Social-First Product Launch
Costa Coffee - Hot Milkshake: A Social-First Launch to Engage Gen Z
How Tribera's controversy-driven social campaign for Costa Coffee's Hot Milkshake launch generated 1 million organic views and turned a divisive new product into the talk of the internet.
BACKGROUND
Costa Coffee was losing social share of voice to Starbucks, with Gen Z tagging Starbucks four times more often, while shifting from alcohol toward indulgent non-alcoholic drinks, a trend Costa wasn't yet capturing.
CLIENT CHALLENGE
Costa needed a campaign that generated genuine online buzz and drove people into stores, not another product post Gen Z would scroll past.
TRIBERA'S SOLUTION
We built the campaign around a "Marmite moment" insight: Hot Milkshakes would provoke strong reactions, good and bad, sparking curiosity and debate. Teaser videos ignited the conversation, then blind taste tests, reaction videos, vox pops and user-generated content amplified authentic responses, leaning into both the love and the hate to drive trial.
THE RESULTS
The campaign generated 1 million organic video views and 40,000+ organic engagements, with search interest in hot milkshakes rising over 5,000%. The buzz translated into real footfall, with Gen Z visiting stores to try the range for themselves.