Dive Brief:

• Sprite is launching a new flavor called Sprite Ginger that's being supported with a 360-degree marketing strategy, including a related streetwear collection dubbed the "Ginger Collection," the company announced on its website.
• The Coca-Cola​ brand dropped hints on social media and outdoor ads to build excitement around the drink and clothing line in the weeks leading up to the release. The campaign includes 15- and 30-second TV spots, experiential activations, point-of-sale tools, mobile and streaming audio.
• Sprite will highlight the story of up-and-coming creators who helped to develop the Ginger Collection on its social channels with giveaway offers. Streetwear designer Jeff Staple led the design team and crowdsourced a newcomer designer from his Instagram followers to add to the team. The collection, which includes T-shirts, hoodies, a skateboard deck and additional accessories, debuted this week at the store Extra Butter NYC.

Dive Insight:

By tapping hip-hop and streetwear influencers and releasing the beverage along with an apparel and accessories line — which the brand said is its first capsule collection — Coca-Cola is pitching Sprite Ginger as part of its lifestyle brand push. The social media and out-of-home rollout mirrors that of a hip-hop album or sneaker drop, where hints are released ahead of a release in order to build buzz. The new flavor and accompanying marketing push are part of the brand's "Thirst for Yours" platform, which launched last year to showcase hip-hop musicians, designers, artists, photographers and other creators.

Sprite said it developed the new flavor in response to a surge in popularity for ginger-flavored sparkling beverages. As the new flavor combines Sprite's signature lemon-lime flavor with ginger, it's also meant to be an answer to consumer interest in genre-bending brands and experiences, per the company. Sprite Lymonade, a previously launched mashup flavor, helped the brand achieve its sixth consecutive year of growth in 2019.

Other brands have designed apparel and gear in a play to build excitement beyond core products. Popeyes recently launched a line of clothing inspired by Beyoncé's Ivy Park apparel in a bid to tap into its loyal fan base. McDonald's launched a year-round e-commerce site selling branded products to engage fans with the company beyond Big Macs.

Sprite has dabbled with new flavors over the years to expand its portfolio on grocery shelves as interest in craft beverages and flavored seltzers swells. The company has cooked up Sprite Cherry, Sprite Tropical Mix and Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry as a way to offer consumers a departure from its traditional citrus flavor.