Vita Coco Brings Giant Fruit, Icy Drinks to Parched Texans

Vita Coco, a brand that holds stunts near and dear to its hydrated heart, is launching a “colossal coconut pop-up” stocked with icy cold beverages in the middle of a triple-digit Texas heat wave. Timing, as they say, is everything. And so is showmanship: the centerpiece of the activation is a 3-story-tall inflatable coconut, dubbed “the world’s biggest,” that would likely draw a crowd in any weather condition. The program, kicking off Friday in Dallas and running through the weekend, is a nod to the old adage “everything’s bigger in Texas.” It’s also a nostalgia play, tapping into the enduring appeal of American roadside attractions. It comes from a brand that leans heavily into unconventional tactics. Vita Coco delivered cases of product via rollerblade to New York bodegas in its early days and later sent real coconuts through snail mail, dropped hangover remedies and comfort food packages after the Super Bowl and set up 270-foot water slides at fairs and festivals. (And it hit marketing icon status for a particularly clever social media clapback.) “We like to bring people the unexpected, and this is the latest iteration,” Jane Prior, CMO of The Vita Coco Company, told Adweek. “When you think about summer in Texas, you think about heat and the idea of a road trip. So we thought, in a land where everything from giant dinosaurs to giant boots exist, why not a giant coconut?” Viva el coco The stunt serves as a strategic debut of the brand’s first foray into the juice category, aiming for a “big, bold” intro, said Prior, who chose Dallas because it’s home to key Vita Coco partners like 7-Eleven and Keurig Dr Pepper. The new juice product, an extension of the brand’s existing waters that’s available across the East Coast and in Dallas, comes in cans with retro design packaging. The company thinks the two-flavor line—original with pulp and mango—will help expand its audience. “We have a really clear goal: we are on a mission to build a beverage company of the future,” Prior said, “where we offer better-for-you products that fit into every occasion.” In addition to the giant coconut balloon, the weekend program features local food vendors, family-friendly games, photo ops, merchandise giveaways and plenty of well-chilled Vita Coco drinks. Local TV personality and fitness enthusiast Matt James will make an appearance, as will creators Daisy Marquez and Keauno Perez. Popular dessert shop, Coconut Paradise, will serve coconut treats. The activation is part of the ongoing rollout of the juice products, which started with a partnership with Brooklyn chef Calvin Eng, a James Beard nominee who owns Bonnie’s restaurant and shares bodega roots with Vita Coco. Liquid Death Gets Physical With Comedian Bert Kreischer in ’80s-Style Workout Video

Experiential Marketing

'World's Biggest Coconut' Stunt Brings Giant Inflatable Fruit and Icy Drinks to Parched Texans

Vita Coco, known for its unconventional marketing, debuts a show-stopping family-friendly weekend event

T.L. Stanley

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T.L. Stanley