130 Years Young: Topo Chico Celebrates Anniversary Milestone With Heritage-Inspired Campaign

Topo Chico is celebrating its 130^th anniversary in 2025 with a year-long campaign that simultaneously pays homage to the brand’s rich heritage and raises a glass (bottle) to the cultural icon’s future.

Since 1895, Topo Chico has been bottled from the same natural source in Cerro del Topo Chico in northern Mexico. The brand has cultivated a loyal fanbase in its home country and, most recently, the United States.

“Topo Chico has built a cult following, yet few people know its Mexican origin story or the significance of its name,” said Fred Mitchell, senior marketing director, Coca‑Cola North America. “To celebrate our 130^th birthday, we’re leaning into the lore that has shaped its mystical identity and cultural legacy.”

At the heart of the anniversary campaign is a series of narrated films that bring to life three Topo Chico legends. “Princess” tells the story of a century Aztec Princess who, after suffering from a mysterious illness and being given seven days to live, drank from the spring of Cerro del Topo Chico and was suddenly healed. “Good Year” shares how a 1902 volcano on the island of Martinique raised the temperature of the Topo Chico spring in Monterrey by six degrees, sparking rumors of heightened senses, bold behavior and fiery energy. Finally, “Special Delivery” introduces viewers to the Music Hotel, which hosted go-go bands and mariachis atop Topo Chico mountain in the late-1960s. Locals claim to still hear echoing guitars through the hills on warm nights. A 2-min. anthology, “The Source of the Legend”, fuses pieces of all three stories.

“These tales are based in truth, but like all good legends, they have evolved over time,” said Luke Perkins, group director, creative strategy. “It was incredibly fun for us to dig deep into Topo Chico’s storied history and present these legends with a blend of accuracy and imagination.”

Developed by acclaimed Mexican director Rodrigo Valdes at Superprime and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, the films were shot in Mexico City and Pachuca, leveraging Valdes’ local Mexican production company to service the job with guidance from university historians to ensure cultural and historical accuracy.

“It was very important for us to get this right and fully honor Topo Chico’s Mexican roots,” Mitchell said. “Our challenge was to create ‘infotainment’ that would bring the brand to more people without selling out or losing touch of who we are.”

The integrated campaign will come to life across multiple channels — from in-store merchandising and out-of-home creative, to digital and social activations, to grassroots events and experiences. Vintage Topo Chico labels from 1895, 1912, 1926, 1943 and 1970 will grace bottles in 12-packs alongside commemorative "130 Years" packaging in participating retailers including Kroger, Walmart, Albertson's Safeway and Whole Foods. Consumers can scan the limited-edition labels to unlock an immersive, Augmented Reality (AR) storytelling experience.

The campaign drops at a pivotal time for the premium sparkling water brand, which is expanding nationwide in 2025. Since acquiring Topo Chico in 2017, The Coca‑Cola Company has taken a thoughtful approach to growing the brand’s presence while preserving its authenticity. Innovations like Topo Chico Sabores, a line of premium sparkling waters made with real fruit juice and herbal extracts, are extending its reach beyond the mineral water category.

“We’ve remained focused on growing Topo Chico in the right way by honoring its legacy and staying true to what makes it so unique,” Mitchell says. “Looking ahead, we’ll continue to expand thoughtfully, prioritizing channels that add long-term value.”

The Coca‑Cola Company’s connection to Topo Chico dates back to the 1920s, when the first Coca‑Cola in Mexico was bottled at a Topo Chico facility. Arca Continental, Coke’s second-largest bottling partner in Latin America, has bottled and distributed Topo Chico for nearly 40 years.