Olipop, a popular beverage brand with over $200 million in sales and sold in more than 30,000 retail stores, recently announced the winners of its Dream Job contest. The contest was created to harness the power of Olipop’s superfans and amplify their voices on social media. Contestants were asked to share the Olipop story in key markets across the United States, and the winners were promised a stipend of $10,000 ($5,000 per person) for each city visited, with flights, hotels, and per diem covered by the brand.
The call for applicants was made public, with the only stipulations being that the two-person team must be US residents, at least 18 years old, and have experience in content creation on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Over 2,000 applicants submitted resumes, video samples, and tags on past social media posts that showcased their chemistry as a duo. The selection process was challenging, but ultimately, the brand chose a pair of bi-coastal content creators, Maggie Chang and Tam Hoang, who met through the sustainable fashion community in New York during the pandemic.
Both winners see this opportunity as a chance to connect with others through their shared love for beverages and soda, as well as to create meaningful content. For Hoang, this assignment represents a portfolio-building opportunity and validation for pursuing a non-traditional career path. Chang, coming from an immigrant background, sees this paid role as a form of validation for her capabilities and a viable career path. The winners kicked off their campaign with a tailgate party and baseball game in Washington, D.C., where they met with local content creators and influencers for an Olipop-themed celebration.
The Dream Job campaign is part of Olipop’s broader marketing strategy that focuses on influencer partnerships and social media engagement. With a track record of over two billion views on TikTok product placement videos, the brand uses social media to drive brand awareness and audience engagement. Brand Strategist Grace Clarke commended Olipop for its innovative approach to influencer marketing, creating a flywheel of content generation and audience attraction through the contest. Clarke also noted the success of Olipop’s TikTok announcement and public application process, which resulted in over 5,000 shares and 600 submissions.
Looking ahead, Olipop has more plans for brand growth and expansion, with the Dream Job campaign being just one example of their creative approach to building brand awareness and community engagement. However, influencer marketing experts like Lia Haberman caution other brands considering deploying a similar approach to act quickly before it becomes commonplace. Haberman advises brands to plan their offering carefully to ensure continued interest from the public. The success of the Dream Job campaign underscores the value of engaging with influencers and leveraging consumer insights to create unique marketing opportunities.
