Rappers and Sprite go together like, well, lemons and limes. Or sugar and soda. You get the idea.
Since hip-hop is constantly pushing out fresh faces, from Kyle to Wondagurl, Sprite is amping up their hip-hop-focusing marketing by putting those fresh faces directly on their cans. Human sunbeam Kyle, suicide prevention awareness advocate Logic, Candadian beatmaker extraordinaire Wondagurl, former unofficial Uber spokesperson MadeinTYO, and outrageous internet comedian Jay Versace will take the form of illustrated caricatures right on the cans and bottles in Sprite’s latest campaign.
Along with the character cans, Sprite also pushed out a TV spot featuring Jay Versace’s quest to find himself a can after his companion seemingly drinks the last one in the fridge. You can check that out below.
“We drink all these different drinks, but you want a drink that rocks with you,” explains MadeinTYO of the concept. “Even the idea of collaborating with an artist. As an artist, you collab with brands that you rock with or that you think are dope.” TYO was chosen as part of the campaign after the success of his 2016 single “Uber Everywhere” made him a household name. After he was featured on the 2017 XXL Freshman cover, it was almost inevitable that his stock would begin to rise.
He says he still fits in with the “Fresh Faces” theme of Sprite’s newest campaign because “It’s so many people that don’t know me. How do you get old when half of the world doesn’t know you?” He’s still working on his debut studio album, which he says will also be his last. But we’ve heard that before, and his opportunities will only open up thanks to having his face on Sprite cans nationwide.
Wondagurl, who’s spent the majority of her career behind the scenes, producing hits from luminaries like Drake, Rihanna, Lil Uzi Vert, and Travis Scott, is actually taking her first foray into the spotlight. While her face may not be as recognizable, her visage, her voice, and most importantly, her name stand to become fixtures in pop cultures as a result of the campaign.
“It’s super cool,” she said. “I like Sprite, first off all, but this is also a really great opportunity.” She says now is the perfect time to break out as a solo star, as “now I’m feeling a bit more confident, like I can actually do this stuff. Before I didn’t want any photos taken of me. Now is the perfect time for me. And I have a lot of stuff coming out soon too.” She’s going to be taking on more DJ gigs as well, but plans on remaining firmly behind the boards: “I don’t know how to dance like DJ Khaled. He’s too good.” The shy producer says she has to take the upcoming exposure in stride because, “Random people are gonna have a Sprite with my face on it. It’s pretty different.”
Sprite has a long history of embracing hip-hop artists and the accompanying market, from the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign of the early ’90s to the Voltron: Defender Of The Universe TV spots that cast rappers as the pilots of the titular giant robot’s composite flying lions. More recently, the company has seen a reciprocal endorsement from sarcastic Long Beach futurist Vince Staples, who plugs the brand just as enthusiastically in his music as he does sardonically in the company’s own ads.
Kamaiyah, Nas, Lil Yachty, Drake, Vic Mensa, D.R.A.M., and Missy Elliott have all had their lyrics appear on cans, while Kamaiyah and Yachty both appeared in ads alongside LeBron James.
Now, rising stars Wondagurl, MadeinTYO, Logic, and Kyle join the ranks of rappers who’ve been tapped to work with Sprite, while Jay Versace is the first internet personality to receive their corporate co-sign. The cans will hit shelves this month, sold through September 2 or until they run out. Sprite’s 20-oz bottles will also feature the entertainers’ illustrated faces, while fans can use a sip & scan feature to unlock exclusive artist content on Sprite.com and play for rewards from partner brands Foot Locker, Gamestop, and more.
