Michael Bubl Touts New Bubly Deal With SodaStream, Still Insists Its Named After Him – Adweek

Michael Bubl,pop superstar and secret vandal, often carries a magic marker when he goes grocery shoppingthe better to alter cans of Bubly, replacing the y on the end with an e so the product becomes his namesake.

The Canadian singer confessed his cheeky (and victimless) crimes during the announcement Tuesday of a deal between Bubly and SodaStream, with six Bubly-branded flavors now available to spike the gadgets sparkling water.

I have a mask on to be Covid-safe, he said during an afternoon virtual press gathering. So maybe no one knows its me. But Ill write on Bubly cans in stores.

Call it life imitating art.

Bubl, who started playfully defacing Bubly packages in a 2019 Super Bowl ad, stars in a 30-second spot for the Bubly x SodaStream partnership, which extends the years-long joke into 2021.

I thought it would be one cool, great Super Bowl ad. I had no idea that three years later, Id still be doing it.

Michael Bubl

Bubl, according to the new work, still cant separate his name from the Bubly line. In introducing the new flavor drops, Bubl repeatedly mispronounces Bublybooh-blay instead of bubbly-as an exasperated director calls cut.

In a chat with Adweek, Bubl said that poking fun at his unique surname has always been part of the marketing since early in his career. He was so in love with the initial Bubly ad concept from Goodby Silverstein & Partners that hes happy to continue playing along.

I thought it would be one cool, great Super Bowl ad, he said. I had no idea that three years later, Id still be doing it. Its been so much fun, and its all done with self-deprecating humor.

The new commercial, which launches Wednesday, touts the first co-branded North American project between SodaStream and Bubly, siblings in the PepsiCo family. Bryan Welsh, general manager of SodaStreams U.S. division, said he thinks the collaboration will give existing customers a chance to experiment and have fun and attract potential new buyers.

If someones been on the fence about buying into the platform, it gives them a reason to try it, he said. We think itll build the business.

SodaStream has an existing line of fruit drops, but Welsh said the Bubly product will provide a wider variety for consumers who want to personalize their drinks. Bubly Drops are rolling out at a mix of traditional retail (Target) and ecommerce platforms (Amazon).

The good-for-you water industry is booming, he said, with an 84% year-over-year growth in sparkling water makers and a 21% jump in beverages on the market, accelerated by demand from health-conscious consumers during quarantine.

Having some points of differentiation, like customizable flavors, is key. (A six-pack of Bubly Drops include mango, grapefruit and lime, with no calories, sweeteners or artificial flavors). At-home consumption has never been higher, he said, and people are looking to have a little fun with their everyday products.

Sustainability is even more top of mind with consumers, he said, with SodaStream use replacing 8 billion plastic bottles in 2020. The Israeli company, acquired by PepsiCo in 2018, often leans into its eco-friendly message and made it the centerpiece of its Super Bowl 2020 ad starring beloved scientist Bill Nye and astronaut Alyssa Carson. Despite the popularity of that spot, dubbed Water on Mars, execs say the brand wont return to the Big Game this year.

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Michael Bubl Touts New Bubly Deal With SodaStream, Still Insists Its Named After Him - Adweek