Sprite’s Cultural Reset Moves From Legacy to Live Experience and 'It's That Fresh'

Sprite look to keep satisfying their audience in creative ways with the launch of ‘It’s That Fresh,’ a global campaign that repositions the brand at the centre of contemporary culture. Rolling out across Europe, the platform signals a recalibration of how Sprite shows up across music, sport, fashion, and food. Speaking to New Wave, Oana Vlad, the Global VP of Sprite at the Coca-cola company, framed the shift as both personal and instinctive: “Sprite, being the irreverent original brand that it is, that's always championed original voices, just made me super, super excited.” For Vlad, the campaign goes beyond a professional milestone, rather a continuation of a legacy she has long been connected to through her time shaping culture-led work at Coca-Cola.

‘It’s That Fresh’ introduces a new global design language while aligning with Sprite’s longstanding ethos. Vlad explained that while the U.S. retains the iconic “Obey Your Thirst” platform, the rest of the world will adopt “It’s That Fresh”, a shift in tone, not in values. “Both platforms stand for a very similar thing, which is celebrating fresh voices and being unapologetically yourself,” she told us. The evolution reflects a more global, unified expression of Sprite’s identity, tailored to resonate across diverse cultural contexts while staying true to its roots.

That sense of continuity was central to the campaign’s development. Vlad emphasised the importance of looking back before moving forward: “Any time that a brand that's been around like Sprite for so many years takes a step into doing something new… it's really, really important to look back and understand and celebrate our heritage.” From the product experience to the brand’s values, ‘It’s That Fresh’ is built on what has always resonated, now translated into the formats and experiences that audiences expect today.

This balance of heritage and progression is particularly visible in Sprite’s renewed push into basketball. “We announced our global return to basketball… even in the years that we didn't have a partnership, people were still associating the brand with basketball,” Vlad noted. With partnerships expanding beyond the U.S., including talent like Anthony Edwards and new ties with the EuroLeague Basketball, Sprite is doubling down on a space it has long been organically connected to, while tapping into the fan communities that drive the culture around the sport.

Community sits at the heart of the strategy. As Vlad put it, “one of the most important things is those communities of fans.” Whether through global artists or local voices, Sprite is focused on connecting with new audiences in meaningful ways. That includes collaborations with talents like LeoStayTrill and Uncle Waffles, each bringing their own following and cultural context into the fold. “The question is always, how can we try to bring something meaningful to people by being there,” she added, highlighting the brand’s intent to contribute, not just participate.

The campaign’s scale is matched by its collaborative approach. Vlad described the process as “hyper-collaboration, co-creation,” spanning teams across The Coca-Cola Company, agency partners like WPP, and design studios partners. “It’s not just a campaign line,” she explained. “Everything… from the visual identity to the Sprite Sound to the new partnerships… it’s all part of this new chapter.” The result is a fully integrated platform that extends from packaging to live experiences, ensuring consistency across every touchpoint.

Central to that ecosystem is the introduction of the Sprite Sound, a first-of-its-kind sonic identity for the brand. “With an experience as bold and intense as Sprite… you have to see it, you have to taste it, feel it, and you have to hear it,” Vlad said. Developed in collaboration with Mustard, the sound draws from the product itself, bubbles, ice, the crack of a can, layered into a beat that captures the drink’s intensity. Designed to become as recognisable as Sprite’s visual identity, it will live across content, campaigns, and live activations.

The sonic world expands further through Sprite’s partnership with Ableton, which has produced a custom instrument embedded with Sprite’s signature sounds. Artists like LeoStayTrill are already using it to create original music, turning the act of drinking Sprite into a creative tool. “Musicians can actually make original music using the Sprite instrument,” Vlad noted, pointing to a future where the brand becomes a platform for artistic experimentation as much as consumption.

That philosophy of cultural immersion carried through into Sprite’s high-energy Shoreditch activation. Following our interview, we stepped into a space that brought every element of ‘It’s That Fresh’ to life, from a full basketball court to a supermarket-inspired set featuring snack partners and a first taste of new menu innovations with McDonald's. Guests customised jerseys, explored the brand’s food pairings, and experienced a physical manifestation of Sprite’s multi-sensory world. As Vlad joked when asked what her ideal Sprite party would include: “Sprite and spicy… amazing music… everyone wearing amazing streetwear”, a brief that the night delivered on in full.

Music anchored the experience, with DJ sets from Jada Kai and Kadeem Ramsey, alongside a standout performance from Little Simz. A video message from Mustard connected the global campaign to the local crowd, while LeoStayTrill’s live performance, built using Sprite’s custom sound palette, captured the essence of the platform. With ‘It’s That Fresh,’ Sprite iz refreshing its image and building a living, breathing cultural system, one that moves with its audience and amplifies the voices shaping what’s next.