2025
Client: Lipton Ice Tea
Year: 2025
Agency: Chuck Studios
Project: the ‘Lipting’
“Lipton Ice Tea is about more than just quenching your thirst; it’s about delivering a feel-good lift,” said April Redmond, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Pepsi Lipton. “
With the ‘Lipting,’ we’ve found a playful yet meaningful way for consumers to connect emotionally with the brand, wherever they are in the world.”
Creating a DBA, a Distinctive Brand Asset, is not just about coming up with something cool. It’s a strategic process. It’s the ability to think laterally, to find that little human truth — that small thing — that connects seemingly unrelated elements and opens a door to endless creative possibilities.
Once a brand finds it, they can start a journey of consistency, unleashing ideas around it.Over time, this can become the mark that truly distinguishes them from the competition.
The brief was clear: break down every step of the consumption moment, capturing every emotion, every little detail that could spark fireworks in the reptilian brain.
The thrill of seeing the product covered in refreshing condensation, the satisfying crack of the opening that builds anticipation, bringing that cold Lipton Ice Tea closer to your lips, the first gulp that feels like a blessing in the middle of a desert — and finally, the uplifting moment that only Lipton Ice Tea can deliver.
That last one, the “uplifting” feeling, was the final boss: how do you capture and represent such a powerful sensation? Widening eyes, goosebumps, big smiles — we explored them all.
After a few sessions trying to crack the brief — throwing around every kind of idea, from silly to serious, logical to totally illogical — one thought finally landed.
And from the moment it came out, it just felt right.
It’s fascinating how sometimes the right idea has been under your nose all along — hidden in the printed images scattered across the table during a brainstorming session, tucked away in subfolders where you collect all those visuals that help you immerse yourself into the brand’s world.
In this case, the little human truth, the small ritual, the reflex, the tic — call it what you want — was hidden in two images: a picture of the GOAT Muhammad Ali, a film still of Penélope Cruz in Broken Embraces.
The common element? That lifted pinky finger while sipping from a cup.
In those images, I noticed they radiated playfulness — silly, curious, happy expressions that felt pure and spontaneous.
That was it. The moment of uplift.
After enjoying the refreshing Lipton Ice Tea, as the uplifting feeling kicks in, why not lift the pinky?
Ting! — that’s the sonic layer that instantly connects the gesture to our System 1.
The pinky lift has existed for centuries. Some say it’s a sign of snobbery, others call it silly, and others see it as a matter of proper etiquette.
There are endless stories about its origins, but one thing is certain: it’s undeniably connected to the world of tea and the tribe of 3 billion tea drinkers!
Now, Lipton is reclaiming that space — whether it’s hot or iced, tea is tea.
And now, once again, tea means Lipton.
credits
Directors: Erik de Koning, Niels de la Croix, Jamille van Wijngaarden
Creative Director: Olaf van Gerwen
Art Director: Stefano Crose
Copywriter: Ximena Pineda
Producer: Ellen Timmer
Account Manager: Anouk Schmitz
Pepsi Lipton
April Redmond – Global Chief Marketing Officer
Nipa Shah – Head of Global Marketing
Kevin Evans – Senior Marketing Manager
Agency Partners
Alessandro Foschini – Creative Director
James Cooney – Creative Director
Irina Liechti and Sarah Kavanagh – Producers
Linda Rytterstig – Client Partner
Mark Wood – Creative Partner
Ed Mitchell – Head of Creative Transformation Sensory Experiences
Russell Jones – Founder, Sensory Director
Dan Rowe – Creative Director
Nikki French – Sound Designer
Adam&EveDDB London
Flemming Lerche – Global Business Director
Scarlett Aldridge – Account Director
Mark Shanley – Executive Creative Director
Sarah Carter – Communication Planning & Strategy
Payton Cox, France Nguyen and Carrie Moores – Producers
Product Benefit and Bubbletalk TVCs
Agile Films – Production Company
Jeffrey Max – Director Pirates TVC
Riff Raff Films – Production Company
David Wilson – Director
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