Dive Brief:

• PepsiCo’s Starry soda brand Starry partnered with basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo on a new ad that ran during the NBA All-Star 2024 Game on Feb. 17, according to a press release.
• The ad was the second to appear as part of Starry’s new campaign “It’s Time to See Other Sodas” that premiered during Super Bowl LVIII with an ad featuring Ice Spice. The campaign combines elements of music and culture to showcase the brand’s lemon lime flavor and playful positioning.
• A social media element runs all month and includes a Tinder integration, with users able to swipe right on each NBA Game Roadblock or the All-Star Roadblock to enter for a chance to win tickets to an NBA game.

Dive Insight:

Starry’s new ad puts a well-known basketball player front-and-center while further fleshing out the soda’s positioning as part of the ongoing “It’s Time to See Other Sodas” campaign. The spot with Antetokounmpo also featured Starry mascots Lem and Lime during a press conference where they interacted with the basketball star. Starry has made basketball a centerpiece of its marketing strategy since the brand’s inception in early 2023.

Starry is looking to capitalize on the hype of the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game with its new campaign featuring a wide array of talent, including Antetokounmpo. The “It’s Time to See Other Sodas” effort encompasses a variety of TV, social and on-site activations. 

Starry, still a relative newcomer, is targeted to reach Gen Z soda drinkers and continues to try to shore up market share and compete in the lemon lime category, which includes Coca-Cola’s Sprite. 

The brand has several activations around the NBA All-Star Game, including a social media giveaway to Antetokounmpo’s home country of Greece. Additionally, Starry sponsored a three-point contest. Lem and Lime also hosted their own version of the contest on a LED court.