SONIC has reigned as the undisputed category leader in cold, creative beverages long before “drink culture” went viral. With hundreds of thousands of menu combinations, SONIC is the destination for customization. (Cherry Limeade with two shots of peach and one shot of raspberry, anyone?)
But for all its beverage SONIC wasn't winning in the fastest-growing segment, leaving a caffeine deficit in its otherwise-extensive menu.
In fall 2025, the brand decided to join the fray. But how does a late entrant break into a saturated market?
The predictable move: a pumpkin-spiced concoction.
Each autumn, the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) monopolizes the cultural zeitgeist. From breakfast cereals to flavored SPAM and even scented garbage bags, pumpkin spice suffocates seasonal conversation. In fact, many see the day Starbucks starts selling its PSL as autumn’s true beginning (even when it’s still 80 degrees outside).
SONIC saw this monoculture not as a blueprint, but as a target.
We decided to disrupt the gourd’s dominance. To launch SONIC’s first major cold-coffee offering, we didn’t just introduce a new flavor; we declared a flavor insurgency.
The objectives:
To penetrate a saturated market, we conducted a deep-dive analysis into coffee consumption habits and the cultural sentiment surrounding seasonal tentpole moments.
Our research revealed three critical pillars:
So we didn’t launch Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee as a drink. We launched it as a relief effort.
We positioned our program not as a product ad, but as an act of empathy for the poor, over-exploited pumpkin. Our vehicle was a mock public service announcement (PSA), delivered by comedic powerhouses Alexandra Madison and Jon Bouffard. Known for high-production satire, the duo served as our PSA anchors, pleading with the public to “Save the Pumpkins” by choosing a Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee instead.
The pair also enjoyed a strong following on Instagram, which we identified as the front line of the pumpkin resistance.
With dramatic slow-motion shots and nostalgic early-2000s PSA music, the pair delivered a heartfelt plea to spare pumpkins from the horror of seasonal overload:
“Every fall, innocent pumpkins are just kidnapped from their homes!" Madison declared while carrying a bright orange gourd. "Carved up, gutted and turned into random things. Candles, pumpkin-flavored coffees, shampoo ... Enough is enough!”
While the video was in production, we launched a strategic earned media surround sound plan. We began embargoed outreach to bring media in on the joke early, letting them taste the new drink and taping interviews to be ready the moment we triggered the launch. On launch day, stories dropped alongside a press release optimized to intercept the PSL’s AI search results. We further solidified the campaign’s purpose with a $15,000 donation to Agricity’s “Pumpkins for the People” program, which rescues edible pumpkins and supports composting to keep jack-o-lanterns out of landfills.
How effectively did SONIC disrupt the billion-dollar pumpkin-spice party?
“Good Morning America”’s Sam Champion said it best: “For those who are not pumpkin spice lovers, SONIC may be your home.” Competitors often pay a premium for this level of morning-show integration; SONIC earned it.
By treating the launch as a “flavor insurgency,” SONIC’s Salted Caramel Toffee Iced Coffee didn't just join the conversation – it ambushed it, achieving a double-digit percentage of all “pumpkin spice” mentions online – a staggering feat for a brand previously absent from the category.
The campaign earned 5.7 billion impressions across outlets like People, Axios, Parade, Woman’s World and E!. Food & Wine declared it the “biggest pumpkin-spice challenger yet.” Allrecipes warned, “SONIC is coming for Starbucks.”
Most importantly, SONIC outperformed long-established incumbents, capturing a higher earned share of launch-week voice than coffee competitors like Caribou and Dutch Bros.
The PSA ignited Instagram. Within just six hours – and with zero paid boosting – the PSA netted 15,000 likes and 629 shares. By the end of day one, it surged to 24,000 likes. The social sentiment proved we didn't just reach an audience; we converted them:
"That’s it. I’m stopping at SONIC on the way to the pumpkin patch."
In a week, a sharp insight became a mic-drop marketing moment, giving pumpkins a break and proving that SONIC belonged in the coffee category.
