Cardi B isn’t sugarcoating things in new Zevia ad spots

Cardi B joins Zevia’s latest campaign to keep it real at the height of demand for healthier soda alternatives.

No one has ever accused Cardi B of sugarcoating things. Now she’s cashing in on that reputation in a whole new set of ads.

The 33-year-old Grammy-winning rapper stars in Zevia’s new campaign as a “real talk” interpreter who says the quiet part out loud.

In the first ad spot, the “Am I the Drama?” artist sips from a green can of Zevia, a brand of zero-calorie, zero-sugar beverages sweetened naturally with the stevia plant, while seated in the middle of a high school guidance counselor meeting between a student and his mother. As the conversation unfolds, Cardi translates the passive-aggressive politeness into what she says everyone is really thinking.

When the guidance counselor tells the mother her son is falling behind, the rap star cuts in, “He’s saying your son is stupid.” Then, when the mother responds that he may need a more rigorous environment than the school offers, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper interprets it as, “She’s saying your school is stupid.”

In the next spot, Cardi B is once again sipping her soda, this time in the middle of an exchange between two Black women at a community potluck, a scene many Black social media users have clocked as resembling a church function. After one woman politely declines to try the dish the other brought, Cardi deadpans, “She’s saying your kitchen dirty.” By the end of both ads, the message is clear: Cardi B doesn’t do fake sweetness, and neither does Zevia.

The campaign comes as zero-sugar soda continues to outpace the broader category, reflecting growing consumer demand for the taste and refreshment of traditional soda without sugar, artificial sweeteners or other artificial ingredients, according to a release. Known for her candor and to keep it real, the “I Like It” rapper was a “natural fit” for Zevia’s latest campaign.

“Let me tell you something, I’m always going to say exactly what’s on my mind, and that’s why Zevia and I are perfect for one another,” Cardi said in a release. “Zevia keeps it real with the ingredients, and I’ve never been one to bite my tongue. With ‘Real Talk Interpreter,’ we’re bringing that same energy to everyday moments and saying what everyone is really thinking.”

The campaign is also making its way into stores through custom retail displays featuring Cardi B, bringing the partnership from social media feeds and TV screens to the soda aisle. Beginning later this week, fans can submit their most awkward, overly filtered or confusing texts, emails and DMs on Instagram and TikTok for a chance to have Cardi personally interpret them on her and Zevia’s social media channels.

Fans can also enter a sweepstakes for the chance to win weekly prizes, along with a grand prize package featuring exclusive autographed Cardi B merchandise and free Zevia. Entries can be submitted by visiting Zevia’s Real campaign page or by scanning QR codes on participating in-store displays nationwide.