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A fun nostalgic brand, classic drink combination, and zero sugar are a great start, but for this reincarnation to cut through, there was still a lot of work to be done. Notwithstanding the fact that any latent brand nostalgia was actually for a completely different liquid than what we were selling this time, Sub Zero was returning to a very different world from its heyday in 1994.
We had to build depth and meaning into the brand in a way that truly spoke to our target Gen Z market while staying true to the Sub Zero brand — one historically rooted in the ideal of unpolished enjoyment.
The chief communications challenge became quickly apparent: we had to sell the promise of a ‘good time’ to Gen Z at a time when many feel like they aren’t having one… So we started by actually listening to why.
Dialling into ‘Generation Zero’ through platforms and culture
Our approach to reimagining a way for the brand to resonate was to put social at the centre; not simply as a key distribution channel (which it certainly would become), but as a primary source of audience understanding, strategic insight and ultimately, inspiration for brand development and expression.
To do so, we adopted what we call at VaynerMedia a ‘PAC’ (Platforms and Culture) mindset to examine Gen Z behaviour: Diving into the social platforms where their attention is. Once there, we plug ourselves into culture –– namely, the discourse that flows through those platform pipes.
What we found was that in the face of generational adversity, Gen Z joyously rebels in seemingly ‘small’ yet incredibly profound ways, laughing in the face of the absurd realities caused by the systemic issues they’ve been passed down.
Think of signals like the rejection of the manicured Instagram aesthetic in favour of chaotic and unfiltered photo dumps. It’s Brat. It’s ‘revenge living’. TikToks calling out toxic landlords. ‘Dumb phones’ as a riposte to doomscrolling and insidious tech. The list went on.
Thanks for Zero: Finding our voice by giving a generation theirs
As a brand that sought to stand for good times, to do so became about staring those barriers in the face and enjoying oneself anyway, as opposed to simply trying to gloss over things and pretend it’s all fine.
‘Thanks for Zero’ is a platform that positions Sub Zero as a sugar-free drink that lets Gen Z voice why things aren’t so sweet; a cathartic and refreshing release portrayed as a gleeful middle finger to those that came before them.
Capturing the spirit
When it came to telling this story, the spectre of housing loomed large as a visual metaphor for the inequities they face. So, we threw a bunch of Gen Zers a house party at a mansion that embodied intergenerational wealth and shot it in a kinetic, chaotic handheld style. The end product is a campaign with expressively defiant party energy that’s as socially native as it is a vibe.
Where the film looks to re-establish the spirit of the brand with cans in hand, our OOH and street posters were determined to use the brand as a vehicle for these generational concerns.
To do so, we took cues from the comments section, mining phrases and concerns voiced online and using them as the basis for our campaign messaging. There’s a fine line to tread when entering these conversations as a brand, and this approach helped minimise the risk of cringe or cancellation.
We then took this real-world discourse and put a face to it, effectively turning what could be viewed as a traditional advertising medium into a provocative soapbox. The result, we’d like to think, is a perspective that’s as authentic as it is refreshing from a drinks brand.
The campaign launched on street posters, out-of-home, YouTube and social media from the 14th of October, with the drink itself already available in bottle shops and soon on tap in pubs and clubs nationwide.
If you got this far, then thanks for reading; and thanks for zero.
Yash Murthy is the head of creative and consulting at VaynerMedia Australia, overseeing creative strategy and vision. With over a decade of experience at agencies including Ogilvy, Droga5 and M&C Saatchi, Murthy has also led brand strategy and campaign development at Guzman y Gomez. He focuses on integrating community, creativity, commerce, and context to drive business outcomes in a shifting creative landscape.
