Campaign: Lollipop Star launches at Consumer Electronics Show
Company: Lava Tech Brands
Agency Partners: JSA+Partners (media relations), Shopfluence Consulting (end-to-end strategy and execution for brand and e-commerce launch), Incantation Marketing (brand strategy and positioning, creative direction and packaging design), Real Hype Creative (talent partnerships and celebrity and influencer outreach), Maison Privee (fashion and entertainment influencer partners)
Dates: January 5, 2026 – ongoing
A candy that plays music while it is being eaten was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last month.
Strategy
Lollipop Star is a “a tech-infused candy that plays songs via bone conduction,” according to its parent company Lava Tech.
The lollipops feature music from artists Akon, Ice Spice and Armani White.
The brand’s creatives decided to launch the lollipops at CES, an annual conference where the technology industry showcases its latest gadgets. The conference took place January 6-9.
“We definitely wanted to highlight the tech aspect of this product,” said Judy Zhou, cofounder of Lava Tech and principal at Shopfluence Consulting.
Lollipop Star also wanted to allow the artists whose music plays through the lollipops to connect with their fans at CES, Zhou said.
“A lot of the artists that we work with do recognize that there is a future in technology, and they want to be part of that,” she added.
The brand’s target audience was people between ages 12 and 40.
Tactics
JSA+Partners recommended that Lava Tech launch the product with a booth at Pepcom, a media event that took place the night before the CES conference began.
Ahead of it, the media relations team pitched the product to a range of reporters, including those in technology, food and music, said Cassie Lawrence, JSA+Partners vice president of public relations.
“We did a very detailed pitch that included all of the different products that Lava Tech had, including Lollipop Star, how it worked and what the price point was,” Lawrence said.At Pepcom, reporters mentioned receiving Lollipop Star’s pitch and being interested in trying the candy. “To ensure they had a seamless experience, we walked them through the process of turning the lollipop on and moving it to the back of their mouth for optimal sound,” said a JSA+Partners spokesperson via email.
Chloe Veitch, a model and reality TV star, hosted the booth, which featured product samples, water bottles, 3-D printed shoes and other items.
“Chloe’s high energy and positive personality matched the booth’s vibe,” Zhou said.
Lollipop Star flavors included Blue Paradise, featuring Akon’s song “Beautiful Day,” and White Peach and Strawberry Ice, featuring Ice Spice’s “Munch, Baddie Baddie, Big Guy.”
More than 30 celebrities and influencers visited the booth, including Akon, Armani White, rapper Travis Scott, reality TV star Kelly Mi Li, actor Jesse Morales and electronic dance music DJ Esther Ayana.
Akon and White’s attendance demonstrated how excited they are “about the actual partnership and tech piece,” Zhou said.
Linus Sebastian, a technology influencer, also discovered the product at CES and then talked about it on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
On social media, the campaign focused on Instagram and TikTok, Zhou said. The brand did not do any sponsored posts.
“We just reposted pretty much all the media outlets’ and influencer content,” Zhou said.
Results
In addition to Fallon, the product was featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Today.
The campaign also received coverage from outlets like the Associated Press; CNET; Mashable; the New York Post; People; Reuters; Stereogum; USA Today; and the Washington Post.
From January 6-9, Lollipop Star secured a total of 1,154 stories and 75 broadcast hits.
At Pepcom, Lollipop Star ran out of its 300 samples with reporters wanting to bring samples to their team and for on-air segments, said a JSA+Partners spokesperson via email.
