Plezi made a backpack out of the sugar it doesn’t put in its drinks

The dog days of summer have passed, and as the hottest season winds down, parents and children are gearing up for back-to-school with new supplies, outfits and more. Children are excitedly scouring the malls for the perfect first-day fit—new pencils and backpacks complimenting their style. But this year, the hottest back-to-school item may just be a backpack made out of sugarcane. Yes, you read that right. Also read: Kristen Bell raises a ‘sugar baby’ in Plezi’s ‘Absurdly Good’ spot Plezi Nutrition, the beverage brand co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama, on Tuesday launched the Plezi Sugar Pack, a backpack made from sugar cane fabric, representing all the sugar Plezi does not use in its drinks. The limited-edition product, created by Havas Chicago, was inspired by the brand’s drinks—Plezi juice boxes, Plezi Fizz and more, which have 70% less sugar than competitors such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The backpack, available for free in limited supply on Plezi’s website beginning on August 28 at 7 PM ET, was designed by New York Fashion Week’s youngest designer, Kheris Rogers. “This next generation is coming up with great ideas, even business plans to make the world a better place. So we thought, why not lean into that fully with our brand campaign, ‘Absurdly Good,’ and partner with them to reimagine a better world?,” said Jeff Beck, group creative director at Havas Chicago. “The Plezi Sugar Pack—there’s nothing that says ‘Let’s reimagine’ more than a back-to-school backpack made out of sugar—all the unused sugar that we didn't put in your drink.” The Plezi Sugar Pack is an extension of Plezi’s "Absurdly Good" campaign, which the brand describes as a “love letter” to the next generation and to all those who see the absurdly good potential in the world around them and dare to make it a reality. Plezi partnered with Carnegie Fabrics, which is pioneering fabric-making technology with sugar cane, to create the backpack. It was a first for the company. “At Plezi Nutrition, we’re always looking for ways to innovate, inspire, and get young people thinking about their wellbeing,” said Obama. “We believe style should be sweet—not our food and drinks. The same way Plezi makes drinks that are tasty and healthier for you, this sweet backpack serves as a reminder to kids and parents alike that healthy choices don’t have to be a bore—they can be fun and practical, too.” “Gen Zalpha is fundamentally upending all kinds of historic ways of behaving in the world and expectations for what good looks like. And we're always trying to be responsive to them,” said Samantha Siegal, CMO at Plezi. “We put all of our creative ideas through a panel of Zalpha consumers to get their feedback. They're very candid with us. And this was one idea that there was a ton of gravitational pull for.” The backpack features patches and pins representative of the backers of the Plezi product, including Steph and Ayesha Curry and Michelle Obama. In addition to the backpack, the brand has partnered with the Currys and the backpack’s designer Rogers to post social media content promoting the campaign. A post shared by Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30) More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Plezi made a backpack out of the sugar it doesn’t put in its drinks

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