Bubly

Sparkling water that cracks a smile.

For consumers increasingly more careful about their health, flavored seltzer has become a breakthrough hit. As we developed our own sparkling water, we realized what the category was missing: a sense of flavorful relief to make everyday life more fun.

Brand

Bubly

Type

Branding & Packaging

Region

North America

THE IDEA

An effervescent spirit, captured in (and on) a can.

In 2018, we decided a responsible choice—zero-calorie, sweetener-free sparkling water—could be a joyful experience. We dove all-in on whimsical branding and created an exuberant variety of fizzy flavors. With a buoyant, of-the-moment energy, we’ve launched limited-edition seasonal flavors each year as well as bubly bounce, sparkling water with a kick of caffeine.

THE DESIGN

All smiles: surprising design and welcoming words in unexpected places.

When designing our initial bubly cans, we started with a smile, playfully integrating it into the logo within the “u.” We splashed a bigger grin on the back of the can, with mischievous nods to the fruit flavor inside. Our mainstays sported blackberry bowties, lemon wedge teeth, apple slice mustaches and full-lipped cherry pouts, while slices of watermelon and a cross-section of pineapple gave our summer-only flavors pops of personality.

We extended the friendliness down to the details—like the bespoke pull-tabs, decked out with each flavor’s unique color and quick little greetings, from “hey u” to “aloha.” More all-lowercase, irreverent messages like “hold cans with me” and “love at first psssht” added to the good humor and irreverent spirit.

In 2021, the introduction of bubly bounce called for an even more dynamic version of the design, signaling the added caffeine benefit. We maintained the bubly brand’s signature vibrant colors and bubble backdrop with a reinvigorated pattern and trademark custom pull-tabs featuring lively, onomatopoeic words like “zing!” and “woo!”

THE OUTCOME

A smile-widening success.

bubly made customers happy—or at least, that’s what unprecedented sales seemed to indicate. Upon its launch, Business Insider predicted bubly sparkling water could win big in the sparkling water category. The next year, IRi listed bubly as a “New Product Pacesetter” and hailed it as a major success with “the aura of a small, niche brand.” It also took home awards for design and innovation, marking serious success for such a lighthearted young brand.