WNBA star Sophie Cunningham is the new face of Once Upon a Coconut.
The Indiana Fever guard is one of the most recognizable and popular players in the league, matching her aggressive play on the court with an outspoken personality (and memes).
Now she’s pitching for the Florida-based canned coconut water brand, which plans to feature Cunningham across its marketing and content machine, where she’ll be “an integral part of (brand) personality and storytelling,” per a press release.
For OUAC, Cunningham’s arrival represents a “major step” to national relevance.
“There are plenty of great athletes, but Sophie also has a unique way of bringing people together,” said John Chiorando, Founder and CEO of Once Upon A Coconut. “For Once Upon A Coconut, the partnership also reflects a broader commitment to celebrating individuals who have the courage to be themselves, while still showing respect, love, and enjoying life.”
Why It Matters: Amidst a coconut water resurgence, a host of canned brands are making inroads with a more lifestyle-focused pitch.
- Cunningham isn’t the only sports star diving into coconut water: Tom Brady’s Good Nut debuted as a Gopuff exclusive earlier this summer.
- Fellow Florida brand Coacqua has turned heads with its array of flavors in eye-catching cans. Now it has partnered with DAYBREAKER, a dance and wellness events company with over one million community members worldwide.
- Strange Water, another canned coco water, has been steadily building awareness through musical festivals, parties and cultural events over the past two years.
The Takeaway: While Vita Coco and Harmless Harvest lead the way, there’s ample white space for smaller players in a category that’s growing over 20% at the moment. Investing in marketing– and woman-of-the moment Sophie Cunningham in particular– feels timely.
Liquid Death, Garage Beer Take On AI
If there’s one issue that seems to unite all Americans, it’s a deep loathing for AI data centers.
Leave it to the marketing mavens at Liquid Death to tap into that sentiment with its latest stunt, recruiting Jason Kelce of Garage Beer to help rally behind a solution: pee.
In a video clip, ex-NFL star Kelce and Liquid Death icon Murder Man frolic in a meadow, singing a song inviting people to join them in contributing to the cause (“Let’s pee on computers, together”).
Naturally, there’s some merch involved: in this case, it’s a Liquid Death x Garage Beer Data Center Coolant Collector, better known as a glass mason jar.
“For us, it’s always been about forming relationships and building alongside people and brands that believe what we believe in. In this case, it’s enjoying a Garage Beer or Liquid Death energy and peeing on data centers to help save the world’s water supply,” said Andy Sauer, Garage Beer CEO.
CWENCH Teams With Toronto Esports Squad
Canadian sports drink brand CWENCH Hydration is officially into esports, partnering with gaming team Luminosity.
The deal puts CWENCH’s logo on Luminosity’s team jerseys, and extends into supplying team members and integration into content production, livestreams, social channels, and event activations.
“From a business standpoint, this partnership puts CWENCH in front of one of the youngest, most global, and most engaged audiences, and it does it in a category where we have a real advantage,” said John Celenza, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Cizzle Brands.
CWENCH’s affiliations continue to extend: it’s already the Official Hydration Partner of USA Hockey, the Official Sports Drink of USA Lacrosse and the U.S. National teams, and an official partner of Massachusetts Hockey, Minnesota Hockey, the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association, and the New York State Amateur Hockey Association.