Soft drink brand Sierra Mist will unveil its first animated web series, On the Bubble, during a Comic-Con panel discussion on Friday, July 25. Co-created by Adam de la Pena (Code Monkeys), the series takes a humorous look at current events through the eyes of five wannabe reporters from fictional Middle Town Community College. A new episode will debut every Wednesday on www.OnTheBubbleNews.com.
On the Bubble revolves around a group of tech-savvy college kids who, despite having no budget and few resources, create an online news program from their dorm room that appears to be falling apart at the seams. The two- to three-minute episodes will offer satirical commentary on real news, while also focusing on the five anchors’ interactions with one another. News segments will include ‘Tool Bag of the Week,’ ‘What the Hell?!’ and ‘My Bad.’
‘We essentially asked the question, ‘what if we could combine the cross-cultural appeal of animated shows such as Family Guy and South Park, with the idea of developing an alternative news source such as The Daily Show or certain blogs?” says Frank Cooper, VP of portfolio brands, Pepsi-Cola North America. ‘Adam immediately understood the power of the idea and pulled together an amazing team to bring On the Bubble to life.’
Working with de la Pena and the producers at medium, an entertainment content studio and sister company to Levity Ent., Sierra Mist enlisted a team of animation and comedy industry professionals including Worldwide Biggies CEO Albie Hecht, Emmy-winning animation director Mark Salisbury and South Park writer Glasgow Phillips. De la Pena will be joined in the voice cast by Dana Snyder from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, as well as Liz Loza, Andy Sipes and Jordan Black.
The series’ official launch will take place during an open panel discussion on Friday, July 25 at 2 p.m. in room 7AB during Comic-Con San Diego. De la Pena will introduce the cast and the animation team behind the show, and will reveal a special, one-time-only On the Bubble screening produced exclusively for Comic-Con fans. The Q & A portion of the panel will offer aspiring animators and comedic content creators insightful tips on getting their ideas green lit by major brands eager to discover and invest in up-and-coming talent.
