In a world full of Grimace Shakes, Pink Drinks and overhyped launches, even the boldest beverages need something extra to break through.
So SONIC set out to reaffirm its place as a leader in sippable creativity with the launch of the Unicorn Dreams Slush. The goal wasn’t just to boost Slush sales, but to spark a cultural moment reaching far beyond the drive-in. To do that, the brand leaned into what Gen Z and Millennials value most: novelty, nostalgia, lore, tangibility and shareability. These audiences don’t just want to try a product – they want to feel part of something and share the moment.
And while not everyone might be thinking about SONIC, one thing’s clear: Everyone loves unicorns.
That insight led us to create the Unicorniverse – a pastel-hued world of magical objects and playful lore. We knew we couldn’t just launch a drink; we had to build something so unique people just had to rush to SONIC to be part of it (and forget about those other pink drinks along the way).
A survey of 500 QSR lovers across Gen Z, Millennials and parents of tweens revealed that novelty, nostalgia and creativity are key drivers of drink interest. Over half (55%) consider limited time offer (LTO) drinks a “guilty pleasure,” and 45% say they buy them if they’re “intriguing” or “nostalgic.” It also showed 61% of tweens are drawn to LTOs with “wild” flavor combinations. When paired with lore and tangible elements, these offerings help create stronger emotional connections with brands.
The research also confirmed what culture already suggests – fantasy and sci-fi are no longer niche. In fact, 42% of Gen Z named fantasy as their favorite type of content. Unicorns, of course, fit perfectly in that mold. So our strategy was simple: Create the Unicorniverse, a magical world designed to spark curiosity and invite everyone to be part of the lore.
We brought the Unicorniverse to life in ways that made it feel real. Through Reddit and Instagram, we seeded unicorn “sightings” – blurry horned creatures outside SONICs and glimpses of a pastel dreamscape – letting fans feel like they were uncovering something magical. And we gave them a way to have their very own piece of that world: the Legendary Wish-Awakening Unicorn Horn Straw.
We knew this couldn’t be ordinary brand merch. It had to feel like a true artifact of the Unicorniverse – something with story and soul. Because so many unicorn-related names were trademarked (proof of the popularity!), we had to invent one ourselves. The result: a name as magical and mysterious as the world it came from.
Unique, unforgettable and made to be shared, each boba-compatible, color-changing straw was designed to match the shape and scale of a real unicorn horn (according to “experts,” of course). It wasn’t just an accessory or swag for swag’s sake – it was a portal to the story.
We launched the Unicorn Dreams Slush with a cinematic origin video that introduced the backstory of the Unicorn Horn Straw with pastel visuals and surreal elements that set the scene and tone of the Unicorniverse. Finally, to get the product into fans’ hands, we sent glitter-filled, unicorn-engraved locked wooden chests with all four collectible straws, key campaign details and a short fairytale-style note welcoming recipients into the Unicorniverse. From digital discovery to real-life collectibles, we turned one Slush into a story everyone wanted to be part of – and that people couldn’t escape on their For You Pages.
Once the straws were in the wild, influencers received our wooden boxes and kept the momentum going. Cheeky in-character DMs from SONIC teased the delivery of all four collectible straws. Recipients – including a Real Housewife of Salt Lake City, fantasy BookTokers, lifestyle creators and parent influencers – shared unboxings across TikTok, Reels and YouTube, spreading the unicorn mystique far and wide and igniting excitement across a range of communities. The boxes were so enchanting that SONIC even started getting customer emails asking where they could buy the “unicorn boxes” they’d seen online.
“GO RUN YOU NEED TO TRY THIS RIGHT NOW!”
“As sippable as it is Instagrammable.”
We stopped the scroll and shareability spiked.
With minimal paid media, PR was the campaign’s core reach driver: More than 180 earned and social placements generated over 4.5 billion impressions across entertainment, lifestyle, fantasy and gaming outlets, including Game Rant. Nerdist and Men’s Journal called out SONIC as Starbucks' newest competitor, while food-focused outlets like PureWow, Food & Wine and Delish showcased the Slush and straw in glowing editorial stories.
But this wasn’t just a media moment. It was a fan-fueled frenzy. Unpaid influencers nationwide posted organic unboxings urging fans to try the Slush. TikTok creators built storylines around the straw. And fans flooded social feeds with Unicorn Dreams content. Everyone wanted in. There was even an online resale market for the straws, as popular FoodTokers dubbed the drink “viral.”
The surprise-and-delight effect extended to SONIC brand leadership: The campaign tripled sales projections as both the drink and the straws sold out a month early – one million straws in just four weeks. The Unicorn Dreams Slush became the best-selling limited-time Slush of 2025.
The buzz sparked broader business results, too, including incremental food sales. And, guests began customizing other drinks with Blue Raspberry-flavored boba add-ons (a new drink add-on for the Slush launch) showing clear behavior shifts tied to campaign excitement.
The Unicorn Dreams Slush and Legendary Wish-Awakening Unicorn Horn Straw didn’t just drive conversation – it became a full pop culture moment.
