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Ad Age Marketer's Brief
Inside SkyPop's playbook for marketing protein soda to everyday consumers
00:21:41
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A
This episode is sponsored by Adobe Discover what's next in marketing, creativity and AI at Adobe Summit. Returning to Las Vegas April 20th through the 22nd, explore the latest AgentIQ AI innovations, connect with global leaders and choose from more than 200 expert led sessions and hands on labs. You can even become an Adobe Certified Professional with free on site exams. Use code adage for $200 off your full conference pass at adobe.com.
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B
With protein showing up in about everything we eat right now, from snacks to cereal to coffee, it was only a matter of time before it showed up in a soda. How a startup brand establishes itself and a category at once is what we'll be discussing today with Dave Cohen, Chief Marketing Officer of Sky Pop Protein Soda on the Marketer's Brief, our weekly discussion of marketing news and trends that have the industry buzzing. Sky Pop, which has backing from Keurig Dr. Pepper, is already on shelves at stores like Walmart, Target and Kroger. But marketing the product is tricky. Selling protein without looking like sports nutrition, emphasizing function without compromising taste, and educating consumers without overcomplicating the message. I'm John Springer, Senior Reporter at Ad Age and this is the Marketer's Brief Podcast. Dave Cohen, welcome to the Marketer's Brief Podcast.
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C
Thanks for having me John. Appreciate it.
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B
Well, thanks for being here. You are the CMO of Skypop and why don't you tell us a little bit about sort of how you got here.
- [01:48]
C
Yeah, so as you mentioned, yeah, the CMO Skypop Protein Soda. We are backed by Keurig, Dr. Pepper, Madison Square Garden, Elle Catterton and Ellie Libations, which is the beverage incubator behind brands like Body Armor and Core Water and zco. Our brand was originally Don't Quit. We evolved it into Skypop pretty recently, which I'm really excited to talk about today. But prior to working here at SkyPop, I was running marketing at El Catterton's portfolio company X2 Performance, which was a energy drink company. My business partner Mark French led a merger into Don't Quit, which is kind of how we got to Skypop from here. But you know, prior to that I spent the last 15 years really working in the startup space across CPG sports media technology. You know Mark, our CEO has brought me into a lot of these companies to oversee marketing kind of early stage growth phase. One of those notable companies was Mission, which was an athlete engineered sports accessory brand. We had a major focus on cooling products like our instant cooling towels which really took off and so I led marketing athlete partnerships for Mission Worked with a variety of high profile athletes. So Serena Williams, Dwyane Wade, Drew Brees. And we exited that business successfully prior to that, spent about 12 years or so in the sports entertainment marketing space. So, you know, working at brands like CAA Sports, aeg, NBC, Madison Square Garden, really kind of cut my teeth in those areas and decided at one point in working with Mark that, you know, wanting to work in startups and the roller coaster that is startups was something, something that really got me excited.
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B
Yeah. And I guess, I mean, I meet a lot of people, beverage people in particular, who are sort of serial entrepreneurs. They've been through any number of iterations with these things and that's really the story, as I can piece it together, of SkyPop. You mentioned the rebrand. It was originally known as Don't Quit. And I wonder if you can kind of talk about doing that rebrand to SkyPop. First of all, why did you do it? And two, what did it sort of unlock for you from a marketing standpoint? Yeah.
- [03:48]
C
So as I mentioned, when we did the merger with X2, we kind of inherited this brand, Don't Quit, and it was really a sports nutrition brand. And so we had a lot of success with our protein shakes. And based on that success, and we were stealing some share from some of the big players like Cor Power and Muscle Milk. But we were looking at the marketplace and we saw this tremendous growth in modern soda. So brands like Olipop and Poppy were really kind of exploding huge valuations and exits. And we sort of started looking at what could we do in that category. Taking two really big trends, right? Modern soda. And the other is just this crazy obsession in a very good way with protein. Protein is everywhere. Expo west is happening this week and one of the big topics it was last year and it will be again this year, is just how do you get protein into as many different items as you possibly can. And so we were the first to market introducing protein soda to the marketplace at the Beverage Forum event last summer. We launched it nationally with Albertsons. We also launched it with, with Walmart across a variety of different markets. And we saw we had really good success with it. And what was interesting about this success was a lot of female consumers were gravitating towards it. And we saw that a variety of reasons, them wanting to get more protein, a lot of females thinking, you know, protein shakes are great, but they don't always love to drink a heavy shake. What are other ways they can get it? And so based on the success that we had other Retailers started noticing it and wanting to look at bringing us into their portfolio. And so when we started having those conversations about expansion, that's when Mark and I really went to our board and said, look, we've got a moment in time here where we can launch protein soda in a big way to a very broad consumer target. But if we're going to do it, and this is based on feedback from retailers and really kind of our own thought process, we need to do it in a way that the brand resonates with all consumers. And that's when we sort of went to work on creating a new name, Don't Quit. We love the name, but it's really more sports nutrition, a little more male focused. We went to work on creating a new name that we think would be more broadly appealing to all consumers and really leaning into that female customer, which is what we did, and came up with the name Sky Pop, which we really love. We did all the packaging, redid our formula as well. So we took don't quit was at 15 grams. We brought it down to 10 grams, which we felt like was really the sweet spot to have great taste but also bring functionality to this category.
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B
Yeah, yeah. I was going to ask, I mean, does it do any sort of compromises to a soda flavor to have protein involved? I don't know how that works with the liquid.
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C
It is a tricky process and we work with a great manufacturer who has the ability to do this. But long story short, when you bring in protein and there's other products that are doing this with a lot more protein than we are, you really have to ramp up the sweetness to kind of mask the protein to deliver a good flavor to the consumer. But as you go lower, you can lower the sweetness and really balance it out and make it drink more like a traditional soda, which is where we were positioned. Right. We're soda first. We're a soda that has protein versus a protein drink that's carbonated, if you will. And so that's how we're marketing this to our consumers. The addressable market is much larger that way. And from a marketing perspective, I can tell the story to just a really big audience across a variety of different interest sets.
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B
Yeah. So who, I mean, you mentioned that you've got a broader customer base than you would have that were a, you know, a sports focused or male focused drink. What are they putting down to pick up a Sky Pop?
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C
Yeah, it's really anyone who drinks soda. Right. So I think someone who wants a better for you soda is someone that is going to be looking at our product. That might be someone who's already drinking some of the better for you sodas that are out in the marketplace might be someone who's drinking a protein shake because they're looking for ways to get more protein, dissatisfied with that process. But we've got people who are, you know, into Fitness, busy professionals, GLP1 users. The GLP1 category of consumers, which I'm sure you're following, is just massive. It's doubled in the last year or so and it's only going to continue to grow just based on the affordability of those drugs and also the access to it across delivery systems, whether it's shots versus now pill delivery systems. And so we think that's going to be a huge thing. People who are on GLP1s need more protein in their diets because their appetites are suppressed and bone density, muscle mass, all that is suffering. It's one of the byproducts of those drugs. So protein is really important. Every doctor who puts someone on GLP1 is telling that patient, you need more protein in their diet. So we're going to lean into that. And I mentioned earlier, you know, females as well, they've historically under consumed protein, so that's going to be a big focus for us on the customer side.
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B
I was going to ask if there was something, you know, going on with the consumer that would make them especially receptive to your offer. And you mentioned GLP1. You mentioned women traditionally being under proteined. Anything else that's happening out there that you notice?
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C
No, I think, I think those are the big things. I think people want to things that taste good but also provide function. I think they want more out of their soda, if you will. And so I think people drink soda. We always talk about this idea of like a permissible treat, right? Something you might have at 3 o' clock in the afternoon when you want something that maybe is a little bit sweeter to kind of power you through the rest of your afternoon. I think people are demanding more of those drinks. Right. Drinking a soda that doesn't really deliver any benefits for a certain price. If you can get something that's similarly priced but also delivers 10 grams of protein, so you're hitting some macro goals and getting some function and some sustenance out of that, we think is where the consumer is headed.
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B
Okay. Functionality is one of the major trends across food and Bev, I guess. How do you find? Why does your message resonate now or why should your message resonate now?
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C
I think the Average consumer, I think they're just more wellness focused in general. I think protein is kind of the X factor here. So I think capitalizing on those two trends, which is protein wellness better for you, people are drinking a lot less alcohol than they used to. Right. And they're more fitness focused. So they're looking for ways to be healthier. And so how do we provide that to the consumer right now?
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B
Gotcha. How about Keurig, Dr. Pepper getting involved? How did they get involved in the brand? And are you learning anything from the association with that group yet?
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C
Yeah. So KDP has been an amazing partner. They've been involved in our business since the beginning. I mentioned Don't Quit earlier. They were the first investor into the Don't Quit business. They have a board seat in our business and they're the largest shareholder. And so they've been great strategic partners around strategy, around fundraising, but also thinking through innovation. As I know if you follow what KDP is doing, they're all about bringing innovation to their consumers across all their categories. And they've been really helpful in kind of pushing us to think about innovation, how to be different, how to meet the consumer where they are. And you know me selfishly on the marketing side, having access to be able to bounce ideas off of strategic marketers within their organization is always helpful.
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B
We're talking with Dave Cohen, CMO of SkyPop protein Soda. We'll be back in a moment. We'll talk about marketing tactics and strategies. Don't go away.
- [11:09]
A
This episode is sponsored by Adobe. Discover what's next in marketing, creativity and AI at Adobe Summit. Returning to Las Vegas April 20th through the 22nd, explore the latest AgentIQ AI innovations. Connect with global leaders and choose from more than 200 expert led sessions and hands on labs. You can even become an Adobe Certified Professional with free on site exams. Use code adage for $200 off your full conference pass@adobe.com go adage.
- [11:49]
B
We're back with Dave Cohen of Sky Pop. Dave, you've got a lot of high profile athletes backing the brand. What role are they playing in the brand now?
- [11:58]
C
You know, our athletes are really, really helpful across the board. But I think, you know, the way we've structure our athlete partnerships is really all about them. As investors, you know, we are a lifestyle brand. We're not a sports nutrition brand the way we've sort of been in the past. And so we look at our athletes as thought partners, as capital partners will help us out with some marketing, more, you know, endemic usage and some social support. You Know, Russell Westbrook, recent investor. You know, he's a really smart business person. He was an early investor in Poppy going back a few years. And so he sees a lot of the sort of underpinnings of what Poppy was doing back then in our business. One of the reasons why he wanted to get involved. But he, he also understands that athletes need to be used in the appropriate setting to tell the story authentically versus just doing it in an inorganic way. So that's kind of how we think about it, really. From my perspective, having worked with a lot of athletes over the years, a lot of what I'm leaning into now is around everyday people. I think consumers want to hear from everyday people around how the product fits into their lives organically. It seems that's resonating more than, in a lot of cases, high profile celebrity athletes.
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B
Yeah, I mean, that said, we see athletes on social media, whatever, promoting the drink.
- [13:12]
C
Yeah, you'll see some social support here and there, but it will not be the lead component of our marketing strategy.
- [13:19]
B
Yeah, so let's talk about the lead component of your marketing strategy then. You know, big picture, what do you kind of see as the right path for Skypot?
- [13:28]
C
Well, you know, we really have to start with educating consumers. Right. So a new category that we've brought into the marketplace, which is protein soda. The first piece is education. And then we really need to focus on our retail partners. We've got an unbelievable retail footprint, more retail distribution than any other protein soda in the market here in 2026. And so wanting to hit consumers as close as we can to where they're shopping is really important. We've got a great 360 kind of strategy. We've got a partnership with iHeartMedia. So iHeart is a strategic partner of ours, as I'm sure you know. They've got their largest audio producer in the country. So we utilize their radio inventory, podcast inventory. This is really great for a new brand who wants reach and frequency to kind of educate consumers on the category, but also a new brand. Just a Great stat from iHeart. 75% of consumers say radio is the last thing they hear before they shop. So we think about them as that kind of final mile before they go in and do their shopping. So we're kind of fresh in their minds, so we'll utilize that. TikTok's been a huge, huge component for us. It's where we're finding more and more everyday consumers are discovering new products in a really authentic way. So hearing from everyday people around what they're saying about Sky Pop, the delicious taste and how they're using it and then of course, sampling. Right. We've got to get cans in hands. We've got to get people to try a product that maybe they might be a little skeptical about. Right. Protein soda is a new category and so they have to try it for themselves. We believe we've got the best tasting liquid in the market and when they try it, they're going to want to come back and purchase it.
- [15:05]
B
Yeah. So when you think about the next 12 months, do you see the marketing focus evolving in some way? I know obviously trial and sampling education, these things are very important right now. What do the future look like?
- [15:18]
C
Yeah, I think, you know, we will do a lot of digital sampling initially. So kind of start off with like iHeart. It's like a broad based, you know, very high profile, sort of top of funnel exposure for the brand. We will transition into more doing a lot of digital sampling. We've got some great digital sampling partners that we work with like social nature and aisle and on brand and then sort of evolving more into doing things in real life where we're sampling product at events and leaning to that as well. But I think the 26 to me is how do we support our retail partners? How do we educate consumers? How do we get products, cans in hands? It's sticking to the fundamentals in 2026 is really important for us. Being disciplined about how we spend is going to be very important.
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B
Yeah. How are the products selling? Are they in, you know, this is the packaging wise and is there a. There's a significant single can business or no?
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C
Yeah. So the way we've rolled out in our retail partners for 2026 is all going to be single cans and that's at retail. So places like Target and Walmart and Kroger and Albertsons, you'll be able to find single cans. We do sell case packs on.com so e commerce, so walmart.com, the TikTok shop, target.com, you'll be able to buy case packs of 12, but the majority of the sales this year will be in singles. And so, you know, that's a great opportunity for consumers to try a lot of different flavors. We've got seven different flavors that we're rolling out into the place. We've got traditional kind of legacy soda flavors like root beer and grape and orange and we've also got some amazing more playful flavors like strawberry, cotton candy and ice pop and peaches and cream. So we think there's something for everybody in terms of their gender or age and flavor palette as well.
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B
So, I mean, it sounds a little bit like, you know, the Poppy Olipop progression. Have you learned anything in particular from those brands, just as an observer?
- [17:12]
C
Yeah, you know, Poppy's an interesting one, more specific to kind of what we're going through right now, as I'm sure you and many others know. First of all, they built a new category, right? They built a. They defined a category. So we look to them, I think, with gratitude that they laid the foundation for Better for you soda. But specifically Poppy, you know, they started out as a different brand. The name of the brand was Mother. They were very focused on more of a niche consumer, more kind of the health nut who's interested in. In getting apple cider vinegar as a way to improve gut health. And I think they did an amazing job in sort of listening to their strategic partners and really reflecting back onto themselves and saying, how do we turn this into a brand that can really scale? And they took it from Mother to Poppy and they have done an unbelievable job scaling into this lifestyle brand. Right. That's hugely popular in pop culture. And so, you know, if we can do a portion of that while staying true to our core values, we'll be very happy.
- [18:10]
B
What does the consumer need to learn still in order to fully embrace what you're offering?
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C
I think they need to understand the taste profile we saw with Don't Quit when we launched this last summer that there's some amazing videos of people on TikTok and Instagram trying protein soda for the first time. And this pleasant surprise. Oh, my God, this tastes so much better than I thought. This tastes better than my regular soda. And. And we got virality from a lot of those videos because people were just genuinely excited and pleasantly surprised about how good it tasted. So I think that is the biggest thing that we need to educate, communicate, and allow people to experience for themselves is this is delicious. It adds function. It's something you can drink every day. You can drink more than one can per day. And it's an easy sort of fit into your lifestyle. It's on the go. Protein. Everyone's. So we're busier than we've ever been across the board. I don't care how old you are and what your lifestyle is like. Everyone is just is busy and have short attention span. So how do we give them something that tastes great, that sort of on the go, fits into your sort of anytime schedule protein and improves your. Your wellness on a daily basis?
- [19:20]
B
So what are the things that you need to look out for? In other words, what are the things that could. Could sort of threaten the progress you've made?
- [19:27]
C
Yeah, I think if we fail to deliver on taste, I think that's going to be a challenge. So for us, this is still a soda. So if it doesn't taste good, it doesn't taste as good as what we're replacing, then we're going to have challenges. I think we got to simplify the message. So I think there's other brands that are out there putting a lot of different features into different beverages, and it can get a little confusing at times. We want to be really simple with our promise. We've got great flavor. 10 grams of complete protein. It is a complete whey isolate protein. We don't use collagen to sort of supplement our protein. And so we want consumers to understand that in a very simple, easy way. We think protein is one of the easiest macros to understand versus, you know, gut health can be a little challenging to understand dosages and stuff like that, where protein people kind of understand 5 grams, 10 grams, 15. They understand what that equates to and how that fits into their macros. Great.
- [20:18]
B
You know, if we meet again in a couple of years, what would you like to tell me?
- [20:22]
C
I'd want to tell you that we built the defining brand in the protein soda category, not just a product that caught onto a trend or a moment. We proved you can put protein into a soda with zero sugar and have it win on velocity, which is really the name of the game here. And that retailers took us in and expanded us because we had a great product that consumers really, really wanted, not just a fancy marketing strategy. So that would be my focus, not
- [20:50]
B
just a fancy marketing strategy. That's Dave Cohen, the CMO of Skypop, and I really appreciate you joining us today.
- [20:58]
C
John, thank you so much. Really enjoyed the time here today.
- [21:07]
B
That was Dave Cohen, chief marketing officer of Sky Pop Protein Soda. And I'm John Springer, senior reporter at Ad Age. I'd like to thank our producer, Lauren Ciardio, and remind you that you can subscribe to the Marketer's brief wherever you get your podcasts. That's all we have for this week. We'll see you next time.
- [21:23]
C
Marketers brief listeners get $40 off an AdAge.com subscription. Sharpen your marketing edge and visit AdAge.com brief for your disc.