21Seeds Tequila launched the “Serving Summer” campaign, a nostalgic and innovative marketing initiative aimed at millennial women. Building on the brand's meteoric rise through targeted outreach on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and retail partnerships, the campaign marked its most ambitious effort since its acquisition by Diageo. The goal? To expand beyond its loyal base while reinforcing 21Seeds’ identity as a modern, approachable tequila brand. 21Seeds highly excels over all other small tequilas in shopper expectations, so we know that when people try 21Seeds, they love it, which made driving awareness and trial most important.
Kantar research revealed that 81% of consumers are drawn to nostalgic content, making the 21st birthday of The O.C. the perfect cultural touchstone. Collaborating with Rachel Bilson, reprising her iconic role as Summer Roberts, the campaign recreated beloved scenes from the early 2000s with a tequila twist. Through playful nods to the show, fans were invited to “check in with an old friend” over a 21Seeds cocktail.
The campaign seamlessly blended past and present, utilizing nostalgia to forge a deep emotional connection with its audience. By leveraging millennial love for The O.C., “Serving Summer” showcased 21Seeds as the perfect tequila for every summer occasion.
Key goals included:
- Brand Awareness and Recruitment: Expand reach to millennial tastemakers via influencer partnerships and press coverage, as well as strategically placed ad buys on millennial-frequented platforms like Hulu, Peacock, Max, and other digital platforms
- Trial Engagement: Drive “liquid-to-lips” opportunities at curated events, both on- and off-premise
Recognizing summer as a key selling season for tequila and 21Seeds’ largest sales quarter, the brand set out to cut through the oversaturation of the crowded tequila category. The result was Serving Summer, a campaign inspired by the audience crossover between 21Seeds and fans of The O.C.. At its peak, the iconic early 2000s show drew nearly 10 million viewers and has resurged in popularity thanks to memes and streaming, making it a cultural touchpoint for the 21Seeds target audience.
The campaign’s authenticity was paramount. With the writer’s strike creating a unique opportunity, 21Seeds collaborated with Fake Empire, the production company run by The O.C. creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Together, they brought Rachel Bilson back to reprise her role as Summer Roberts and tapped Anna Mastro, who worked on The O.C. pilot and later directed episodes, to helm the campaign. This alignment of original talent ensured the essence of the show was preserved while seamlessly integrating 21Seeds. The result was a modern, nostalgic revival that stayed true to The O.C.’s roots and brought Summer (both the character and the season) into 2024 in a fun, relevant way for the 21st birthday of the show’s premiere.
The Serving Summer campaign featured three 15-second spots reimagining iconic moments from The O.C. with a tequila twist. Each scene celebrated the carefree vibe of summer, blending nostalgia with 21Seeds’ vibrant brand personality. The campaign’s tone emphasized connection—both to cherished memories and the playful spirit of the season.
To reach its millennial female target audience, 21Seeds developed a robust and diverse asset suite:
Serving Summer became more than a tequila campaign—it was a celebration of connection, nostalgia, and summer vibes. By blending pop culture with modern marketing tactics, 21Seeds authentically resonated with its audience while cementing itself as the drink of the season and beyond.
The campaign is the brand’s highest performing campaign and blew expectations out of the water in terms of audience penetration, liquid-to-lips opportunities, and press and social impressions. ‘Serving Summer’ achieved its goals of getting 21Seeds in front of a target millennial female audience during the summer months.
