Sprite has been a central proponent of Hip-Hop music and culture dating back to the 1980s and that synergy remains true more than almost four decades later. As Hip-Hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer, Sprite launched a new campaign last week featuring notable figures Rakim, Nas, Latto, and GloRilla.
Sprite first joined forces with Hip-Hop back in 1986 with a commercial spot with Kurtis Blow and over the years worked alongside the likes of Grand Puba, A Tribe Called Quest, Missy Elliott, LL Cool J, and others.
For its summer campaign, Long Island, N.Y. legend Rakim, Queensbridge lyricist Nas, Georgia’s Latto, and rising Memphis star GloRilla all appear in a new spot for the popular soft drinks brand. The commercial runs concurrently with the release of a limited-edition flavor and the sponsorship of a concert tour along with merch drops and fan experience opportunities.
Using an interpolation of The Sugarhill Gang’s classic “Rapper’s Delight” track, the quartet runs through their bars paying homage to the culture that pays them with plenty of shots of Sprite featured in the commercial.
A.P. Chaney, Creative Director for Sprite North America, said the brand’s longstanding hip-hop credentials are unmatched.
“Our resume speaks for itself,” A.P. Chaney, Creative Director for Sprite North America., said. “Sprite took a chance on hip-hop before it was cool, and has always been of the culture, not only for the culture. We’ve shown up for both moments big and small, amplifying the endless possibilities of the now-omnipresent hip-hop lifestyle and its profound impact on music, sports and fashion. So, it’s only fitting that we pay homage to all hip-hop has been, is and will be.”
Well said.
Keeping with the theme of the campaign, the brand remixed its original flavor with the drop of its limited-edition Lymonade Legacy, a blast of strawberry lemonade that still retains that crisp bite of flavor. At 7-Eleven, the Lymonade Legacy is an exclusive fountain drink and frozen drink flavor.
Fans of the original and new fans of Lymonade Legacy will both feature new designs coinciding with the birth of Hip-Hop. QR codes will appear on the beverage offerings over the summer for fans to enter online “Drop Shops” complete with giveaways and other content that showcase a creative nod from the artists mentioned in the summer campaign.
“Our “Summer of Drops” focuses on our fans’ passion points — music, fashion, art and entertainment — and draws inspiration from sneakerhead drop culture,” Aaliyah Shafiq Ely, VP, Sparkling Flavors Category, added in a comment. “The diverse array of prizes offers something for everyone to get excited about, and our overall campaign is the latest example of Sprite responding to what fans want with both experiences and products.”
Some of those experiences and products include meet-and-greet tickets for Drake’s “It’s All A Blur” and lifetime passes to the Rolling Loud festivals. For Drake, this marks the 11th year since he’s partnered with Sprite, and his tour is his first such outing in five years.
To learn more about Sprite’s summer campaign, click here. Keep scrolling to see the aforementioned ad.
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Photo: Sprite
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