Quick Look

  • Coffee Mate is tapping into summer romance with a social-first campaign featuring TV personality and Summer House star Carl Radke, according to information obtained by Marketing Dive.
  • To promote its limited-edition Situation-Sip mixed fruit-flavored creamer, the Nestlé-owned brand will release a series of social content showing a "situationship" between Radke and the creamer. During the campaign, the flavor will take over Coffee Mate's Instagram feed.
  • The marketing push comes as dirty sodas(drinks that mix creamer and syrup into soda) continue to gain popularity among consumers. As a brand, Coffee Mate has been working toexpand its product lineand use cases to adapt to changing consumption habits.

Deep Dive

The limited-edition creamer is part of Coffee Mate's broader innovation plan aimed at capitalizing on overall growth in the coffee market, a priority detailed by Nestlé CEO Philipp Navratil during an investor call. The campaign, created by creative agency Leo New York, encourages consumers to engage with the brand on social media while showcasing Coffee Mate's uses beyond coffee, such as in cocktails and drinks like dirty sodas.

A one-minute video features Radke—known for starring in Bravo's reality show Summer House—experiencing the ups and downs of a "situationship" with the creamer, including arguments, ghosting, and joyful moments during dates and vacations. The video will be posted on Radke's Instagram channel. To further drive social media engagement, consumers can message Coffee Mate on Instagram to simulate a "situationship," and a few who "stick it out" will receive special deliveries.

The creamer will be distributed for free in batches on July 20 and 27, on a first-come, first-served basis. It will be available only through adedicated landing page.

Dr Pepper made a similar move in May, creating a mini-drama for its limited-return Creamy Coconut flavor. The content depicts a doomed love story between a woman and a can ofDr Pepper Creamy Coconut, a product also aimed at leveraging the dirty soda trend.

Coffee Mate has previously ventured into the dirty soda space, launchingcreamer products designed for the trendin 2024. In recent years, the brand has also boosted cultural relevance through other means, including acollaboration with Harry Potter. In 2025, the brand made itsSuper Bowl debutwith the launch of its Cold Foam product.