Dive Brief:

• Minute Maid is celebrating the start of summer with a promotion for its new Aguas Frescas beverage line, according to details shared with Marketing Dive. The Coca-Cola brand is hosting a giveaway leading up to “the first unofficial Friday of summer” — the Friday after Memorial Day — complete with a giant waterslide delivered to winners' homes as well as a mobile bartender.
• People in particularly hot cities such as Atlanta, Austin and Los Angeles can also win an on-demand delivery of Aguas Frescas cans, while consumers elsewhere in the U.S. can receive the beverage via mail.
• The new line’s “Refreshing AF” tagline and summer campaign play on Aguas Frescas’ initials and cheekily tie into the phrase that’s been popularized online.

Dive Insight:

Minute Maid’s summer promotion for its Aguas Frescas line, which debuted in March, intentionally takes a provocative approach with its “AF” tagline. The move aims to capture the attention of Gen Z consumers, who are surely familiar with the shorthand phrase, and align the cheeky messaging with Minute Maid’s goals for the product, per the announcement.

This isn’t the first time a brand under the Coca-Cola banner has taken a more direct approach to enticing Gen Z consumers. Coke in March announced a multiyear agreement to serve as the founding partner of Wild Rift Esports, the first mobile esports program from League of Legends developer Riot Games, in an attempt to nurture stronger cultural connections with enthusiast groups like gamers under its “Real Magic” global brand platform.

The Aguas Frescas giveaway will likely appeal to a broader swath of consumers beyond the Gen Z cohort and leans on excitement ahead of the sunnier summer season. By dishing out a waterslide and personal bartender, Minute Maid is attempting to associate its Aguas Frescas juice beverage with cool, refreshing sensations as many regions get warmer.

The new line of canned drinks hit store shelves in March in hibiscus, mango and strawberry flavors. Aguas Frescas is Coca-Cola’s latest product innovation and was inspired by the beverage behemoth’s desire to “shake up” the juice category, referring to the drink’s non-carbonated nature. A month before Aguas Frescas’ debut, Coca-Cola introduced a “space-flavored” Starlight soda within its Creations initiative that centers around producing limited-edition experimental flavors and accompanying content experiences to capitalize on changing consumer interests.