Zevia, the naturally sweetened soda brand, has launched its biggest campaign to date: "Real Talk Interpreter," starring rapper Cardi B. The 2026 campaign follows Cardi B's move in March to join Zevia as both shareholder and brand ambassador — turning what could have been a one-off endorsement into a genuine celebrity brand partnership.
The creative premise has Cardi B stepping into awkward social moments to say out loud what everyone is really thinking behind polite, roundabout language. Dressed in bold, statement outfits and drinking Zevia on camera, she delivers her signature bluntness with a strong comic edge.
Two spots have been released so far. One follows a school guidance counselor softening the truth about a student's grades; the other captures the quiet tension of a neighborhood potluck. Both were produced by creative studio De-Yan, and both spotlight new flavors — Orange Creamsicle and Creamy Root Beer.
The strategic core is Zevia's "refreshingly real" identity. The brand connects Cardi B's unfiltered, honest communication style directly to its stevia-sweetened, natural-ingredient positioning — her personality becomes a proof point for the product's promise. The campaign runs across streaming TV, social media (including user-participation content), retail displays, and a sweepstakes offering autographed merchandise.
Zevia competes against Gen Z favorites like Poppi and Olipop in the functional beverage space. The company reported quarterly net sales of $46.1 million, up 21.2% year over year, crediting part of that growth to expanded marketing investment. Crucially, the Cardi B deal is a two-year partnership, not a single campaign — a long-term bet on sustained collaboration rather than a quick endorsement hit.
This campaign moves past the old "ambassador equals spokesperson" model. Making Cardi B a shareholder aligns her incentives with the brand's, and the two-year time horizon signals a deliberate, long-term fusion of brand identity and celebrity persona — not a one-off media buy. The creative structure is instructive too: her personality trait (bluntness) is logically mapped to a product attribute (natural ingredients), so the celebrity's character amplifies the brand message rather than simply borrowing her fame.
The omnichannel mix — streaming, social participation, retail, and sweepstakes — targets both awareness and engagement simultaneously. In a maturing, competitive category where challengers like Poppi and Olipop are winning younger consumers fast, Zevia's use of "realness" as an emotional differentiator, backed by real sales growth, is a useful case study in how an established brand redefines its presence.
If you're exploring how a long-term celebrity brand partnership or ambassador strategy could work for your brand, Best Partner's services can help you build the framework, or browse our portfolio for related campaign work.
It's Zevia's biggest campaign to date, starring rapper Cardi B, who interprets the "real meaning" behind people's polite, roundabout conversations in ads for the naturally sweetened soda brand.
Cardi B joined Zevia as both a shareholder and brand ambassador in March, and the partnership is structured as a two-year commitment rather than a single campaign — aligning her incentives with long-term brand growth.
Cardi B's unfiltered, honest communication style is mapped directly to Zevia's "refreshingly real," natural-ingredient identity, so her persona reinforces the brand message rather than just lending star power.
Zevia reported quarterly net sales of $46.1 million, up 21.2% year over year, and credited part of that growth to increased marketing investment, including the Cardi B partnership.
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