Digital Horizons
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Digital Horizons
Ben Stiller’s Throwback Soda Launch That Nails Branding And Audience Fit
A throwback soda with a modern brain? We dive into a new brand launch tied to Ben Stiller and explore why it dodges the usual celebrity-brand traps. Instead of another tequila or gin, this play embraces classic soda cues—natural ingredients, low sugar, and a fully realized retro identity that looks like it fell out of a 1980s corner store ad. The result feels intentional rather than opportunistic, and it opens a lane that most celebrity ventures ignore.
We break down the decisions that matter: why leading with design beats shouting health claims, how a vintage logo and filmic launch video build instant trust, and where humor helps without turning the can into a billboard for a famous face. The product story comes through clean—three flavors, including a polarizing-but-perfect root beer—and the positioning is exact: adults over 30 who want a better mixer or a tasteful alternative to the usual zero-cal staples. If you care about brand craft, you’ll hear how typography, color, and naming carry more weight than any influencer shoutout.
We also compare this move with the broader landscape of celebrity-led brands, from Reynolds’ content-native plays to the flood of spirits labels, and explain why credibility lives in the details. When design coherence meets a clear audience and a simple promise—good soda, done right—you can feel quality before the first sip. Curious whether nostalgia can power repeat purchase, not just first-click novelty? Press play, then tell us what would make you try a can.
If this breakdown helps you spot smarter brand plays, follow the show, share it with a friend who obsesses over packaging, and leave a quick review to help others find us.
The Digital Horizons Podcast is hosted by:
James Walker - Managing Director WHD
Brian Hastings - Managing Director Nous
Alright, welcome back to Digital Horizons and our brand news episode this week. We're looking at a new product and brand launch, which I think is really, really cool from Ben Stiller. It's called Stiller's Soda. I'm not sure if it's going to arrive here in Australia, but I think it's a really good example of a celebrity endorsed brand launch.
SPEAKER_01:So I guess um. What do you like about it? Yeah, so Brian showed me the video and it was something that really stood out to him. Um I guess you get served a lot of videos around different brand campaigns constantly, and I guess as always, I don't, I'm not in the brand space, so this is really your area. What stood out in terms of the delivery, the the overall campaign feel, and why you think it's a successful launch?
SPEAKER_03:I feel like Ben Stiller has really understood the assignment of a celebrity endorsement. Everyone seems to be pushing a gin or a tequila or a you know a celebrity endorsed alcohol brand. Just the fact this is a soda it is a little different coming from a celebrity. Typically, there's energy drinks or vitamin water from 50 Cent, things like that. This is just a classic soda with natural ingredients and three different flavors. And what really stood out was the retro branding, where, especially using the name Stillers with an apostrophe S, just making it sound like it's one of those old school Kirk's branded soft drink from the 70s or 80s. And the advertising style and the packaging design and the brand logo style, it really fits in with that retro look and feel. And even the way they filmed the launch video, it feels very 80s and retro. There's a lot of Ben Stiller's type of humor ingrained into it. But I think it stands apart from Ben Stiller. It doesn't have his big face on it or anything like that. It's not trying to be something new and cool. It's retro and it's done really well. I think the fact that they've made it low sugar, natural ingredients as well.
SPEAKER_01:It's kind of like, well, of course, it's going to have good quality ingredients and it's going to taste good because it's well, also, you probably don't want to attach your name to a really sugary, bad for you drink, right?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, so I think sort of all the standard expectations are in there. Yeah. Um, but they haven't led with that, like, oh, it's a low, you know, low calorie soda. It's just a cool, good soda brand. And he's launched three flavors. And I really think when celebrities do co-branding or brand launches well, where it's not just Ben Stiller in the ad, but it's got his last name in it. He's really like it's his bloody self-drink. I think it's fantastic. You know, Ryan Reynolds is a is pretty good at brand activity as a content and advertising agency, for Christ's sakes. But um, but I feel like, you know, not that people like The Rock or um George Clooney do it bad with their alcohol. It's just refreshing to see a soda brand with a retro vibe and an awesome brand identity launch in such a fully formed way. I know what it is and what it stands for and almost how good it's going to be before I even try it. Who would you say the audience is for this? I feel like it's discerning adults who want mixes for their drinks.
SPEAKER_01:So it's not for kids. It's not a it's not a you're not buying this for your kid. So you think it's more of a drink mixer style. Yeah, like root beer, for instance, is one of the flavors.
SPEAKER_03:This is very American flavor that aren't not for me. I I might like it, I'm not sure, but I feel like it's people 30 plus, people with higher disposable income, not people looking to buy Mountain Dew. Um, but probably those who currently enjoy a Coke Zero that are looking for something a little bit different.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Okay. Cool.
SPEAKER_00:Well, you just kind of look like the other one when we're going to be able to do that. You look the other one, we're like, well, we'll see how that goes. I didn't know. I was about to say that as I got it.
SPEAKER_02:We'll see how it goes. I'm glad this is really floating your boat. Well, I'll make sure not to uh mention this anymore. James couldn't be any less excited about it.
SPEAKER_03:Um there's something about great design and great branding that I think uh helps brands really um stand out. And I think when it's paired with a uh celebrity endorsement, and Ben Stiller has such a great brand, he's the director of Severance, but also people know him from his movies. But at the moment, people who've watch Severance like Ben Stiller as a creator and a creative, and I think this um is is really showing that he's got a choice. Yeah. So that's it for brand news this week. I'll be back with something of that entices James a little bit more next week, hopefully.
SPEAKER_00:Looking forward to it.
