Mountain Dew has launched a retail activation in Australia that turns the release of its two newest flavors into a series of real-world treasure hunts, created by brand experience agency Curious Nation.
Developed in partnership with 7-Eleven and Finders Keepers Australia, the Mountain Dew Flavour Hunt supports the launch of Blue Razz Blitz and Typhoon through social-first treasure hunts designed to drive foot traffic and engagement.
According to the release, research from Flavourtrends.com shows 41% of Gen Z consumers are ready to try new snack or drink flavors immediately upon release, the highest of any generation.
The first Mountain Dew Flavour Hunt, which introduced Blue Razz Blitz, invited participants to follow teaser clues on social media to locate a hidden $700 cash prize at a Melbourne 7-Eleven store.
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The second activation for Mountain Dew Typhoon expanded the concept to three Melbourne stores, with participants searching for a total of $2,100 in cash prizes.
The activation encouraged participants to move from social media to physical retail locations while positioning 7-Eleven as a destination for product discovery, according to the release.
The Blue Razz Blitz activation generated more than 2.6 million views and more than 13,000 engagements, while the Typhoon hunt has surpassed one million views.
Jess Smyth, customer and shopper marketing manager at Asahi Beverages, said, “We wanted to create genuine excitement around these new flavour launches and give people a reason to seek them out in-store.”
“The Flavour Hunt concept allowed us to connect cultural behaviour with retail in a way that felt natural and engaging.”
“We were excited to work with Mountain Dew to bring this campaign to life,” said Gareth Brock, Co-founder and Head of Strategy at Curious Nation.
“Instead of treating the flavour launch like a broadcast moment, we treated it like a discovery mechanic. Gen Z audiences are already conditioned by social-first hunt formats that reward speed, curiosity and participation. So rather than interrupting behaviour, we built around one that already existed.”
“Retail launches often feel manufactured. The hype is announced before it is earned. This campaign flipped that dynamic by turning the product release into something people could participate in physically and socially at the same time. The result was not just awareness, but action, driving audiences from content directly into store.”
