Leah Caplanis (B.B.A. ’05, Marketing) is on a mission to keep you (and your social life) healthy.
After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 26, Caplanis decided to heal holistically. As a result, she became much more conscious of her health and changed her diet and lifestyle. But there were parts of that lifestyle that she couldn’t find a healthy alternative to replace; like many young professionals, Caplanis enjoys the occasional adult beverage with friends and colleagues.
So she decided to solve the problem by creating something she could enjoy without comprising her commitment to clean eating.
“We began creating SOCIAL with a concept. I knew I wanted to meet women’s needs, so I went out and asked them what they wanted in a product,” Caplanis said. “We then designed our logo and packaging, and our idea was then accepted into the New Venture Program at the University of Chicago. This program gave us the funding and the connections to further develop our product.”
Connections like Izze Sparkling Soda co-founder Ray Klimovitz, who helped push her idea further. After finding a beverage company to develop her product, Caplanis received some samples and her sparking sake wine was born.
In 2014, SOCIAL Sparking Wine was officially launched in its original Hibiscus Cucumber flavor. The organic beverage is the first alcoholic beverage to include full nutritional information on the label and contains 88 calories, no gluten, and no sulfites. The brand also donates 1% of proceeds to non-profit organizations.
SOCIAL lives up to its name in more way than one—the brand also offers influencers to sell the product through their own personal blogs and social media as part of the SOCIAL Babe Affiliate program. The SOCIAL Babe Ambassador program creates the opportunity for people to demonstrate and represent SOCIAL in stores and at events.
“Both of our affiliates and ambassadors are people who reflect our happy, healthy message to the world,” Caplanis explained.
Today, SOCIAL can be found in 24 states and in three flavors. Since launch, it’s earned over one million in revenue and is sold in major retailers like Meijer, Publix, and Kroger. Caplanis expects her brand to go national by the end of the year, and a fourth flavor is set to be released next month.
About Leah:
Caplanis chose to study marketing because of her combined interest in psychology and communication. She chose to attend WMU for the Haworth College of Business and because she liked the creative vibe in Kalamazoo. As a student she enjoyed staying involved on campus as part of the Western Student Association where she served on the executive board, Delta Sigma Pi, and—Students Socializing Sober. Caplanis also founded LEAP, a leadership development program for the WSA.
Caplanis, who now lives and works in Chicago, has good advice for current students and recent graduates seeking a path in marketing:
“Get as much sales experience as possible. Working in retail, working as a waitress, it can all help you get your start in marketing. As long as you are out there communicating about a product, you are getting experience. In business, it is really important to understand people. I personally waitressed throughout high school and college at The Union Cabaret & Grille, and I learned a lot through my experiences there.”
SOCIAL Sparking Wine can be found in a number of stores or can be purchased online. To learn more, visit SOCIALsparklingwine.com.