If water is better sparkling, one could assume the same about milk, no? Honestly, no, but sparkling water had its moment, so could sparkling milk next?
In this episode of Can They Brand That?®, watch Semiserious tackle one of the more unusual emerging beverage categories, carbonated milk, by branding it live. We cover the dairy industry, the sparkling beverage trend, how to position something that sounds weird but tastes…fine, brand naming, target audience, and campaign concepts. The result was so silly, it very well could turn sparkling milk into a cash cow.
This episode is for beverage marketers, dairy industry folks, CPG entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about what happens when you carbonate a glass of milk. Teat yourself by watching the whole thing! Hosted by: Allie LeFevere and Lyndsay Rush Sanders
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro, Show Rundown, Best Friend Banter, What Is Sparkling Milk?, and Discussing Today’s Branding Challenge: Can They Brand Sparkling Milk?
05:51 The Brainstorm Begins!
06:22 Building a Sparkling Milk Brand From Scratch: Discussing Target Audience and Brand Positioning, Ideating a Brand Identity, Brand Names, Taglines, Brand Voice, Messaging, Packaging Design, Visual Identity, Funny Campaigns, Stunts, Activations, Product Lines, and Marketing Strategies for this Disruptive Beverage
38:42 Mascot O’Clock [Funny Mascot Ideas]
42:52 Funded or Done-ded [Would this idea get funded? Should someone hire us to actually brand it?]
Key Branding Ideas from This Episode:
- Pushing into the ridiculous or impossible can uncover surprising branding angles and creative solutions that traditional thinking misses.
- This absurdity principle challenges professionals to abandon fear of failure and instead use the wacky as a fertile ground for breakthrough ideas.
- Building a compelling brand hinges less on the product itself and more on the narrative, humor, and cultural context.
- Branding success is less about the actual product and more about the story, personality, and emotional resonance crafted around it.
- Understanding this shifts focus from perfecting the product to creating a memorable narrative that sticks in consumers’ minds.
- Pushing creative boundaries in branding can serve as a mental model for problem-solving across industries.
- Leverage constraints, like time limits or bizarre product parameters, as catalysts for innovation rather than barriers.
- This approach transforms perceived limitations into opportunities for unique solutions and more resilient thinking.
- The playful act of brainstorming out loud, with humor and without self-censorship, triggers lateral thinking.
- Unfiltered, humorous brainstorming unlocks subconscious associations, leading to novel concepts that structured, data-driven approaches may miss.
- Encouraging this method cultivates a mental space where bold, unconventional ideas can flourish and inspire strategic innovation.
- The act of storytelling and myth-making can transform even the most bizarre products into culturally resonant brands.
- Creating fictional lore or narratives around products (e.g., cows fed champagne for sparkle) enhances memorability and emotional engagement.
- This demonstrates that branding is as much about storytelling as it is about the product, influencing perception and likelihood of success.
- The joy of branded chaos and humor fuels creative stamina, enabling sustained innovation.
- Allowing room for silliness, chaos, and humor in the creative process boosts motivation, experimentation, and ultimately, innovative output.
Semiserious is a female-founded humor branding agency for CPG brands. Their sweet spot is working with founder-led or venture-backed DTC startups to build brands using comedy as a core strategy to help brands stand out in a crowded market. Their roster includes industry darlings like Clif Bar, Native, Blue Bunny, Waterboy, Pie, Argent, JOI, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Yogi Tea, Choice Organics, GEN Z, The University of Chicago, Alleyoop, Better Than Booze, Backwoods, Bad Rabbit, U Suck at Golf, Hobbyist, and the Dallas Cowboys, but they would never brag about it in their bio. This funny branding agency has offices in Chicago and Nashville, but works with clients globally.
Say hi or snoop around:
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🌐 Work with Semiserious: https://semiseriousagency.com/
ICYMI, this show exists 1) to champion originality and creativity in a sea of AI slop, 2) to show potential clients the power and value of fun as a consumer-converting strategy, and 3) to bring some much-needed levity into the world where we can.
#MilkBranding #CanTheyBrandThat #HumorBranding #BrandStrategy #FunnyMarketing #BeverageBranding
