Sprite is introducing a new limited-time product, Sprite Chill, to capitalize on the summer heat. This beverage promises to provide consumers with a refreshing cherry lime flavour and a chilling sensation. The launch of Sprite Chill is accompanied by a marketing campaign featuring Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young, also known as “Ice Trae.” The campaign includes online video ads in which Ice Trae interrupts fans who imitate his shivering signature move, presenting them with “freeze and desist” notices alongside an intellectual property lawyer.
The creative concept of the ads was inspired by the colloquial usage of the word “cold” as a reference to someone performing at their best. According to A.P. Chaney, the senior creative director for Sprite and Fanta at The Coca-Cola Company, the term is particularly resonant with African-American and Hispanic-American consumers, a key target demographic for the brand. Although initially intended as a shopper marketing campaign, Sprite Chill gained traction and evolved into a larger-scale strategy, aligning naturally with NBA star Trae Young, who has represented Sprite since 2021.
In addition to the national roll-out of Sprite Chill, there have been advertising efforts in Atlanta, Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles, as well as paid and owned social media support. The campaign creative was developed by Agency Majority, with support from WPP’s bespoke Open X unit, including EssenceMediacom, Ogilvy New York, and VML, as well as Momentum Worldwide.
Sprite Chill, available in both zero-sugar and full-sugar versions, features distinctive green and frosted blue packaging with cherry accents, adorned with cracked ice visuals to emphasize the tactile cooling effect of the beverage. This effect was achieved through a new proprietary flavour technology for Sprite, akin to methods used in the confectionery and baking industries.
To strengthen the launch of Sprite Chill, outdoor ads have been integrated with a Sprite Chill Cam on Snapchat, allowing users to upload pictures of themselves to real-life billboards. This promotion features a triptych with Young as cold, regular Sprite as coldest, and Sprite Chill as the “coldest-est.” In April, Sprite hosted an event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, offering samples of Sprite Chill and a preview of the Young commercials.
The introduction of Sprite Chill comes at a time when parent company Coca-Cola is exploring innovative products capturing unusual sensations or cultural trends, rather than just conventional flavours. Since 2022, the core Coke brand has operated a Creations platform that produces drinks formulated around dreams, outer space, and tears of joy, aiming to reach Gen Z, a group that also falls within Sprite’s target demographic.
According to Chaney, Sprite adopts a measured approach to limited-time offerings, using items like the holiday-themed Winter Spiced Cranberry in its regular rotation. The goal is to establish Chill as a platform that meets a genuine consumer need, extending beyond novelty to become a sustained product line with broad consumer appeal.
“It’s really [about] leaning into the lifestyle space and wanting to become more than just a beverage brand and also a lifestyle brand. I think Chill will help us do that,” says Chaney.
In addition to the launch of Sprite Chill, the brand has revived the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign and slogan from the ’90s, with a contemporary Gen Z angle. This latest iteration features Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, and NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, who appeared in the original ads. Sprite also operates a Gen Z council that informs product and marketing decisions, complementing traditional testing methods and social listening.
While the brand continues to work with athletes like Young and Edwards on an individual basis, Coca-Cola gave up its sponsorship of the NBA to rival PepsiCo in 2015. Nonetheless, Chaney emphasizes that basketball remains a strong consumer touchpoint for Sprite, and the brand will maintain a significant presence in the sport, competing with rival products such as PepsiCo’s Starry in the lemon-lime category.