Urban Youth: Sprite's Advertising Campaign

Everyone loves a soda now and then, and some take it a bit further with the decades-long feud of Pepsi vs. Coke. One brand that stands out marketing wise is Sprite. In recent years the company has crafted itself more of an urban persona, marketing almost exclusively to urban youth, especially black youth. Even more recently their ads have been self-aware, sarcastic, and borderline nonsensical in an attempt to appeal to the media savvy youth of today. However, whether they like it or not, Sprite’s unique marketing strategy has and will continue to work.

Sprite’s peculiar, historic origins evolved the company and shaped its image as a whole. During WWⅡ, Germany has experiencing a trade blockade from the Allies that controlled Europe’s industry at the time. Luxuries that were taken for granted by the

The company took notice and shifted its focus towards teenagers who embraced the then new, edgy hip hop culture. Sprite spent millions advertising to teens using hip hop artists such as Kurtis Blow and Heavy D endorsed the soft-drink, effectively ensuring lifetime customers. In the early 90’s market researchers found that teens were becoming harder to advertise to due to two factors: increasing media literacy and fast paced cycling of trends. Teenagers became aware when they were being sold to and how. Sprite instantaneously began running a series of satirical ads a notable example being a 90’s ad featuring a basketball player that would appear in the corner with money and cash register noises everytime “Sprite” was said. The company tweaked this slightly by including the latest memes, “random” humor, and purposeful editing screw ups like looping and dropped frames. This brand of cynical, wisecracking humor continues to resound with urban youth today. Sprite used market research and innovative ideas to keep its core consumer base with a timeless strategy that hasn’t gotten