Sprite Urging Youth to Obey Themselves in a New Series of Ads

Sprite has launched an international campaign calling younger consumers to listen to their own desires and follow their own truths. The effort dubbed “Obey You” includes a series of 20 films, where the voice behind the camera—the voice of Sprite—encourages teens and young adults to stay true to themselves in any situation of life.

The new push builds around the “Obey” message that has been used by the brand for years. The “Obey Your Thirst” tagline, introduced back in 1994, evolved into the shorter “Obey” slogan in 2007. Now, we see the next phase of the Sprite motto’s life.

The new push includes 20 light-hearted and somewhat humorous vignettes that play around various themes from the life of modern youth. Set to the electronic beat, each spot has the “voice of Sprite” that explains the situations and outlines Sprite’s role in delivering intense lemon-lime refreshment to those who need it. The locations for the ads include a locker room, an elevator, a bedroom, a street basketball pitch, a cinema, a café and many more.

The NYC-based Johannes Leonardo agency developed the campaign, which will also include outdoor elements featuring close-up and macro photography of the thirst quenching soda. The 20 Sprite-to-Sprite ads, already available on the brand’s YouTube channel, have been aired in Canada and will be soon launched in other markets. So far, the brand doesn’t say where exactly.

“Sprite has always shunned advertising clichés, choosing instead to encourage teens to obey their thirst. With this latest body of work, we continue this legacy by turning the conversation on Sprite itself. We hear the voice of Sprite encouraging Sprites around the world to be true to who they are and what they do—bringing the world the ultimate in honest-to-goodness refreshment,” says Jonathan Mildenhall, VP, global advertising strategy and content excellence, The Coca-Cola Company.