Absolut Vodka – Tabasco (IMG)
The world’s most famous vodka has teamed up with America’s most iconic hot sauce for a spicy collaboration. Absolut Vodka and Tabasco Brand hot sauce have launched Absolut Tabasco, a chile-flavored vodka made with real aged Tabasco pepper mash and no added sugar. Instead of extreme heat, the product focuses on balanced flavor, delivering Tabasco’s signature spice while remaining approachable for a wide range of drinkers. The launch rolled out across more than 50 global markets and quickly generated international buzz from outlets including Food & Wine, Delish, and Rolling Stone. The partnership debuted through an omni-channel media campaign featuring visuals shot in the volcanic fields of Reykjavík, Iceland. It also included a high-profile influencer event in New York City called “The Hottest Brunch,” hosted at Jean’s. Within its first month, Absolut Tabasco reached 116% of its three-month distribution goal across targeted accounts and is on pace to sell an estimated three million liters worldwide in its first year.
Ladurée – Inspirational Marie Antoinette Macaron Gift Box
To mark the opening of the Marie Antoinette Style exhibition at the V&A, Ladurée collaborated with the museum on a limited‑edition macaron gift box. Paying tribute to the French queen and her influence as a global fashion icon, the box celebrates a selection of assets from the museums’ archives, including brocaded silks and a plate from Journal des Luxus und der Moden—the Dauphine’s favourite magazine. The box appealed to a culturally curious consumer and was strategically distributed in three key markets—the U.K., the U.S., and France—to ensure controlled scarcity while maximising brand visibility. The box was promoted with window displays at Ladurée stores in London and Paris alongside a press event in Covent Garden and a private tour of the exhibition. Press was secured in Vogue, Country Life, and Hello!Fashion alongside Harper’s Bazaar and Cosmopolitan online. Influencer content generated 3.3 million views across all platforms.
Liquid Death – Fruity PEBBLES Cereal Criminal
Fruity Pebbles x Liquid Death “Cereal Criminal” turned the world’s most irreverent water brand into a nostalgic flavor experience—sparkling water that tastes like milk from a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. The pairing was purposefully unexpected: Liquid Death brought cultural edge while Fruity Pebbles delivered iconic flavor and beloved nostalgia. Together they creating a product and conversation that was impossible to ignore. The launch generated more than one billion earned impressions, 2.5 million broadcast impressions across 30 segments, and over nine million social impressions with sample requests from Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, BuzzFeed, Daily Beast, and HuffPost. Coverage spanned Hypebeast, FOODBEAST, Men’s Journal, Trendhunter, and more. It also became the most successful limited-time launch in Amazon grocery history and earned joint display at Wal-Mart. Beyond metrics, this collaboration redefined the licensing playbook, proving that boldly colliding two seemingly opposite brands, anchored in a clear strategic audience objective, can hijack culture and deliver real business results.
Palermo Villa, Inc. – Cheez-It Frozen Pizza (Beanstalk)
Kellanova’s (now MARS’) iconic Cheez-It brand partnered with frozen pizza leader Palermo Villa, Inc. to introduce Cheez-It Frozen Pizza—a bold, unexpected mashup of two fan favorites. Available in three crave-worthy varieties (Italian Four Cheese, Pepperoni, and Cheddar Jack Supreme), each 12-inch pizza features an ultra-thin, irresistibly crispy crust infused with Original Cheez-It flavor and made with 100% real cheese. The result is a standout innovation that has captured the attention of both snack lovers and pizza fans, delivering a delicious new way to enjoy the unmistakable Cheez-It taste. Cheez-It Pizza was also named a delish 2026 Hype List Award Winner. Out of hundreds of contenders, this recognition spotlights offerings that demonstrate strong appeal, cultural relevance, and staying power across categories.
Sidari Artisanal Foods – Guinness Steak Cuts (Beanstalk)
Guinness Steak Cuts reimagines what meat snacking can be, proving that innovation can transform even the most established categories. By breaking away from traditional jerky, the brand delivers a tender, steak-like bite crafted from whole-muscle eye of round steak, slow-cooked and oven-roasted for depth and satisfaction. Anchored by the bold, unmistakable flavor of Guinness, the line brings a level of richness and complexity rarely found in meat snacks, expressed through three inventive flavors—Original, Coffee, and Chocolate. Clean label simplicity and a Guinness 0.0 marinade ensure the product delivers authentic flavor without compromise. Launched in August 2025, Guinness Steak Cuts has quickly captured consumer attention and retail confidence alike. Strong velocity and rapid distribution expansion demonstrated how a powerful brand, paired with true culinary innovation, can drive both inspiration and commercial success.
SnaxSational Brands – Smucker’s & Jif PB&J Popcorn (Brand Central)
SnaxSational Brands launched Smucker’s® & Jif® PB&J Popcorn, one of the first licensed collaborations to bring the trending PB&J flavor profile into the popcorn category. In 2025, PB&J POP reimagined a childhood classic by blending Smucker’s® Grape and Strawberry Jelly and Jif® Peanut Butter flavors over crunchy popcorn, delivering instant recognition and modern snack appeal as nostalgia-driven flavors continue to resonate with younger consumers. The launch achieved distribution across top national retailers including Costco, Publix, Sam’s Club, and leading regional grocers through a mix of permanent and rotating placements. A robust earned media, influencer, and broadcast campaign amplified awareness, generating widespread coverage across food, trade, and consumer outlets and reaching millions of viewers nationwide. By pairing two iconic corporate brands with an innovative snack format, PB&J POP successfully tapped into cultural flavor trends, expanded brand relevance, and set a new benchmark for creative, high impact food licensing at retail.
