Mighty Pop: The First Soda with Pre, Pro & Postbiotics—And a Brand Built for CPG Innovation
How Agency Squid helped Beliv Brands create a first-of-its-kind functional soda that’s reshaping the better-for-you beverage category.
A Better-For-You Brand Built for the Future of Gut Health
In a market dominated by trend-followers and derivative products, Beliv Brands—the largest beverage company in Latin America—set out to lead. With a track record of acquiring brands like Big Easy Kombucha and OCA Natural Energy, Beliv was ready to build something different: a functional soda that wasn’t just another Poppi or Olipop clone, but one rooted in full-spectrum gut health science and emotionally driven brand storytelling.
That product became Mighty Pop—the first U.S. functional soda powered by pre-, pro-, and postbiotics. But creating a product and building a brand that cuts through are two very different challenges. That’s where Agency Squid came in.
The Challenge: Stand Out in the Functional Soda Boom
Functional sodas are growing fast—but the space is still in flux. Consumers are becoming more aware of gut health, but don’t always understand the science. Meanwhile, retail shelf sets are crowded, and two dominant players—Olipop and Poppi—are capturing the lion’s share of attention.
Beliv needed a brand that could compete on flavor, win in retail, and educate consumers quickly—without losing the emotional connection that fuels repeat purchase in the better-for-you category. At the same time, their U.S. team was still learning the nuances of the domestic market.
Squid’s challenge: Build a differentiated brand platform, visual identity, and full-funnel marketing system from scratch—and do it fast.
Research-Driven Positioning for a Gut-First Generation
We started with what we always start with: the consumer. Our segmentation study explored a cross-section of CPG shoppers and identified three core audiences driving functional soda growth. While reasons varied—preventing gut issues, curbing cravings, improving mood, or reducing sugar intake—the shared behavior was clear: these consumers were emotionally motivated and looking for real solutions.
We analyzed competitor positioning, shelf presence, and emotional storytelling, and found a clear whitespace for a brand that was both deeply functional and bold in voice.
Mighty Pop’s brand promise was born: A whole-gut soda that delivers on the full spectrum of biotic benefits—pre, pro, and post—without compromising on taste, ingredients, or design.
Brand Platform: It Takes Guts to Be Mighty
Our team developed the brand from the inside out:
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Mission & Vision: Create a better world by supporting whole-body wellness, starting with the gut.
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Brand Pyramid: Functional expertise at the core, emotional empowerment at the surface.
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Messaging: Flavor-forward, function-backed, and gut-conscious. A challenger tone that speaks with clarity, confidence, and a bit of edge.
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Tagline: “It Takes Guts to Be Mighty”—a play on both physical wellness and emotional boldness.
From there, we crafted every layer of the brand architecture, including tone of voice, audience-specific messaging, and campaign hooks designed to stand out in retail and digital environments.
Visual Identity: A Category Challenger
The name “Mighty Pop” was inherited, but little else. We evolved early concepts into a bold, ownable brand system built around a category-defining teal color palette—standing out in the rainbow chaos of wellness shelves.
Each SKU highlights real fruit, vibrant patterns, and functional callouts, making the product both educational and visually irresistible. In a sea of sameness, Mighty Pop became instantly recognizable.
Campaign: The Mighty Three & The Power of Pre, Pro & Postbiotics
The Mighty Pop campaign was designed to educate, convert, and connect. We paired bold visuals with straightforward education to explain what makes this soda special. Digital, social, and OOH campaigns delivered tailored creative to each audience, adapting messaging to emotional and functional drivers.
Our creative engine anchored around a single idea: “The Mighty Three.” The first soda to combine pre-, pro-, and postbiotics in one delicious can.
Campaign creative included:
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Video & CGI: Stylized explainer assets and lifestyle vignettes.
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OOH & Retail: Flavor-first visuals with functional benefits called out.
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Social & Digital: Modular assets targeting different usage occasions, from post-workout recovery to afternoon pick-me-ups.
Results: A Market Mover in Year One
Within weeks of launch, Mighty Pop was picked up by top trade media, including:
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BevNET
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Trend Hunter
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The Food Institute
National chain distribution followed shortly after with placements in:
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Publix
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Winn-Dixie
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ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
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Whole Foods Market
As of Q1 2025, Mighty Pop continues to grow, with a strong retail footprint and rising consumer adoption.
What This Means for CPG Innovators
If you’re a brand manager, director of innovation, or CMO in the CPG space, this is what it looks like to bring a product to market with:
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Creative that sells and educates
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Strategy driven by real behavioral data
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Messaging built to cut through and convert
Whether you’re creating the next gut-healthy soda or building a new brand from scratch, Agency Squid turns big ideas into market realities.
