Snapple Spiked is rejoining Ontario’s crowded RTD market with a 360-degree campaign and a new focus on innovation.

The “Be The Tea” platform, a collaboration with Montreal-based creative agency Wedge, marks the return of Snapple Spiked to the province after its 2023 exit, with 5.5% and a new 7% ABV offering. Erika Maddox, senior brand manager at parent company Keurig Dr. Pepper, tells strategy that the RTD category has evolved from a niche segment to a core part of Canada’s alcohol industry as Gen Z and younger millennials look for more flavour-forward beverages.

At launch, Snapple Spiked features three flavours: original with a hint of lemon, strawberry and peach.

“‘Be The Tea’ taps into culture and how Gen Z uses ‘tea’ as a signal of something worth talking about – being authentic, expressive, and culturally relevant,” Maddox says. “For Snapple Spiked, it’s about giving people permission to step into that energy themselves, to show up confidently, express their style, and not hold back.”

The campaign will run across the spring and summer and kicked off last weekend with a Toronto pop-up on Ossington Avenue to give Gen Z guests the opportunity to sample the new drinks and surround themselves in apparel curated by Tell Them It’s Vintage. The launch will be followed up by a series of sampling and sponsorship events across Ontario and B.C., including the RBC Canadian Open, Fierce & Fabulous Expo and Pride Ball, Misty City and Sauble Beach Party.

Keurig Dr. Pepper Canada is amplifying the effort with a mix of high-reach social and video placements and digital OOH to maximize reach during the seasonal rollout. In-store displays and retail programs will drive visibility for the brand at the store level, supported by social content, influencer collabs and giveaways.

Maddox says that the key priorities for the campaign are to drive awareness and trial among both existing Snapple drinkers and new consumers, while expanding the visibility and availability of the Spiked brand across Canada. The 7% ABV variety pack launched first in Western Canada last year and was chosen as the core pillar for the Ontario re-entry because it was the top-performing tea innovation in the market during the summer, according to the company.

Starcom is supporting on media and Mosaic is managing in-store and shopper-marketing assets, while Craft and MWD are leading PR and BonClub is spearheading social.