy we sparked around the video made this NFL star synonymous with Dr Pepper both on and off the field.
In the end, the entire /1 digital content series ignited fan’s passions around influencers who genuinely loved what they love: Dr Pepper.
