Snapple x Joe Freshgoods

Joe is a Chicagoan streetwear titan. He understood that the word “collab” was getting diluted in his space. Everyone was getting a collaboration as brands tried to latch onto the clout of fashion artists. As for Snapple, we were on the same page – we didn’t want something that felt forced. It was essential for us to not appropriate culture but show appreciation for it. Together, we wanted to create a concept that felt true to the culture.

Brands have been trying to stay relevant by latching onto prominent figures in the streetwear scene for a while now. These “collaborations” tend to have no concept behind them and typically only have the logos next to each other. They are the result of analytics departments saying that the brand has user affinity in this space, so let’s pay these artists to gain some credibility. In the end, the partnerships tend to have the brands dictating too much during the ideation phase, ending up with the artists’ voices getting lost. Joe was explicitly aware of this and wanted to have the right partnership.

We approached Joe with open arms. We asked, “Hey Joe, what do you want to do?” rather than saying, “Joe, you need to do this.”

After telling Joe about Snapple’s history and birthplace in NYC, Joe came back to us with the idea of telling his story about the corner store being his gift shop growing up – a space where Snapple naturally fit.

We then provided him the tools needed to create an authentic partnership. Joe did a taste test and picked a small-batch flavor that NYC never had. And soon after, we brainstormed and helped design what was in the pop-up. With a line around the block, his fans came in looking for the special-edition bottle design, two T-shirts, and a standout yellow trucker cap. We also helped design a special VIP edition of the bottle for Joe’s friends and family.