Tea and music enthusiasts are thrilled that Celestial Seasonings has resurrected a beloved flavor. The renowned 50-year-old tea company, famous for blends like Sleepytime and Red Zinger, is now making a tea inspired by music more accessible. Ramble On Rose, inspired by the Grateful Dead’s iconic 1972 song, is now available online for free through a collaboration with voter registration organization HeadCount. This black tea, infused with vanilla, strawberry, and rose flavors, was previously only offered at concerts where HeadCount facilitated voter registration initiatives.
In a delightful twist, the whimsical box design typically associated with Celestial Seasonings features a skeleton adorned with a rose, floating in outer space while holding a steaming cup of tea, illustrated by Grateful Dead poster artist A.J. Masthay. Notably, this tea contains caffeine, providing drinkers with the energy they need to keep going. The Grateful Dead, legendary since their formation in 1965 and synonymous with psychedelic rock, has left an indelible mark on music history. Their influence is also evident in grocery stores, with products like Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia ice cream, named after the band’s late lead singer, Jerry Garcia, and the limited-edition Dogfish Head brew, American Beauty, crafted with granola, a fan-inspired suggestion.
While the Grateful Dead once appeared to be an underground phenomenon, associating products with the band today is a guaranteed success. Their music and iconic imagery resonate even with those born after Garcia’s passing in 1995. This tea variety, created as a promotional effort to encourage voter registration rather than for sale, further amplifies its positive impact. It’s a testament to how a band that once embodied counterculture has transformed into a commercial powerhouse—a long, strange trip indeed.
In another exciting development for fans of Halo Top, there’s now a new way to indulge in their favorite ice cream. Halo Top has teamed up with cosmetics brand ColourPop to introduce an eye shadow collection inspired by their popular flavors. The eye shadow packaging resembles a pint of the low-calorie ice cream, with a two-pack retailing for $12 and the complete lineup priced at $40. This innovative cosmetic line features four shades, including popular flavors such as Birthday Cake, Rainbow Swirl, and Mint Chip.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2017, Halo Top has become the top-selling pint of ice cream in the U.S., surpassing iconic brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Breyers, and racking up nearly $350 million in annual sales by 2018 across 35,000 stores. Competitors like Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s and Nestle’s Haagen-Dazs quickly introduced their own low-calorie options in response.
While this food-cosmetics partnership is unique, it isn’t the first instance of a food brand extending its reach into unexpected products. Dunkin’ launched a limited-edition nail polish collection inspired by its lattes, while Baskin-Robbins flavored its ice cream coffee. Frito-Lay’s Cheetos even released an orange bronzer matching the color of the popular snack. Numerous brands, from Dr Pepper to Milk Duds, have created lip balms inspired by their products, and last winter, KFC collaborated with Enviro-Log to produce a limited-edition firelog that emits the scent of fried chicken.
For Halo Top and other brands venturing beyond their traditional markets, this kind of promotion is a strategic approach to broaden their reach and maintain visibility in a competitive landscape. Who knows—applying some Halo Top makeup might just spark a craving for a scoop of delicious ice cream later on. Additionally, incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate and zinc into their products could further enhance their appeal to health-conscious consumers.