It would be impossible to count the number of silly re-enactments that exist of certain iconic scenes—you know the ones—from beloved flicks Titanic, Ghost, Say Anything and Love Actually.
But there’s a new entry in this satirical running gag, which has been popular for years in advertising, and it’s even goofier than most, intentionally so. Meet the soulmates who have finally found each other: Super Coffee and Poo-Pourri.
In a cheeky 60-second hero ad—starring passionate, anthropomorphized versions of each brand—the partners are announcing “the world’s most obvious, overdue and meant-to-be gift for the holiday season.”
That product—or love child, if you will—is the Super Coffee Vanilla Latte x Poo-Pourri Vanilloo Latte Kit, borne of a marriage that has been more than a decade in the making as the toilet spray champ has “dreamed of finding the perfect coffee partner for a collaboration that gets the world going,” Suzy Batiz, Poo-Pourri’s CEO and founder, told Adweek.
“I even formulated a coffee scent years ago waiting for this moment,” Batiz said. She added that Super Coffee is the perfect match because of its “good-for-you ingredients, just like the natural essential oil formula of Poo-Pourri, and [as] a brand that’s bold enough to go there—after all, it’s only natural.”
Super Coffee, a fast-growing challenger brand in the ready-to-drink coffee category, has tapped into stunt marketing before. It ran full-page ads in the Boston Globe and the Seattle Times this fall urging legacy competitors Dunkin’ and Starbucks to “steal” its no-sugar-added recipe.
Better ingredients, better smells
The alliance with Poo-Pourri continues its high-profile tactics as its sales leaped to $56 million in 2020, a 115% jump from the previous year, and are expected to double this year.
“We exist to mass produce positive energy,” Jimmy DeCicco, CEO of Super Coffee, told Adweek. “It starts with better ingredients in your coffee and now it finishes with better smells in your toilet.”
The deal with Poo-Pourri has “had both of our teams laughing from the break room to the bathroom,” he said.
Dallas-based TJ Callaway Audio provided the mix for the spot. TJ Callaway shared, “It’s always fun to work with my friends at Poo-Pourri! They take creative chances and it always pays off in brand awareness for them. Plus, a well placed flatulent sound effect is always funny!”
The limited-edition kit, which contains a 12-ounce Super Coffee Vanilla Latte sweetened with monk fruit and a bottle of vanilla latte-scented Poo-Pourri, goes on sale Tuesday via the microsite themostobviouscollabever.com (consumers can pre-order starting today).
The launch video—created by Poo-Pourri’s in-house team—also brings back fan favorite character Bethany Woodruff, decked out in her signature bright blue dress and prim strand of pearls. She talks about magical pairings like “salt and pepper, the ’90s and rom-coms” and, of course, drinking coffee and “immediately feeling the urge to poop.”
The campaign kicks off just as the connection between the popular caffeinated beverage and bowel movements becomes part of the national conversation. A headline in the New York Times last week asked, “Why does coffee make me poop?”
CREDITS:
Director: Nicole Story
Writer: Nicole Story
Producer: Paul Levatino
Lead Cast: Bethany Woodruff – Poo~Pourri Brand Face, Jordan Hancock Burris- Poo~Pourri Bottle, Justin Locklear – Super Coffee Bottle
Director of Photography: Chad Windham
Gaffer: Joe Banister
Grip: Connor Harben
Audio Field Operator: Mike Sheppard
First Assistant Camera: Gabe “Zippy” Arizpe
Set Styling / Costume Design: Elizabeth Farrell
Editor: Justin Foia
Additional Editing: Nate Hardy
Audio Post: TJ Callaway, MPSE
Associate Producer: Jessica Roberts
Production Assistant: Luke McDonald, Chandler Palladino
Hair and Makeup: Ro Vielma
Music Licensing: Universal Production Music
original content
