How Ocean Spray’s Juice Clip Became the Most Effective UGC Ad (15B Impressions)

In late 2020, Ocean Spray became the accidental centerpiece of one of the most iconic TikTok moments to date.

A skateboarding Idaho man named Nathan Apodaca, going by @420doggface208, unintentionally gave the 90-year-old cranberry juice brand a viral boost that no ad agency could have planned.

What followed was a wave of cultural momentum, brand goodwill, music chart revivals, and billions of media impressions—all sparked by an unpaid, unpolished video.

Guy’s Car Breaks Down, So He Skates Into TikTok History

On September 25, 2020, Apodaca's car broke down on his way to work. So he grabbed his skateboard, took a long swig of Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry, and filmed himself cruising peacefully down a highway while lip-syncing to "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.

The video was raw, chill, and perfectly timed. It racked up over 50 million views and 8.7 million likes on TikTok in just two weeks. As of now, the video sits at over 96.8 million views and 14.6 million likes

And Apodaca wasn’t a paid influencer—he was just doing what he always did.

How a TikTok Sparked a Hollywood-Wide Copycat Trend

The video snowballed into a cultural phenomenon. Mick Fleetwood, the Fleetwood Mac drummer gave a good-natured nod to Dogg Face, putting his own spin on the viral clip recreated the moment and joined TikTok for the first time.

Stevie Nicks rolled through with her own tribute. Then came Lindsey Buckingham, Dr. Phil, Jimmy Fallon, and even Cheech & Chong.

Ocean Spray CEO Tom Hayes jumped in too. He posted his own version of the video, juice in hand, skateboarding like Apodaca.

TikTok later launched a nationwide ad campaign featuring the moment, airing it during the NBA Finals—turning a meme into mainstream media.

A 43-Year-Old Song Climbed the Charts Overnight

The unexpected winner in all this? Fleetwood Mac.

Within days of the video going viral, "Dreams" exploded across streaming platforms. Sales tripled, streams doubled, and the song hit #1 on iTunes in several countries. It also reentered the Billboard Hot 100 after 43 years, peaking at #21.

Rolling Stone reported a 374% spike in digital sales and an 89% jump in streaming. The band gained a new generation of fans—all from a 23-second clip of a man drinking juice on a skateboard.

The Truck That Became Ocean Spray’s Best Ad Ever

A week after the video exploded, Ocean Spray delivered a cranberry red pickup truck to Apodaca, bed packed with bottles of Cran-Raspberry. It was smart, generous, and fast.

The gesture wasn't just about goodwill—it was good strategy. Ocean Spray didn’t try to hijack the moment with ads or marketing copy. They just leaned in, said thank you, and joined the fun. Hayes called it "a celebration of the happiness he spurred" and made sure the gesture felt authentic.

The brand also began posting TikToks of their own, launching hashtags like #CranberryDreams and #GoodVibes, and spotlighting user tributes.

When TikTok Marketing Beats a Multimillion Dollar Ad Buy

Apodaca gained 2.8 million followers (currently at 7.5 million) on TikTok.

• "Dreams" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 after 43 years.

• Ocean Spray earned 15 billion media impressions in a matter of weeks.

• Cran-Raspberry bottles sold out across the U.S.

• The brand spent $0 on paid media—just the cost of a truck.

No agency. No planning. Just momentum, fast thinking, and a real human moment.

Why a Skateboard TikTok Beat a $5M Super Bowl Spot in Reach

The success came down to five key ingredients:

• Authenticity: The video wasn’t sponsored, polished, or strategic. It was real, relatable, and relaxing.

• Timing + Relevance: It hit during COVID fatigue, when people were craving calm and connection.

• Rapid Brand Response: Ocean Spray didn’t overthink. They responded quickly, humanely, and creatively.

• Goodwill > Advertising: Instead of inserting themselves into the narrative, they uplifted the original creator.

• Platform Amplification: TikTok itself turned the trend into a national ad campaign, doing the heavy lifting on distribution.

Marketing strategist Mark Schaefer put it best: "This guy did more for Ocean Spray in 20 seconds than any agency had in 20 years."

What Ocean Spray and Doggface208 Did After Going Viral

Apodaca went from working at a potato warehouse to becoming a full-time creator. He launched merchandise, landed paid deals, and appeared in multiple media outlets.

Ocean Spray continued experimenting with TikTok and leaned into its new cool-factor. Adweek called it a defining moment that reshaped the brand for younger audiences.

Marketing analysts and business schools now use it as a case study on real-time brand leverage. As Brandwatch highlighted, this wasn’t about controlling the narrative—it was about moving with it.

How to Spot—and Ride—Your Brand’s Viral Moment

Track UGC like it matters. Your best campaign may already exist.

• Don’t hijack trends. Ride them, reward them, and highlight the humans behind them.

• Move fast. Slow brands get left behind.

• A small gesture can have massive payoff. One truck = 15 billion impressions.

• Let your audience make the magic. Then amplify it.

This wasn’t a fluke. It was a lesson in how modern brand marketing should work.

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