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Marshmello and Coca-Cola are gearing up to release the beverage giant’s first-ever flavor co-created by an artist. Arriving next month, the limited-edition collab features an unexpected flavor blend that might be perfect for summer.
Although fans are probably expecting marshmallow-flavored Coca-Cola, the EDM DJ opted for something fruity: strawberry and watermelon, fused with the classic Coca-Cola taste.
“I wanted to do something different,” Marshmello explained to Billboard while shooting footage for the soda campaign in Los Angeles on Tuesday (June 28). “I had a different flavor in mind originally and then we started messing around with other crazy flavors. I [chose] strawberry [and] watermelon just because you wouldn’t think that [would come from me].’
“Everybody’s like, ‘You’re going to do a marshmallow flavor?’ That’s why I really didn’t want to do it, so we just started messing around with different flavors,” he continued. “We had a million flavors in front of us. We homed in on [strawberry and watermelon] and that was that.”
As a Cherry Coke fan, Marshmello wanted to choose intriguing flavors that blend well with Coca-Cola’s signature taste. The collaboration took several months of remote and in-person meetings, though Marshmello and his manager spent two days at Coca-Cola’s headquarters where they and the team “crafted the whole plan,” from flavor options to designing the limited-edition can.
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The special can ditches Coca-Cola’s signature red colorway for a sleek white, with striking visuals and Spencerian script that pay homage to Marshmello’s signature aesthetic.
“They showed a lot of different ideas,” he explained. “My manager [and I] were sitting there and we saw some sort of, I don’t know what the picture was, some sort of prototype. It was a blank can, and we were like, ‘What about that?’ Because it looked so sleek. It was just so plain, in a cool way, and we just ran with that idea.”
Marshmello’s Limited-Edition Coca-Cola will debut in the U.S. on July 11, followed by select dates globally. The 12-ounce collectible can will also come in a sugar-free version.
Ahead of the drop date, Marshmello will host an immersive takeover on his Twitch channel on July 9 at 5 p.m. ET. Fans will be able to participate in a one-of-a-kind adventure and access exclusive metamerch courtesy of Zepeto.
Beginning July 25, fans will be able to scan the QR code on the can to be instantly transported to the Coca-Cola Creations hub, where they can generate a unique art piece while listening to Marshmello’s new track “Numb” featuring Khalid.
The Coca-Cola Creations platform debuted in February with the limited-edition Coca-Cola Starlight, followed by Coca-Cola Byte. The special-edition Creations feature offers “unique innovations and unexpected collaborations,” and Marshmello hopes to continue collaborating with the brand in the future.
“Honestly, it’s been amazing,” he said of working with Coca-Cola. “The whole team and Coca-Cola is amazing and they’re super receptive to what I want, and vice versa. I trust them. They wanted my input in making [the collaboration] personal to me. It was a great experience.”
