Sprite's “Thirst for Yours” campaign, launched in 2019 with Wieden + Kennedy New York, has leaned into the brand history and commitment to hip-hop music and culture. This year, it's adapted to the pandemic and the Delta variant surges with a series of virtual concerts for music fans opting to skip live performances  The price of admission? A 20 oz bottle of Sprite.

“It’s summer, it’s Sprite, it’s hip-hop,” said Aaliyah Shafiq Ely, category lead of sparkling flavors at Coca-Cola, in a statement. “Music is so instrumental to summer—from festivals to block parties, to tunes blasting from car stereos—and, given the brand’s rich heritage, we wanted to present the best possible version of a summer hip-hop experience we could in these still-uncertain times.”

Created again with agency of record Wieden + Kennedy New York, the “Live from the Label” concert series utilizes the label of Sprite and Sprite Zero bottles to grant fans admission to the concerts. The bottles include a QR code that scans for a ticket to one of three shows, including this week’s performance by rapper Saweetie (who is also the star of McDonald’s “Saweetie Meal” campaign, also from W+K NY) on Thursday, August 12. The hip-hop star will sing live from The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in her hometown of Los Angeles alongside emerging artists from Sprite’s program to champion new talent, “Sprite Way.”

“We’re purposefully pairing headliners at the top of their game with emerging talent from the Sprite Way community and inviting them to share the spotlight—because these big names started out as opening acts, too,” added Sam Beresford, senior manager of sparkling flavors at Coca-Cola. “But it’s important for us to do more than give these young acts an opening slot on a high-profile stage. We hope to create authentic, lasting connections between the headliners and openers by facilitating conversations and introductions to industry veterans.”

The livestreams include fan interaction, like chat polls and custom emojis, as well as limited-edition merchandise created by young fashion designers. The concert series began on July 29th with a performance from Latto and will conclude next Wednesday, August 18, headlined by Jack Harlow. Bottles for past shows can still be scanned to view a recording of the event even after it’s over.

“With the Sprite ‘Live From The Label’ series, your bottle is your ticket,” added Terika Fasakin, Sprite brand director. “We saw the opportunity to capitalize on the rising popularity of QR codes and livestream concerts, which both have boomed during the pandemic. And seeing how artists integrated into the digital space in creative ways during the pandemic, inspired us and gave us more credence to push forward.”

In addition to the “Live from the Label” bottles, the campaign will feature promotion on social media, streaming, radio, retail and traditional OOH.