bubly sparkling water, a brand of Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo, and SAGE, a national advocacy organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ elders, are joining forces this holiday season to support New York City's LGBTQ+ community in the latest phase of the bubly brand's hashtag #DragForAllFlavors campaign.
#DragForAllFlavors marks the bubly brand's ongoing commitment to championing the LGBTQ+ community, with this latest iteration providing much needed support to a community facing unique and unprecedented challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This time around, bubly is again bringing the house down with new content featuring two local LGBTQ+ seniors, as well as 11 talented drag performers, creating their own larger-than-life take on the traditional holiday advent calendar.
Throughout the campaign, one featured drag king or queen will post a behind-the-scenes teaser shot on their Instagram page leading up to the debut of the music video, directed and shot by Austin Nunes. On Dec. 18, fans can check out the music video on the bubly YouTube channel as the featured NYC drag icons slay the sounds of Nikki Era and Mikey Pop's new track "I Hope I See You This Christmas," created exclusively for bubly which will stream on all major music streaming platforms. The following are the featured talent for the promotion:
• Zarria Powell (@zarria_thediva)
• Tina Burner (@thetinaburner)
• Rosé (@omgheyrose)
• Dr. Wang Newton (@drwangnewton)
• Egypt (@therealegypt)
• Lagoona Bloo (@lagoonabloonyc)
• Maxxx Pleasure (@mr.pleasure)
• Merrie Cherry (@merrie_cherry)
• Shequida Hall (@shequidahall)
• Jada Valenciaga (@jadavalenciaga)
• Chiquitettas (@chiquitettas)
"We recognize the unique challenges the pandemic has created for the LGBTQ+ community, especially for nightlife performers and older members of the community," said Matthew Conrado of PepsiCo North Division Brand Marketing, in a statement. "While we may be celebrating the holidays a bit differently this year, bubly remains committed to uplifting and supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community, as we look to bring some sense of normalcy, positivity, and helping people to crack a smile during these difficult times."
With limited opportunities for local drag artists and other creators, and many in the LGBTQ+ community, especially LGBTQ+ elders, feeling isolated from their chosen and biological families, bubly and SAGE want to celebrate togetherness and ensure that everyone can experience the spirit of this special time of year. In addition to the holiday-themed music video, and real-life bubly product deliveries to SAGE members, bubly also is making a $25,000 donation to SAGE to support the organization's ongoing programming dedicated to providing resources for LGBTQ+ elders navigating this year's unprecedented, and socially distant, holiday season.
"SAGE is pleased to be partnering with bubly this holiday season to help brighten what can often be a dark time for LGBT elders," said SAGE Chief Executive Officer Michael Adams. "Because older LGBT people often are socially isolated and don't have family support — challenges made much worse by this year's COVID-19 restrictions — SAGE offers an opportunity to experience the togetherness that is so much a part of the holidays. Thanks to great supporters like bubly, all through the holidays, SAGE will continue to run programs like SAGEConnect that link elders to volunteers who care about them, as well as our 24-hour LGBT elder hotline for anyone who needs to hear a caring voice and get support."
The bubly brand's #DragForAllFlavors campaign, which kicked off this June, showcases the brand's commitment to uplifting marginalized voices and providing a vibrant platform for creatives in the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to the bubly brand's latest partnership with SAGE, earlier this year the brand also partnered with GLAAD, the leading media organization dedicated to tackling issues specific to the LGBTQ+ community to shape and promote narratives that lead to cultural change. To date, bubly has donated $95,000 to GLAAD to support the brand's community efforts. Most recently, bubly partnered with Kim Petras and a star-studded list of local drag talent for an iconic lip sync video set to Petras' Halloween anthem, "Close Your Eyes."
