SCHWEPPES DC 221013 - Ad Analysis
AI Editor notes
Straight from the gut!!
“This feels incredibly French in the best way. It’s all style, vibe, and a confident creative idea that doesn't bother to over-explain itself. The submarine-to-speakeasy concept is a bit absurd, but they commit so fully that it works. It's memorable and cool, but I wonder if the product gets a little lost in all the high-concept fun. It’s selling a mood, not a mixer.”
Quick Summary
This ad is built on a single, powerful idea: Schweppes is the catalyst that transforms any situation—even a tense, claustrophobic submarine mission—into a moment of unexpected, sophisticated joy. It’s not just a drink; it’s the signal to break from routine and create your own pleasure.
Executive Summary
Schweppes' 'I Like It Like That' campaign is a confident exercise in brand storytelling that prioritizes mood over message and style over substance—and is stronger for it. In a category often focused on ingredients or occasion-based marketing (the perfect G&T), Schweppes opts for a high-concept, cinematic narrative that positions the drink not as an ingredient, but as an attitude. It's a classic European approach to advertising, relying on the audience's intelligence to connect the dots between an absurd story and a brand ethos. The ad operates on a simple premise: Schweppes is the catalyst for turning the mundane, or even the stressful, into an unexpected moment of joy.
The execution follows a classic Setup-Turn-Payoff structure. The Setup is pure cinematic tension: a submarine, deep underwater, faces an imminent threat from a giant creature. The lighting is dark, the crew is on high alert, and the atmosphere is claustrophobic. This establishes a problem space—a world of pressure and confinement. The Turn is masterful, executed through a single audio cue. The moment the energetic, joyful rhythm of Pete Rodriguez’s “I Like It Like That” kicks in, the entire reality of the scene flips. The crew isn't bracing for impact; they're getting ready for a party. This pivot is the core of the creative idea, transforming the narrative from a thriller into a musical. The submarine itself becomes a metaphor for the constraints of daily life. The Payoff is the release. As the sub surfaces into a golden sunset, the crew works in a joyous, choreographed flurry to convert their vessel into a pop-up lounge. The final shot of the captain taking a sip and delivering the tagline directly to the camera solidifies the brand's role. Schweppes didn't just appear at the party; it was the reason for it. The drink is the physical embodiment of the decision to choose joy.
The debrief for this campaign should focus on the power of owning a feeling. Schweppes isn't selling tonic water; it's selling the permission to create your own moment of sophisticated fun. The team learned that you don't need to show the perfect serve or a typical party scene to be effective. By creating a unique, memorable, and slightly surreal world, the brand becomes more interesting and aspirational than its competitors who might stick to more literal depictions of consumption. The key lesson is that for a market leader, reinforcing the brand's unique personality can be more valuable than explaining the product's function.
Theme Keywords
Brand Position
The original, sophisticated catalyst for unexpected fun.
Brand Archetype
The Magician (transforms situations) with a touch of the Jester (playful and fun).
Creative Game Plan
Transform any moment into a celebration with Schweppes.
Diagnosis: Issues & Solutions
Primary Issue: Strategic Sense
The Problem:
The product is almost incidental to the spectacle. While the ad is creatively strong, the Schweppes bottle appears late and feels more like a prop than the protagonist. The brand is the catalyst for the party, but the visual connection could be stronger, risking the ad being remembered for the submarine and song, but not necessarily the drink.
The Solution:
Integrate the product into the narrative's 'turn.' For instance, the captain could initiate the mood shift by defiantly popping open a bottle of Schweppes, with the sound design of the 'psst' kicking off the music and the celebratory chaos.
Secondary Issue: Emotional Connection
The Problem:
The ad's aesthetic is so specific and stylistically curated—a sort of Wes Anderson-meets-a-60s-musical vibe—that it might feel alienating to a broader audience. The 'coolness' factor could be perceived as exclusive, making the moment feel unattainable rather than aspirational for some viewers.
The Solution:
While maintaining the core creative, future iterations could feature small, relatable human moments within the grand choreography—a subtle, knowing glance between two crew members, or a moment of genuine, un-choreographed laughter—to ground the surrealism in a more universal human emotion.