5 Fun CPG Campaigns That Celebrate Summer

Summer is the season to kick back, meet up with friends, enjoy the beach and for many Americans, spend a little money in the process. In fact, 87% of Americans spend more money socializing during the summer than they do the rest of the year.

All of the goodwill and fun energy consumers feel during the warm summer months serves as an opportunity for brands selling consumer packaged goods (CPG). With CPG brands often creating compelling spots that tap into the happy, relaxed feelings consumers may have in the summer.

Bacardi’s “Break Free” Spot Captures Hot Weather Vibes

Bacardi perfectly captured island life and summer party feels with Bacardi’s “Break Free” commercial. The spot featured everyday people negotiating busy streets, hot weather and work obligations, finally making their way to a dance party where they break free and enjoy tasty rum beverages. Instagram’s Boomerang feature figured prominently, pairing well with the infectious rhythm and offering an effective “stuck in a loop” precursor to the carefree dancing that closes out the Bacardi commercial.

Data Is Still King With Patron’s Summer Marketing Campaign

In 2017, Patron worked closely with Foursquare to leverage their data and the habits of Patron drinkers to better curate what cocktails consumers were most likely to enjoy. “We have to leverage data outside of what we have,” said Adrian Parker, Vice President of Marketing for Patron. “Foursquare allowed us to take not only data where you’ve checked in but that also informs your taste. For the summer, we’ll go to cities in the U.S., U.K. and France and serve up local recommendations from data that we salvage.” By tracking summer bar hopping, Patron got to know their customers better and could effectively match their preferences to the locations Patron drinkers frequent, be it tiki bar or speakeasy, allowing Patron to recommend certain cocktails at certain places.

Coca-Cola’s “Share A Coke” Campaign Offers Personalization And Social Media Opportunities

In the summer of 2014, Coke launched what would go on to be one of the best-performing marketing campaigns in the iconic company’s history. By swapping out their standard logo on 20-ounce bottles for 250 of the most popular names in the U.S, Coke created an instant connection between product and consumer. Who doesn’t love finding their name on stuff? It’s the souvenir key chain concept, but orchestrated by a massive brand. The personalized bottles encouraged sharing and selfies, hence the success of the #shareacoke hashtag across social channels. “Share a Coke” continues to exemplify Coke’s longtime spirit of friendship and kindness. The “Share a Coke” tagline persists in newer advertising spots for Coke, capitalizing on summer crushes and sun-soaked settings.

Oscar Mayer Kicks Off Their Healthier Hot Dogs With Commercials And The Wienermobile

Oscar Mayer sold more than 80 million hot dogs in 2017, making it one of the most popular hot dogs purveyors in the country. The nearly 140-year old brand wasn’t content to rest on their laurels, however, and instead launched a newer, healthier version of their signature product in the summer of 2017, capitalizing on the popularity of the summer hot dog experience. “For the Love of Hot Dogs,” the launch campaign, was creative and multichannel. It included an out of home (OOH) deployment of Wienermobiles across the U.S. As silly trucks made their way across the country dispensing hot dogs to a grateful nation, fans were able to shout out the Wienermobile with the #ForTheLoveOfHotDogs hashtag, encouraging organic social media engagement.

Halo’s “Ice Cream For Adults” Spots Take A Different Approach To Summertime Customs

There’s nothing that says summer quite like rolling up to the local ice cream truck for a tasty treat — unless it’s a Halo ice cream truck. In a series of 2019 commercials for Halo’s “Ice Cream for Adults” campaign, the friendly neighborhood ice cream man was replaced with a cynical truth teller. He shares his weary world knowledge with his young customers but saves his ice cream for adults struggling with love, jobs and the real life issues that don’t stop for summer. One of the spots features unlucky-in-love Bachelor star Nick Viall, who also pops up on Halo’s Twitter feed. This series of commercials are Halo’s first foray into TV, and turning the classic idea of summer fun on its head is a clever way for Halo Top to get noticed.

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