Saratoga Spring Water

Food & Beverage
CPG

Capitalizing on Virality to Drive Retail Awareness with UGC

New Engen transformed an unplanned viral moment into a high-performing retail campaign, amplifying Saratoga’s presence at a major national retailer through creator-led content.

Saratoga Spring Water found itself at the center of an unexpected cultural moment when TikTok creator Ashton Hall featured the brand in a viral video without sponsorship. The content quickly snowballed across social platforms, generating widespread parodies, media attention, and approximately $1.8M in earned media value.

Recognizing the potential to extend the viral momentum into retail impact, Saratoga partnered with New Engen to quickly launch a creator-led campaign that captured the trend’s energy while aligning with a major national retail partner.

Immerse

Immerse

Once engaged, New Engen’s Acorn Creator Suite and Donut Studios moved with urgency. Our first step was to fully understand the viral context and how it could translate into branded, retail-aligned content. We analyzed the original content’s tone, visual style, and audience reception, developing a clear brief to guide creative adaptations.

Simultaneously, we collaborated with Saratoga’s shopper marketing team to ensure the campaign not only leaned into the viral trend but also supported key retail goals. With a five-day window from kickoff to live content, immersion meant precision, speed, and strategic alignment.

Inspire

Inspire

We leaned into a central cultural insight: audiences loved the quirky, omnipresent vibe of the original viral video. This insight informed our dual-track creative direction:

Max and Izzy starred in “Saratoga’s Watching Me” style videos where bottles of Saratoga® Sparkling Spring Water mysteriously appeared everywhere—in their homes, workouts, and desks—prompting humorous paranoia and surprise. The running theme: “Everywhere I go, Saratoga finds me.”

Stevie brought a twist: his video told a transformation story. Initially ignored, Stevie gains confidence—and attention—after dramatically sipping a bottle of Saratoga. The video humorously nods to “glow-up” culture with a viral-ready, platform-native tone.

This blend of relatability, absurdity, and authenticity created culturally resonant moments that extended the life of Saratoga’s viral fame.

Implement

Implement

We launched a quick-turn UGC campaign that was concepted, executed, and published in under five business days:

Impact

Impact

Our nimble, creator-led strategy turned a fleeting viral moment into sustained brand impact. By swiftly aligning with cultural momentum and retail goals, we drove impressive engagement and reach.

35.7M
Impressions Delivered
2.8M
Estimated Engagements
3
Pieces of High-Performing Content