Match the rapid growth for basketball with Sprite NBA packs
DRINKS giant Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has unveiled its new collaboration between Sprite and the National Basketball Association (NBA) to tap into the growing popularity for the sport in the UK.
As part of the partnership, pack of Sprite will feature new limited edition designs to help improve stand-out on the shelf and draw the attention of fans of the sport to the brand.
The limited edition packs will roll out from November and will remain on shelf until March 2027 across the 330ml can, 500ml bottle, two litre bottle and 8-pack formats, while the brand’s 500ml Supercan format will carry the design throughout 2027, helping to place Sprite at the heart of the NBA season for UK fans.
In addition to the limited designs, the packs will also carry a prize incentive for consumers dubbed the ‘Join the Squad’ promotion. Shoppers will be able to scan QR codes found across packs which will take them to a website for a chance to win prizes. After this, they will need to upload proof of purchase before they are entered into a spin-to-win either a Bronze or Silver tier prize or enter a draw for the Gold-tier NBA experience prize.
Shoppers have the chance to win major “money-can’t-buy” experiences through the promotion including meet and greet opportunities with NBA legends, VIP tickets and limited edition Sprite x NBA merchandise.
CCEP has said that Sprite was a natural choice to align with the NBA from among its brands as the two have a storied history of collaboration. This has included the the ‘Obey Your Thirst’ campaign, through to special editions such as Sprite Chill, with this latest partnership building on the ongoing relationship between Sprite and the NBA.
Rob Yeomans, VP for commercial development at CCEP GB, said: “Basketball is growing fast in GB, but what makes it particularly exciting is how far its influence stretches beyond the court into music, fashion and gaming.
“For Sprite, which has a long-standing connection with basketball, that makes the NBA a powerful way to connect with an audience that is already highly engaged with the brand and the sport.
“This partnership also gives retailers something genuinely exciting to activate through the winter months. The combination of limited-edition packs, standout in-store activation and NBA experiences that fans wouldn’t normally be able to access gives shoppers plenty of reasons to engage with Sprite throughout the season.
“We’d encourage retailers to make the most of that opportunity by stocking the promotional range, using the free POS available and creating displays that bring some of the excitement of the NBA into store from tip-off right through to March.”
