Our Sales Leads column discusses the latest brand and media agency initiatives. View past columns in the archives here.
Soft Drink Market: Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, …
Important news in the U.S. soft drink market, which is expected to have a sales volume of US$225.4 billion in 2025 (Statista). Coca-Cola has announced that it will be introducing a cane sugar version of its leading soda product to the U.S. market this fall, confirming President Donald Trump’s pre-emptive announcement made days earlier. The new offering from Coca-Cola will be available in the U.S. alongside the iconic version, which uses high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener and will remain unchanged. (Diet and Coke Zero products use aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.) Coca-Cola produced in Mexico contains cane sugar. According to Time, the U.S. began importing the Mexican version of the beverage in 2005, and some prefer it over the domestic product in the U.S., Time reports.
The U.S. soft drink market is expected to have a sales volume of US$225.4 billion in 2025.
McDonald’s, on the other hand, will test a range of iced beverages, primarily in Wisconsin and Colorado, as it seeks to capitalize on Gen Z’s preference for quick refreshment over a burger and fries, according to The Wall Street Journal. The line of iced coffees, refreshers, and “dirty sodas” enhanced with fruits and syrups arrives as rivals such as Taco Bell and Wendy’s exploit the growing premium-drink market. McDonald’s estimates beverages could be a US $100 billion sector.
…Soft Drink Market: Poppi’s New Agency
Poppi has added independent agency MIRIMAR to its creative roster and is eyeing a return to the Super Bowl, Adage reports. The move signals a new marketing phase for the high-flying prebiotic soda brand under new owner PepsiCo.
According to Euromonitor International data, the U.S. market for digestive health drinks, also called prebiotic soft drinks, grew from US $197 million in 2020 to US $440 million in 2024 and is expected to grow to US $3.5 billion by 2032.
Check out the below in-depth Portada articles about soft-drink marketing:
Pepsi Bets On U.S. Multicultural Business for Growth
Pepsi Buys Poppi: 6 Marketing Implications
Coca-Cola Campaign: Inside “For Everyone/Para Todos” Campaign
Energy Drink Marketing: PepsiCo’s Faby Torres on How the CPG Giant Does It (portada-online.com)
Hamburger chain White Castle has selected Austin-based advertising agency GSD&M , a subsidiary of Omnicom Group, as its creative and media Agency of Record, following a review, Mediapost reports. The 104-year-old family-owned business is renowned for creating The Original Slider. With 340 restaurants in 14 states and a national presence in its CPG retail business, the iconic brand has gained pop culture resonance in art, fashion, music, and film, particularly through its epic role in “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” “GSD&M illustrated real-world understanding about our culture and what makes White Castle so one of a kind,” said Lynn Blashford, Chief Marketing Officer, White Castle. “Significantly, they shared a glimpse of a future state for the brand we can build together. They earned our trust with their strategic vision, creativity, and passion for our work, and that’s exactly the type of partner we crave.” GSD&M will handle creative, strategy, media, experiential, and social. The agency’s first work for White Castle is set for early 2026.
The financial services firmJefferies boosted its price target for Constellation Brands, Inc. on July 7, upgrading the company from Hold to Buy. As pressure on the company’s primary Hispanic consumer base in the United States appears to be stabilizing, analysts believe the company’s valuation appears too low.
Even in the absence of an immediate improvement in consumer sentiment, Jefferies anticipates that revenue and profit growth will accelerate in the second half of the fiscal year as year-over-year comparisons become less significant and margins improve. The firm stated that, if the financial strains on lower-income drinkers ease, a more widespread recovery should ensue. Constellation Brands, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of beer, wine, and spirits, best known for its portfolio of premium imported beer brands including Corona Extra, Modelo Especial, and the Modelo Cheladas line.
Pressure on the company’s primary Hispanic consumer base in the United States appears to be stabilizing.
CHECK OUT: Constellation Brands’ Rene Ramos On How to Deal with Soccer Audiences’ Fragmented Nature
MANSCAPED®, the global men’s grooming company and lifestyle consumer brand, is encouraging men to raise their cameras and think twice before hitting send with its newest campaign, “Send Face Pics Instead™.” As the company continues to expand its product line beyond the groin, it’s helping men do the same – equipping them with the tools to mancare their everywhere™ and the confidence to love the results. In the past, guys felt more comfortable taking a “down there” pic than showing their faces. The message now? With the right tools, men can confidently Send Face Pics Instead.
“We’ve spent years providing men with tools for their privates. Now we’ve got something for their publics, too,” said Marcelo Kertész, Chief Marketing Officer at MANSCAPED. “By putting the spotlight on faces, we’re giving guys not only the tools – but the permission – to love how they look, and to send the kind of pics that actually get a response.”The 360 campaign kicks off with a cheeky hero spot, developed in partnership with creative agency Special U.S., that takes a playful jab at modern digital habits. It opens with the familiar dings and pings of late-night texts as women react with shock…and maybe a little delight at the unexpected images lighting up their phones. But these aren’t those kinds of pics. Instead of an insert eggplant emoji, they’re seeing… a face?Featuring MANSCAPED’s newest face shaving tools, the ad flips expectations with humor and heart. The commercial is now live on MANSCAPED’s YouTube channel and social media platforms, and is running across national broadcast and streaming outlets, including Paramount+, Hulu, and Peacock.To put its money where its mouth is, or in this case, its face, MANSCAPED commissioned a study with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) and the O.R.G.A.S.M Research Lab (O-Lab) to explore gender differences in digital flirting preferences. They key takeaway? Confidence looks best above the waist. Among the findings was a telling stat:
“Men are nine times more likely to get a response when they send a picture of their face versus any other body part.”
Bringing the campaign to life, MANSCAPED is rolling out bi-coastal OOH installations in Austin, Brooklyn, Chicago, and San Francisco. The brand will also show up loud and proud in unexpected places – from dating app takeovers and trendy creator-led content to influencer activations and engaging social posts.With “Send Face Pics Instead,” MANSCAPED continues to evolve the conversation around men’s grooming, encouraging guys everywhere to communicate with confidence – and maybe send a picture people actually look forward to receiving.
In honor of Volvo Cars’ 70th anniversary in the United States, the Swedish automaker is launching “Our Volvo Story” — a campaign that pays tribute to the employees, retailers, technicians, and loyal customers who have defined the brand’s legacy in America. Seven decades ago, the first Volvo, a PV444, was unloaded at a port in Long Beach, California. With today’s electrified lineup, Volvo Cars continues to be driven by its commitment to people-first design, technological innovation, and a safer, more sustainable future. The “Our Volvo Story” microsite features stories from long-standing retailers who have passed the family businesses down through generations, technicians who’ve worked on every model through the seven decades, and employees who work alongside family members and entrust Volvo Cars with their own most precious cargo, Together, these individuals have shaped a story rooted in people, safety, and innovation. Their loyalty, often spanning decades, has helped to build a community united by shared values and lasting connections. Long-form versions of these stories and others will premiere over the coming weeks, leading up to the 70th anniversary this September.“Everyone has a Volvo story and this is about honoring the people who have been a part of our journey, from families who have passed down their Volvo through generations, to the employees and retailers who have helped shape the brand,” said Luis Rezende, President, Volvo Car Americas. Volvo Cars is inviting the public to become part of the next chapter through the My Volvo EX90 Story Sweepstakes. From July 22 to September 8, 2025, participants can enter for a chance to win a brand-new luxury Volvo EX90 — the company’s flagship fully electric SUV — and start a Volvo story of their own.
Find out about Portada Live events planned for 2025. Portada Live events are highly curated events. Their agenda is designed to maximize knowledge-sharing and networking between top brand marketing, media agencies, and media executives. To learn about thought leadership and networking solutions at Portada Live and Portada digital media offerings, please get in touch with Sales Director Irma Gutierrez at [email protected]
American Standard, a brand by global housing and water technology leader LIXIL, will air its first TV campaign for shower remodels this summer through a new partnership with All-Inclusive TV agency Marketing Architects. The campaign will launch across linear, Connected TV and OTT. While LIXIL brings deep TV experience through past campaigns for walk-in tubs, this marks a first for its shower remodel business. The team developed an all-new campaign from the ground up, building on American Standard’s trusted reputation and direct-to-consumer approach.
To bring the story to life, creative was shot on location at the LIXIL training facility, where multiple shower environments were built and filmed in a single day. The spot features a range of American Standard’s Home Services shower products and emphasizes the company’s commitment to quality from consultation to installation. Unlike many remodel solutions, American Standard handles the full process in-house and backs installation with a lifetime warranty. “This is a meaningful expansion for us,” says Eric Kozak, Performance Marketing Leader at LIXIL. “We’ve built strong brand trust through our walk-in tub business, and we’re bringing that same reliability, product range and support to a broader audience through TV.”
Ralph Lauren announced the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection, a new limited-edition collection and campaign telling the story of the Oak Bluffs community in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. A coastal haven for Black communities for more than a century, Continuing the brand’s stories of the summer following its Ralph’s Hamptons campaign, the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection blends classic coastal leisurewear – featuring details that nod to the unique heritage of Oak Bluffs – with off-campus collegiate style through the lens of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges. Conceptualized and designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni at Ralph Lauren, the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection speaks to the on-island styles of longtime residents and vacationers alike, who mix collegiate ballcaps and salt-weathered crewnecks in their summer wardrobe of swimwear and sandals. The stories of Oak Bluffs come to life in a campaign set against historic backdrops directed in partnership with author, director, and producer Cole Brown, who brings decades of memories from summers spent on Martha’s Vineyard to this project. Campaign imagery was photographed by Nadine Ijewere, with video footage shot by Azariah Bjørvig, both of whom returned after capturing the award-winning Polo Ralph Lauren Exclusively for Morehouse and Spelman Colleges campaign in 2022. This campaign is anchored in a short documentary blending scenic campaign footage with rare archival imagery and featuring stories of life on-island from seasonal visitors; year-round residents; multi-generational homeowners; local business owners; community historians; faculty, students and alumni from Morehouse and Spelman; and more.
The full-length documentary, “A Portrait of the American Dream: Oak Bluffs,” premiered on YouTube on July 24, 2025, followed by a special screening and panel discussion on the power of narrative change in racial healing at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival on August 8, 2025. The screening is presented in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which is guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive. The Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection became available to consumers globally on July 24, 2025, on RalphLauren.com, on the Ralph Lauren App, in Morehouse College and Spelman College Follett campus bookstores and in select Ralph Lauren stores while quantities last. Ralph Lauren is proud to partner with The Cottagers, Inc., a nonprofit organization comprised of 100 Black female homeowners on Martha’s Vineyard, to support its historic building restoration, cultural preservation and other community resilience efforts on the island. The Company worked closely with members of The Cottagers, The Martha’s Vineyard African American Heritage Trail, The Martha’s Vineyard Museum, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and advisors at Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, among others, to source archival footage and historical knowledge – essential elements in telling the story of Oak Bluffs. In line with these efforts, Ralph Lauren is also pleased to continue its longstanding partnership with United Negro College Fund to support scholarships for students at HBCUs and ensure the Company fosters opportunities for recruitment and early talent development with them.
