How Sprite Chill outlived its limited-time run and what’s next for Coca-Cola’s hit soda

Having exceeded its strategic objectives as a limited-time offering in Coca-Cola Co.’s soft drink lineup, Sprite Chill is officially graduating to permanent status. The Sprite variant, which includes a cherry-lime flavor and a proprietary cooling agent that provides a sensation not unlike the cooling effect of chewing gum, was released last spring. Its goals were to provide variety and innovation for Sprite fans while emphasizing Sprite’s “refreshment” brand attribute and expanding its basketball association with marketing featuring Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards represents original Sprite). Sprite Chill was expected to be retired last summer, just as Sprite Lymonade Legacy was in 2023. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today But Sprite Chill wouldn’t go away. Coca-Cola found it expanded the brand’s audience particularly among Gen Alpha and Gen Z consumers, and helped to turn away a challenge from PepsiCo’s insurgent Starry, which is the official NBA sponsor. The cooling innovation worked as executives hoped it would, supporting marketing calling it the “coldest-est” Sprite ever, and customers really liked it—so much so they took to social media demanding it remain as a part of the lineup. It was the top-selling new item for Coca-Cola in North America in 2024. “This was a success on all fronts for us,” Kate Schaufelberger, brand manager for Sprite, said in an interview. “It meaningfully grew our household penetration. It recruited new consumers into the trademark, which is something we strive for with any type of launch or brand activation. … Beyond the business accolades, we had a very, very strong consumer response to this product. They were demanding that it stay.” Sprite Chill garnered more than 1.1 billion media impressions in its first year, with 98% positive sentiment, Coca-Cola said. @thethiccpapi Sprite gotta Chill with these flavors 😏❄️ @Sprite . . . . #soda #sprite #drink #new #review ♬ MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS) - Tommy Richman Marketing shift Beverage marketers are keenly aware that not all product launches will succeed. Coca-Cola Spiced, which launched last year as a “permanent” addition to the Coke lineup, was discontinued before the end of the year. And Pepsi is currently phasing out its innovative Nitro Pepsi product after a heralded launch in 2022. Making Sprite Chill a permanent part of the lineup will require marketers to shift their perspective from success in the moment to growth over the long term, Schaufelberger said. “We have to ensure we foster its growth and continue to double down on it in the coming years, and not treat it as a single moment in time.” So, while Sprite Chill will continue to use Young as a brand ambassador, it will also be partnering with the emerging music platform Black House Radio to broaden its cultural reach. And, like any new brand, there will be broad sampling and field marketing to encourage awareness and trial. The brand will be partnering with some of Coca-Cola’s key bottlers and heading to key cities throughout the year “at culturally relevant events to … make sure consumers are getting to discover this and try it for the first time,” Schaufelberger said. Sprite Chill’s target customer is younger than that of its parent brand, Schaufelberger said. Its mindset is that of a confident early adopter who’s not afraid to express themselves creatively, or share opinions with friends and family. “We see the synergy of how Sprite can belong in our target consumers’ lifestyle for chill—specifically the idea of acting at your coldest. It naturally nests in the idea of authenticity and being yourself,” said Schaufelberger. Marketing for Sprite Chill plays off Young’s “chilly” celebration gesture. Creative was developed by Majority and supported by WPP Open X, including EssenceMediacom, Ogilvy New York and VML, alongside Momentum Worldwide. @sprite The coldest, @TheTraeYoung takes on the coldest-est in the game. #SpriteChill ♬ original sound - Sprite Cooling agent Schaufelberger declined to reveal details of the cooling agent used in Sprite Chill, but said it was similar to those used in the confectionary industry for gums or candies. Other beverages including some energy drinks are said to employ such ingredients as part of their formulations, although Coca-Cola professes to be unaware of them. The cherry-lime flavor of Sprite Chill complements the cooling sensation, said Schaufelberger. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sprite (@sprite) Sprite Chill’s status as a permanent product can be seen by it parenting its own variant. A strawberry-kiwi flavor will be launched as an LTO in Walmart stores in late March, responding to consumer demand for more flavor in carbonated soft drinks, an opportunity Coke executives are keen to meet. Schaufelberger said Sprite Chill would also look to establish a “broader chill environment” beyond the bottle. “We’re thinking about frozen, about Freestyle machines and how we can make sure consumers can find this and experience this wherever they can find Sprite.” Regular Sprite, the fifth-largest U.S. carbonated soft drink brand by dollars, grew dollar sales by 2% at U.S. retail in 2024, finishing the year with roughly 6% market share, according to Beverage Digest figures. Starry had a challenging second year, declining by 14% in 2024. It held less than half a share point, Beverage Digest said. “It doesn’t appear that Sprite has missed a beat when it comes to the Starry challenge,” Duane Stanford, publisher of Beverage Digest said. “As Chill has shown, Coca-Cola is using Sprite to take full advantage of the flavor trend within carbonated soft drinks.”

How Sprite Chill outlived its limited-time run and what’s next for Coca-Cola’s hit soda

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