How Sprite Brewed Up A Viral Success With Its New Sprite + Tea Launch
Wibits Web Solutions LLP
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What happens when you blend consumer curiosity with bold innovation? You get Sprite + Tea - a new twist on a classic that’s taking the market by storm.
In a competitive beverage landscape, Sprite just served up a masterclass in social listening, innovation, and cultural relevance. Recently surpassing Pepsi to become the No. 3 carbonated soft drink in the U.S., Sprite is proving it’s more than just a lemon-lime soda, it’s a brand that listens, adapts, and moves fast.
The latest flavor, Sprite + Tea, is the result of a TikTok-fueled trend where users placed tea bags into bottles of Sprite. What started as a fun DIY experiment exploded online, drawing millions of views and sparking an unexpected product development journey.
From TikTok Trend to Supermarket Shelf
What’s fascinating is that Sprite + Tea started as an intern-led research project. When Coca-Cola’s R&D team noticed the viral traction the “tea bag in Sprite” trend was gaining, they didn’t just observe, they acted. Within months, a new product was in development, backed by strong consumer validation from social media.
"This was an organic, consumer-first insight," said Kate Schaufelberger , Sprite’s North America brand director. “It was a ripe opportunity to take a grassroots idea and make it our own.”
Available in both regular and zero-sugar varieties, Sprite + Tea is positioned as a bold, refreshing alternative to traditional iced tea drinks that taps into both nostalgia and novelty.
A Disruptive Campaign With Cultural Roots
The marketing campaign is equally refreshing. Sprite teamed up with Eastside Golf , a lifestyle brand that blends hip-hop and basketball culture with golf, a sport often seen as rigid and exclusive. The result is a playful ad spot called “The Fix”, featuring co-founders Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper offering Sprite + Tea to a struggling golfer dreaming of instant greatness.
Spoiler: the drink doesn’t fix his swing. But it does deliver serious flavor.
This tongue-in-cheek message plays perfectly into Sprite’s iconic “Obey Your Thirst” positioning- embracing realness, individuality, and cultural storytelling. The campaign spans TV, digital, outdoor, and social channels, all highlighting the product’s unique identity: “Not your granny’s sweet tea.”
Marketing Lessons You Can Learn
Sprite’s rollout of this new flavor provides a rich playbook for marketers:
From a viral moment to a refreshing new product, Sprite + Tea is more than just a flavor launch. It’s a blueprint for modern, consumer-led marketing and that’s innovation with a twist.