Dive Brief:

• Coca-Cola brand Sprite has launched "Get Vocal," encouraging young fans to share their voices on issues that matter to them, according to a company news story. 
• The brand worked with Izze the Producer to create a 60-second beat, which fans can download at GetVocalSprite.com and use to record their own freestyle to share on social media with hashtag #GetVocal. Sprite enlisted several other hip-hop names to join the campaign, including Rae Sremmurd, Wale, Tierra Whack, YBN Cordae, DJ Drama, Smino, and Killumantii. The brand also partnered with fashion and culture network VFILES to select 20 emerging artists to create #GetVocal freestyles on their social channels.
• In addition, Sprite hosted a Green Carpet event at this year's BET Hip Hop Awards, and rapper and brand partner MadeinTYO interviewed celebrities about self-expression at the Sprite-sponsored "Get Vocal" stage. A "Get Vocal" ad, which was produced by VFILES and featured several participating artists, debuted during the broadcast of the awards show. 

Dive Insight:

Sprite is giving fans a platform to express themselves and share their voices on the issues that matter most to them, which could be appealing in a divisive political and social climate. The timely campaign, launching around the midterm elections, is already off to a good start, with a variety of submissions on issues such as police brutality, racism, politics and the minimum wage and positive subjects, including optimism, mentorship and female empowerment, according to Sprite. Consumers could feel engaged by sharing their voices and recording their own freestyles to share on social media, and the campaign could help Sprite broaden its social media engagement and drive sales around the holidays. 

The campaign allows Sprite to the embrace social causes important to its customers. Brands that embrace social causes are winning over consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, who expect their favorite brands to support the issues most important to them. About two-thirds of consumers think it's important for brands to take public stances on issues like immigration, civil rights and race relations, and 58% think brands should share those opinions on social media, according to a Sprout Social survey released in January.

Supporting up-and-coming artists is another trend that more brands are incorporating into their marketing. Sprite's "Get Vocal" aligns with that trend and is part of the brand's continued partnership with the hip-hop industry and movement to support self-expression, originating with the "Obey Your Thirst" campaign from the 1990s. Sprite last summer unveiled special Summer Sprite Cold Lyrics Series packaging, which urged consumers to scan QR codes on cans and bottles to unlock phrases from songs mentioning the word "cold" from hip-hop artists to win prizes. 

Similarly, Doritos' Blaze brand launched a campaign in July which included a partnership with hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes on "Blaze the Beat," a platform for aspiring hip-hop artists that featured a competition to find rising talent. Fans could download a track created by Rhymes, producer Terrace Martin and All Def Music, freestyle their own lyrics over it and submit their original rap to win a chance to perform on the Doritos #BlazeStage at the official Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival pre-party.