Live From The Label: Sprite Pairs Hip-Hop Headliners With Emerging Artists for Virtual Summer Concert Series

Live from The Label features multi-platinum-selling songwriter and rapper Saweetie, GRAMMY-nominated rapper Jack Harlow and more.

Sprite—which has championed hip-hop culture for more than three decades—is teaming up with three of the genre’s hottest names to spotlight three up-and-coming opening acts this summer with the Live From The Label virtual concert series.

The brand kicks off the program in Sprite’s hometown of Atlanta with a performance by Latto, the city’s first solo female rapper to go gold and platinum, on July 29 via the “Stage 1” bottle. The second show takes place on the West Coast on Aug. 12 via the “Stage 2” bottle with multi-platinum-selling songwriter and rapper, Saweetie, and GRAMMY-nominated rapper Jack Harlow will take the stage as the final “Stage 3” performer on Aug. 18.

Fans can score access to the livestreams with purchase of 20-oz. Live From The Label bottles of Sprite or Sprite Zero Sugar. Hitting shelves nationwide in June, the bottles feature QR codes that can be scanned to unlock the livestream concerts, replays of previous shows, exclusive merch giveaways and reminders for future shows.

“With the Sprite Live From The Label series, your bottle is your ticket,” said 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.”
 

“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,” said Sam Beresford, senior manager, sparkling flavors. “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.”
 

”Thirst for Yours” Digital Platform Showcases Hip-Hop Artists

The latest chapter of the multi-year “Thirst For Yours'' platform continues Sprite’s legacy of showcasing hip-hop tastemakers and innovators, and supporting the dreams of emerging multicultural creators. “Thirst for Yours”, which launched in 2019, pays homage to the brand’s longstanding connection to hip-hop culture by “putting on” young tastemakers and innovators shaping the future of the genre.

Fan-tapped artists from the Sprite Way community will kick off each Live from The Label show. The brand will present each headliner with a shortlist of Sprite Way acts to pick as their openers and mentor leading up to the show in a series of Zoom calls and other curated interactions.

Live From the Label Summer Shows

Live From The Label shows will take place on the very stages where the headliners got their start. Each livestream will incorporate a unique production theme and include interactive elements, from chat and poll features to customized Sprite emojis. The shows also will feature exclusive merch drops created by young fashion designers, promoted on Sprite’s and the headliner’s social channels and available via surprise-and-delight giveaways.

A robust, social media-driven marketing program will promote the Live From The Label series—educating fans on how to access the livestreams, telling the stories of the headliners and openers, and highlighting the limited-edition merch. Outdoor, retail and streaming/local radio also will help spread the word.

“It’s summer, it’s Sprite, it’s hip-hop,” said Aaliyah Shafiq Ely, category lead, sparkling flavors. “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.”

Sprite & Social Responsibility

Sprite has played an active, vocal role in societal conversations over the last 18 months. “The Give Back” collaboration used Sprite’s resources to celebrate community partners working to support creators and communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and racial inequality. The brand also debuted a TV commercial, “Dreams Realized”, during the 2020 BET Awards telecast showcasing Black America’s resilience, excellence, and optimism. The 60-second spot emphasizes Sprite’s commitment to making young Black creators’ dreams a reality and inspires the next generation to do more and dream bigger.

In the fall, Sprite encouraged fans to use their voices at the polls during the November elections and beyond through the #CreateYourFuture non-partisan voter education program, which gives young creators a platform to share why they vote and use the brand’s resources, reach and partners in the hip-hop community to amplify these expressions.

Live From The Label extends Sprite’s timely, tuned-in support of young Black creatives. “What Sprite does best is use passion points to connect with fans in culturally relevant ways reflective of where they’ve been and what they’ve experienced,” said A.P. Chaney, creative director, sparkling flavors. “We always want to make sure we stay true to our core consumers and the issues on their minds.”