Sharon S Gordon 
Sprite Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop with Star-Studded Summer Campaign
Sprite, a brand deeply rooted in hip-hop culture for over 35 years, is gearing up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking genre. The summer campaign promises to be an electrifying tribute to hip-hop’s past, present, and future, featuring renowned legends and emerging stars, a limited-edition flavor, sponsorship of a highly anticipated concert tour, and an array of exclusive merchandise and experiences.
Honoring Hip-Hop Icons: Nas, Rakim, Latto, and GloRilla take center stage in Sprite’s fresh and vibrant creative, paying homage to the essence of hip-hop. The campaign’s foundation is a remix of The Sugarhill Gang’s iconic “Rapper’s Delight,” the first-ever hip-hop song to reach the Billboard Top 40. This modern rendition blends memorable verses from both classic and contemporary artists, delivering a time-traveling love letter that celebrates hip-hop’s profound influence on popular culture over the past five decades.
A Legacy of Hip-Hop Credibility: A.P. Chaney, Creative Director for Sprite North America, emphasizes the brand’s unmatched hip-hop credentials. Sprite has been an integral part of the hip-hop movement since before it gained mainstream popularity, consistently supporting and amplifying the culture’s impact on music, sports, and fashion. As a brand deeply immersed in hip-hop, Sprite’s commitment to paying homage to the genre’s rich heritage is unquestionable.
Introducing Sprite Lymonade Legacy: In sync with honoring hip-hop history, Sprite introduces the limited-time-only (LTO) flavor called Sprite Lymonade Legacy. This remix of the classic crisp, lemon-lime refresher adds a twist of strawberry lemonade, inspired by fan requests on social media. Available in various packaging formats at retailers nationwide, this new flavor will also be exclusively offered in fountain and frozen formats at 7-Eleven stores.
The Summer of Drops: Both the original Sprite and Sprite Lymonade Legacy packaging feature a fresh design that captures the spirit of summer and the refreshing taste of Sprite. Drawing inspiration from hip-hop’s journey, the design incorporates elements like boomboxes, studio mixers, and other iconic tech tools synonymous with the genre. By scanning QR codes found on the packaging, fans can access digital “drop shops” with exciting giveaways, including exclusive content featuring Latto and Rakim, autographed Nas hats, GloRilla tour tees, a gold mic from Latto, and Rakim’s directorial slates from the TV commercial shoot.
Experiential Prizes and Partnerships: The campaign includes premier experiential giveaways, such as Rolling Loud Lifetime Passes and meet-and-greet tickets for Drake’s highly anticipated “It’s All A Blur” summer tour, with Sprite as the lead beverage sponsor. This collaboration marks the continuation of Drake’s longstanding partnership with Sprite, which began in 2012 with the “Spark” multinational campaign. The tour will be Drake’s first series of concerts in five years.Decades of Hip-Hop Collaboration: Sprite’s association with hip-hop dates back to 1986 when rapper Kurtis Blow became one of the first hip-hop artists featured in a national mainstream ad. The brand continued its support by featuring renowned artists like LL Cool J, Kris Kross, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, A Tribe Called Quest, and Grand Puba in subsequent campaigns. Nas made his debut in a Sprite ad alongside AZ in 1997, and Rakim first appeared in 2016’s “Obey Your Verse – Lyrical Collection” spot. Sprite’s commitment to hip-hop was further demonstrated through the virtual “Live From The Label” concert series in 2021.
Source: The Coca Cola Company
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