How Five Tier’s Team Created the Year of Pop with Popchips

The saga of "The Year of Pop" with Popchips began with a series of odd encounters. Talent scouts, enigmatic brand consultants, and curious visitors all seemed inexplicably drawn to our office. We took these peculiar events in stride—after all, it's all part of the NYC charm.

Then December rolled around, and the pieces fell into place. We were invited to compete on AMC's "The Pitch," a reality TV showdown where advertising agencies vie for a major brand's favor. It turned out, the mysterious visits had been preparing us for this moment.

Within a whirlwind ten days, under the relentless gaze of cameras capturing our every move for an international audience, we crafted "The Year of Pop" campaign for Popchips—a campaign designed not just to go viral, but to sustain its momentum throughout the year, seeding the idea of "the greatest viral video ever."

Our efforts culminated in a triumph. Not only did we win the Popchips account, but the campaign itself became a phenomenon, amassing millions of submissions and soaring visibility. We effectively closed the chapter on brands chasing the viral dragon since, by its nature, true viral content cannot be manufactured—it must be born of authenticity.

And the cherry on top? Popchips’ sales doubled during "The Year of Pop," propelling the brand to new heights in a fiercely competitive market. This period of remarkable growth was perfectly encapsulated by CEO Keith Belling's testament—an endorsement that was as genuine as our campaign: youtu.be/m7aBLaCs5dI.