Welcome back to “The O.C.,” bitch – well, sort of. Nearly 21 years after everyone’s favorite coastal drama first premiered on TV, Rachel Bilson is getting back into character for a cheeky 21Seeds campaign reintroducing audiences to Summer Roberts – and perhaps, their new favorite tequila.
Aptly titled “Serving Summer,” the campaign sees Bilson reprise her beloved role through a series of three 15-second ad spots: “The Spicy Delivery,” which features the 21Seeds Cucumber Jalapeño Tequila and a spicy encounter from Summer’s past; “The V.O.C.,” which features the 21Seeds Valencia Orange Tequila and a reattempt at Summer’s staple catchphrase; and “The Paloma Party,” where Summer uses a 21Seeds Grapefruit Hibiscus Tequila to mix a Seed Paloma to pool-party perfection – and encounters a similar yogalates debacle from the original series.
In collaboration with the show’s creators, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage – who helped bring these ads to life – the campaign has everything that first made audiences fall in love with the nostalgic series: a touch of drama, a nod to the original’s intro with a stunning pan over Orange County’s coastline, and an inimitable West Coast vibe that few television shows have ever been able to capture.
As for how it felt slipping back into the world of the sun-drenched, Y2K-centric drama, Bilson tells PS: “It was so easy – like, alarmingly so. Some of the iconic lines from the show, we got to revisit, which was a lot of fun. It just felt so natural and normal.”
While there aren’t any concrete plans for a reboot of “The O.C.” – at least not at the time of this publishing – Bilson teases that while it’s “up to the powers that be,” she certainly wouldn’t be opposed to revisiting that world again. “If we could get everybody back together, it would be amazing – it would be so cool. But I’m also OK with leaving it [because] what we had was so special. And if it was that, that’s great. If everybody wants to do it again, that’s great, too. Either way, I’m just super grateful.”
We spoke with Bilson about what it meant to bring back her “The O.C.” character, her favorite ways to enjoy 21Seeds tequila (especially during the summer), and all of the other product essentials she can’t live without. From a flavored lip balm and an adjustable pillow to a sporty personal carry-on bag, keep reading to shop her favorite product must haves.
