Sprite Zero: Is Sprite Really Advertising For Its Competitors?

To launch Sprite Zero Sugar in Mainland China, Ogilvy Shanghai under OpenX and Sprite are taking its competitor’s head start in the market, head-on. This audacious stunt leaves drinkers wondering, "Is Sprite really advertising for its competitors?" OpenX - WPP’s bespoke team dedicated to The Coca-Cola Company globally - has created the campaign aiming to spark conversations and piquing consumer interest to try Sprite Zero Sugar with a series of videos and an AR promotion that turns the competition’s branding and positioning claim to its own advantage using a unique mix of creativity and technology. The centerpiece of this bold campaign is a film that opens on a wide-angle, blurred frame showcasing 2 sparkling drink bottles. On the right, viewers can immediately identify Sprite’s iconic green packaging. Yet on the left, the silhouette of a white bottle looks remarkably like a certain local, no sugar fizzy drink competitor. As the voiceover asks who that familiar white bottle could be while the camera progressively zooms in, a surprising revelation ensues. At the end of the film, viewers were invited to participate in an AR mobile experience sweepstakes where Sprite seemingly took their act of promoting their competitors even further. Users were offered a free Sprite Zero Sugar for every competitor’s product that they scan via WeChat’s embedded functionality, instantly transforming the other brands into a Sprite Zero Sugar bottle on their screen along with a free coupon download to sample the new product line.