ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2010– Sprite is giving teens a platform to express their creativity through music and film in the brand‘s first-ever global integrated marketing campaign, The Spark. Innovative TV commercials, an online interactive music mixer featuring content from GRAMMY® nominee Drake and a digital film mixer willinspire and enable teens to spark fresh thinking and display their originality.
Worldwide, additional artists will be showcased through The Spark campaign, including film, commercial and music video director Rik Cordero and four-time World Music Award winner, Jay Chou, in China.
“Our research shows that fresh ideas and experiences are important social currency for teens,” said Joe Tripodi,Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Whether its music, film or sport, through The Spark campaign Sprite is providing an original, interactive way for teens around the world to showcase and share their creativity with others.”
The Spark takes its name from Sprite‘s newly updated Spark logo, which captures the lemon-lime sparkling beverage‘s unique ability to refresh and invigorate. The campaign will launch in markets around the world in 2010 and across 4continents including Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. North America will lead the global launch with a campaign that embodies the essence of TheSpark.
“In the U.S. we‘re combining the global debut of the new Drake ad ‘Unleashed,’ the action of the Sprite Slam Dunk during NBA All Star 2010 and the originality of Sprite Step-Off to offer people multiple ways to experience The Spark of creativity that only Sprite can provide,” said Katie Bayne, Chief Marketing Officer,Coca-Cola North America.
TheSpark campaignis a fully integrated marketing effort that includes TV, out-of-home, digital and mobile applications.
Drake“Unleashed”
The first TV commercial for The Spark, titled “Unleashed,” features celebrated hiphop artist Drake struggling to find inspiration in the studio while recording his hit song “Forever.” Drake drinks a Sprite, helping unleash his lyrical prowess. The commercial – produced in 30- and 60-seconds versions– is airing in cinema and made its TV debut during the pregame telecast of Super Bowl XLIV. A behind-the-scenes video, available online, will give music fans a peek into the making of the commercial and showcase the innovative technology used to create the Drake look-a-like animatronics model for the ad‘s unusual special effects.
“The animatronics model is cool because it‘s an exploded version of me that shows all the components of who I am and the things that inspire my music. After I drink a Sprite, the model reassembles, leaving me completely focused to deliver the perfect take,”said Drake. “The Sprite ad ‘Unleashed’ gives a behind-the-scenes view of my process of recording a song in-studio.”
TheSpark will reach people through two stages – one focused on music and a second on film.
The Sprite Spark Music Project
The Sprite Spark Music Project, due to launch in the US in March, is an online mixing tool that will enable people to make their own tunes using stems from Drake‘s music and remixing them with music from emerging artists around the world. Fans can share their creations with friends, rate other fan remixes, and even save their favorites as mobile ring tones.

The Sprite Spark Film Project
The second stage of the campaign, the Sprite Spark Film Project is due to launch in April and provides people with the tools and content to edit their own 45-second animated films.The user calls the shots, deciding on the setting, the characters, the plot,and the ending. The result is a mini-movie in an animation style that‘s engaging, modern and cinematic.

North America
The Spark has already gained momentum in the U.S. through the brand‘s marketing partnership with the NBA and programs such as the Sprite Step Off. Since1994, Sprite has been connecting with youth through its relationship with the NBA and its presence at NBA All-Star, which is being held this year in Dallas,February 11-14. The Sprite Slam Dunk, part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night,features the league‘s top players competing in an exhibition of incredible dunks. This year‘s competition is being promoted through a series of new Sprite The Spark ads called “Spoken Word,”which use rhymes by lyrical poets to highlight the players’ creativity and authenticity on the court.
In addition, NBA All-Star will showcase the finale to the first-ever Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown, an amateur dunk contest held on February 12 in Dallas. An All-Star panel of judges will help determine the finalists in the event, including NBA All-Star and 2009 NBA Most Valuable Player presented by Kia Motors, LeBron James, NBA Legend player Darryl Dawkins and Drake— who will perform live during the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown.Sprite Spark
The Sprite Step Off is the largest college fraternity and sorority stepping competition in history,with a total prize pool of $1.5 million in college scholarships and a new MTV2docu-series that follows the six step teams as they compete in the national step competition. New out-of-home featuring LeBron James debuted earlier this month, and later this year the Sprite Film Mixer, with Rik Cordero, and Music Mixer will be launched to further support The Spark campaign.
“The many elements of the new Sprite The Spark campaign are designed to empower teens to play, experience and interact with our brand and feel their creativity come to life,” said Bayne.
Credits:
Title: Unleashed
Client: Sprite

Agency: Bartle Bogle Hegarty, New York
Chief Creative Officer: Kevin Roddy
Creative Director: Amee Shah & Matt Ian
Art Director: Erik Holmdahl
Copywriter: Beth Ryan
Head Of Broadcast: Lisa Setten
Producer: Jennifer Moore

Production Company: aWHITELABELproduct, Los Angeles
Director: Benjamin Steiger Levine
Executive Producer: Ellen Jacobson-Clarke, Annique DeCaestecker
Line Producer: Lynn Zekanis
Director of Photography: Chris Soos

Editorial Company: Cut + Run, New York
Executive Producer: Angie Aguilera
Producer: Beth Fitzpatrick
Editor: Steve Gandolfi

Visual Effects: MassMarket, New York
Executive Producer: Rich Rama
Producer: Aleen Kim
Lead Flame Artist: Nick Tanner
Flame Artists: Julian Ford, Mark French, Sarah Eim, David Parker, Joanne Ungar, John Ciampa
Jr Flame Artists: Jeen Lee, Dan Boujoulian
Designers: Greg Herman, Derek Stratton
CG Supervisor: Pakorn Bupphavesa
CG Lead Artist: Ed Manning
CG Artists: David Barosin, Jimmy Gass, Keith Kim, Eban Byrne, Ciaran Maloney
CG Modeler: Tom Cushwa
CG Trackers: Joerg Liebold, Denis Trutanic
CG/Nuke Artist: Adam Flynn
Pre-Viz Artist: Joshua Sherrett

Telecine Facility: Company 3, New York
Telecine Artist: Tom Poole

Audio Facility: Sound Lounge, Nyc
Audio Engineer: Tom Jucarone

Music Company: Squeak E Clean Productions
Executive Producer: Zach Sinick
Track Arranged By: Brent Nichols & Rusty Logsdon
Sound Designer: Steve Mccarty
Music: Title: “Forever”, Drake

Endtag Animation Company: Brand New School, Los Angeles
Executive Producer: Ned Brown
Producer: Garrett Braren
Art Director: Ludovic Shorno
Animatronics: Spectral Motion
Effects Supervisor: Mike Elizalde
Creative Consultant: Mary Elizalde
Production Coordinator: Brian Walsh
Puppeteer/Lead Animatronic Technician: Mark Setrakian

Sprite PR materials – Video and photo link at http://sprite.digitalnewsagency.com

I’ve never really been big on vermouth, but this commercial has got me feeling a little adventurous and I might just have to give the Martini a pour or two.

Routson’s lens opens on a frumpy chain-smoking woman behind the counter of an adult novelty store. She’s in the middle of a phone conversation, rattling off a list of sex toys to the caller that include the Penetrator, the Annihilator and the Wang-Zilla. But a curious thing happens when she takes a swig of her Purity Organic fruit juice. Her colorful language and matter of fact tone change. She softens and suggests cuddling, hand holding and long walks together instead. It seems that after a taste of her Purity Organic she become as pure and nurturing as the drink itself.
The Creds:

Client: Purity Organic
Spots Title: Porn Shop
Launch Date: October 2009
Prod Company: Tool of North America
Director: Tom Routson
DP: Larry Fong
EP(s): Brian Latt, Jennifer Siegel
Digital EP: Dustin Callif
Line Producer: Jeff Tanner
Production Designer: Jeffrey Beecroft
Editorial: Nomad Edit
Editor: Mike Coletta
Telecine: Company 3, NY
Audio Post: Sonic Union
Mixer/Sound Designer: Steve Rosen
Shoot Location: Los Angeles, CA