all photos by Elliot Suhr

This post was written by Veronica Lim

Last month we were fortunate to sit down with DRY Soda’s Digital Marketing Manager, Garth Purkett, in the DRY Soda office found downtown in Pioneer Square. Not only did we want to learn about Garth’s day-to-day job at Dry Soda but also how the company came to be as well as where it’s going. Especially in this day and age of digital platforms where many businesses are utilizing resources such as Digital Marketing Serv pro and others like it, to create a presence online that can help them with their marketing efforts. If a business started many years ago like DRY Soda, they have had to learn to adapt, so it is interesting to see how this came about and what they did to shake up their plans.

Founded in 2005 by Sharelle Klaus, DRY Soda has been working out of Pioneer Square since 2007. In a cozy, yet modern office, visitors are immediately greeted with a tasting bar the moment they walk through the doors. The rest of the office is lined with cases of soda along bright orange walls, reflecting a playful and creative space.

Initially intended for white cloth table dining, DRY Soda has transformed into a food-focused demographic that still ultimately aims for being a better soda. As we sat down with Garth, we learned about his daily tasks – which include running contests, day-to-day graphic design, and running DRY Soda’s social media. Rather than typical posts and hype, Garth tries to, “create fun content that actually matters to people.”

This mentality is what led DRY Soda to current Creative Director, Richard Blais, Top Chef All-Star. Richard first discovered DRY Soda at Ace Hotel in New York. While tweeting about National Left Handers day, Garth caught Richard’s attention and eventually looped Sharelle into the conversation.

Gearing towards a food-focused demographic, Richard plays a large role in introducing new flavors. Only seven flavors were available in bottles up until July 1st when cans and new flavors were launched. The new form factor being cans provide more opportunity for followers to buy the soda where glass bottles may not make most sense. Right now, apple and ginger are the newest addition to the DRY Soda family.

Making innovation a priority, Garth eagerly shared with us an app available for smart phone users. The app features wine pairings, cocktail recipes, food pairings, as well as a store locator making DRY Soda even more accessible.

When asked what separates DRY Soda from neighbor Jones Soda, Garth notes that the company is about:

• Keeping it simple
• Keeping the flavors interesting – flavor forward
• Keeping it culinary focused

Because, “Every sip leaves you ready for the next one.”

Garth and the rest of the team don’t show any signs of slowing down. For now, the DRY Soda team is focused on cans and developing new flavors. To find out more about DRY Soda, check them out here or reach out to them via Twitter at @DRYSoda.