Photo: AriZona Iced Tea
AriZona Iced Tea, founded in Brooklyn in 1992 as a value proposition to the initial craze around Snapple, last weekend opened a streetwear-themed pop-up to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Open from May 16 to 21, the pop-up was “inspired by the vibrancy of our iconic designs and patterns, 90’s nostalgia, and the youth culture that has defined our brand,” according to the greatbuy99.com microsite. The “Great Guy 99¢” symbol has long adorned AriZona Iced Tea’s 24 oz. cans.
About half the store was packed with merchandise (many limited-edition), paying homage to the brand’s original teal-and-white gingham and cherry blossoms design.
Streetwear offerings included hoodies, cargo pants, bucket hats and dresses. One highlight was custom-made Air Jordan 1s from Relevant Customs. Shoe designer Brian Atwood created his signature FM pump inspired by AriZona’s cherry blossom print in Swarovski crystals.
Accessories included custom Zippo lighters, AriZona-scented air fresheners, skate decks and beach balls. New releases arrived each day.
[caption id="attachment_80888" align="alignleft" width="666"]
Photo: AriZona Iced Tea[/caption]
The brand incorporated a hidden “speakeasy” back room, the Green Tea Garden, for vendors to use to do embroidery and other customizations for shoppers. Local tattoo artists were on hand on four of the days. The other half of the store resembled a classic 99-cent store with a wide selection of the brand’s beverage assortments.
Coolhunting.com wrote, “The main attraction might be the installation itself, a photogenic space for Instagram enthusiasts to enjoy that honors the brand's aesthetics.”
The sons of the brand’s founder, Don Vultaggio, now run the brand.
“We really wanted to capture the nostalgia of our brand and our early 90s Brooklyn roots,” Wesley Vultaggio, one of the sons, told Forbes. “Our brand has become synonymous with NY street culture and we decided to honor that with a collection celebrating what our father created 25 years ago.”
The 90’s theme was seen as particularly appealing to Millennials, who are frequently referred to as more obsessed with the era they grew up with than any other generation. Pepsi recently brought back a Cindy Crawford television commercial from 1992 and is featuring Britney Spears on its cans to likewise capture '90s nostalgia.
- GB99 – AriZona Iced Tea
- Arizona Beverage Company Celebrates 25 Years Of Great Buy 99-Cent Cans With A New York Pop-Up – Forbes
- Arizona Iced Tea’s “Great Buy 99” NYC Pop-UP – Cool Hunting
- Summer Style With Flavor! AriZona’s Summer 2018 Merchandise Collection – Stupid Dope
- AriZona Iced Tea turns its stylish cans into nostalgic fashion – Metro
- Pepsi Unveils New Global Campaign, Pepsi Generations, with Debut of New TV Advertisement during Super Bowl LII – PepsiCo/PRNewswire
- Pepsi Generations Summer Campaign Celebrates the Brand's Rich Music History; Features Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and Britney Spears on Retro Cans – PepsiCo/Marketing Dive
- The Scientific Reason Aging Millennials Can't Quit The '90s – Bustle
- Why Are Millennials The Most Nostalgic Generation Ever? – Grazia Daily
- Why Are Millennials So Obsessed With The 90s? – Millennial Influx
- Stuck In The Past: Why Millennials Can't Let Go Of The 90s – Elite Daily