By Sara Jerde * July 21, 2025 *
Nestle Waters’ global CMO used The Sopranos to launch a new sparkling drink in the U.S.
Tiktok, – This f ****n guy
Despite the fact that TikTok is still facing a pending U.S. ban, Gregori says creating content for the short video platform requires “a new muscle,” which the brand hasn’t quite figured. The team is hesitant to do so due to the pending ban, and because the channel requires a certain type of content in order to be successful – “the way TikTok ought to be done,” Gregori stated. Although TikTok has reportedly been working on a standalone app in the U.S. there is still too much uncertainty to make the channel mandatory for Nestle Waters’ content.
Gregori stated that “we are not actively creating this content because of the uncertainty about what the future will be.” The team is instead keeping an eye on the events “to understand whether the race is on” or not.
Have? Fuggedaboutit
Gregori, who is active in more than 100 countries, acknowledged that AI was “critical” for adapting campaigns so they are fast and efficient. Nestle Waters, however, was flexible enough in the storyboarding and filming of material for this campaign to ensure that AI didn’t infiltrate into the creative process. She said that when it came to pure advertising and crafts, they still wanted a lot of a human touch. She noted that former Sopranos actors helped celebrate the Lion award in Cannes. She said, “Those guys were incredibly funny and there was nothing that we could have predicted with the machine [learning] ” because it was a part of their creative processes to be there and play with these characters. “It was their playground.”
How to [you doin’?] introduce a brand to crowded shelves.
In an email, Luis Miguel Miguel, “Launching a product is more difficult than ever.” “Companies face volatile markets, supply-chain headaches, rapidly changing technology, and increasing expectations from consumers, who want brands that stand for something honest and real.”
In a volatile, divided geopolitical environment and as President Trump continues to wage his tariffs war, it’s not easy to stand out.
Gregori said, “We understand that the situation is quite heavy for some parts of the U.S. at the moment.” “This is a light-hearted message, bringing the sun to you. We bring you the Italian air. “A moment of humor.”
Execs saw a competitive advantage by introducing a campaign that was “true to the DNA” of the brand, harnessing celebrity status and nostalgia. The U.S. campaign generated over 1.2 billion earned media impressions across 74 placements, and over 840 million digital impressions, according to the brand.
Nestlé Waters began running the campaign in April across a variety of channels: Amazon Prime to dabble in entertainment and introduce the brand, investments on Meta, and billboards in New York to remind consumers as harvest season ramped up this year. Gregori didn’t share details of the exact spend, but said the brand’s investments matched the production cycle of the product itself.
Retail media spend specifically fluctuates to more than one third of the brand’s overall spend during harvest season, Gregori said, without revealing sales revenue. The beverage has been on shelves in the U.S. since February.
Todd Sommers, president, ad agency O.H. Partners, conceded that the beverage aisle and its new products can be “overwhelming” to consumers — but strategies including brand collaborations, new OOH formats and loyalty programs could help win over customers.
“With the increasing adoption of self-checkout and at-home delivery services, product discovery is even more challenging,” said Sommers. “Brands and retailers need to explore new ways to engage consumers and provide value.”
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