- Sprite has unveiled the second commercial in its relaunched “Obey Your Thirst” campaign, featuring track and field athlete Sha’Carri Richardson.
- Richardson, who set a collegiate record in the 100-meter run in 2019, is the first female athlete to be featured in Sprite’s advertising in the brand’s history.
- Sprite relaunched its “Obey Your Thirst” campaign earlier this year with a television commercial featuring NBA star Anthony Edwards. The campaign, according to company executives, is rooted in empowering consumers to embrace their individuality and follow their passions.
In the commercial, Sha’Carri drinks from a Sprite while sitting in a locker room and listening to a fictional talking-head sports program. On the program, the commentators suggest she needs to “obey the rules.” Upon hearing that, Richardson turns to the camera and shrugs them off with a simple, “Nah.” Similar situations follow in which she is told to “obey the image,” “obey the pressure,” and “obey your mama.” All are met with a similar response (except, after a pause, the one about her mother, after which she says she’s just playing).
“We can think of no better first female athlete than Sha’Carri and could not be prouder,” said AP Chaney, senior director of creative for Sprite. “She is absolutely relentless in her pursuit of self-expression and lives and breathes the ‘Obey Your Thirst’ ethos through every stride she takes.”
“As a superstar athlete, Sha’Carri is bombarded with pressures and unfair critiques,” Chaney continued. “Through her participation, we want to make sure that consumers take away the message of blocking out the noise, the expectations, the negativity and to instead, Obey Your Thirst. Do what you want to do because you love it and follow those passions you feel strongly about no matter what.”
Sprite relaunched its classic campaign, which was first introduced 30 years ago, to capture the attention of a new generation, which is being “bombarded with opinions and trends about how they should be living their lives,” according to a statement from Brian Rogers, the brand’s senior director of product marketing. As the new campaign, leans heavily on sports marketing and marketing integrations, Richardson and Edwards were natural spokespeople for the brand.
“The ‘Obey Your Thirst’ mantra pushes boundaries and helps champion authenticity when it comes to the professions and passions of our consumers. We believe and know that Sha’Carri is setting an example for others to follow their dreams with determination,” Chaney said. ”Like Sha’Carri, Anthony has made a name for himself on and off the court and is known for his ability to always be himself. His confidence, self-expression, and leadership align perfectly with the brand’s ethos, making him a natural ambassador.”
The new Obey Your Thirst campaign will appear on digital and online video channels, out-of-home, audio and social, Chaney said.
