Sprite (soft drink)

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Sprite
Current Sprite can.
Type	Lemon-lime soda
Manufacturer	Coca-Cola Company
Country of Origin	Germany
Introduced	1961
Variants	Sprite Zero, Mint flavored Sprite, Sprite Blue, Sprite 3G, Sprite Remix, Sprite Remix Berry Clear, Sprite Remix Baja, Sprite Remix Aruba Jam, Ice Sprite
Related products	Coca-Cola

Sprite is a clear soda, lemon-lime flavored, caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced to the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Lithiated Lemon" in 1929. It comes in a primarily green and blue can or a green transparent bottle with a primarily green and blue label. Sprite is also found in 8oz. glass bottles.

[edit] History

Originating in Germany as Fanta Klare Zitrone ("Clear Lemon Fanta"), Sprite was introduced to the United States in 1961 to compete against 7-Up. In the 1980s, many years after Sprite's introduction, Coke pressured its large bottlers that distributed 7 Up to replace the competitor with the Coca-Cola product. In large part due to the strength of the Coca-Cola system of bottlers, Sprite finally became the market leader position in the lemon-lime soda category in 1989.

[edit] Global naming

Sprite, as a lemon-lime soda, is referred to by consumers around the world in a variety of ways. It is called lemonade in Australia and New Zealand. In South Africa, Sprite and Schweppes Lemonade are almost interchangeable. In some parts of Switzerland, Sprite (or any other type of lemonade) is also known simply as "citro".

Glass bottle of Sprite.

[edit] Marketing

Over the years, Sprite advertising has used the portmanteau word "lymon," combining the words "lime" and "lemon," to describe the flavor of the drink. Recently, Sprite commercials have begun utilizing very quick and rapid way of presentation, also known as subliminal advertising.^[1] This method has been dubbed "sublymonal" in the commercials. These advertisements were launched in conjunction with the soda's logo being redesigned. In 2004, Coke created Miles Thirst, a vinyl doll voiced by Reno Wilson used in advertising to exploit the growing hip-hop market for soft drinks. ^[2] In June 2006 the new Sprite logo began to make its debut on Sprite bottles and cans. The "Sublymonal" campaign was also used as part of the alternate reality game The Lost Experience.^{[citation needed]}

In the UK, it is recognised by its slogan "Get The Right Sprite", based on adverts containing an alternate sprite, a green sickly goblin that causes irritation and trouble to those who acquire it by accident.

[edit] Variations

• Sprite Zero: This sugar-free version was originally produced in the United States as "Sugar Free Sprite" in 1974, then was renamed to "Diet Sprite" in 1983. In other countries, it was known as "Sprite Light". In September 2004, it was rebranded as "Diet Sprite Zero." Since then, it has become "Sprite Zero (Sprite Z)" in Argentina, Europe, Peru, Brazil, China, Australia, and New Zealand. "Diet" was dropped from the product's name, to become simply "Sprite Zero," when new logos debuted in June 2006. The "Zero" designation for low-calorie sodas from the Coca-Cola Company was first used on Diet Sprite Zero, before being used on the flagship Zero product, Coca-Cola Zero.
• Sprite Remix: Fruit-flavored variations first introduced in the United States in 2003. A different flavor was available in 2004, and finally 2005.
  • Tropical
  • Berryclear
  • Aruba Jam

Three Sprite cans produced in China (from left to right): Sprite Icy Mint, Sprite On Fire, and Sprite

• Sprite Ice: A mint-flavored Sprite that made its debut in Korea in 2002 as Sprite Blue, and as Sprite Ice in Canada and Sprite Ice Cube in Belgium in 2003. Sprite Ice Blue was introduced in Italy and China in 2004, and in Chile on the summer of 2005. There is also Sprite Lemon Lime Mint.
• Sprite on Fire: A ginger flavored variation marketed as having a burning sensation. It was introduced in Hong Kong in 2003. This flavor also debuted in China in 2004. Available in some areas as Sprite Finger Lemon.
• Sprite Super Lemon Also introduced in Hong Kong in 2003.
• Sprite Dry Lemon (not available in U.S.)
• Sprite Lemon Lime Herb (not available in U.S.)
• Sprite 3G is an Energy drink produced to rival Red Bull. It contains Glucose, caffeine from Green coffee beans and Guarana. It has been advertised as the "new addition to the Sprite family", a Sprite baby. Glassworks (the company that do the adverts for the Sprite drink) had developed the next generation of the trademark Sprite goblin. "It keeps you sharp".^{[citation needed]}
• Chinotto marketed as lemon-lime soda in some countries in South America by Coca-Cola as replacement of Sprite (Sprite uses the name Chinotto in countries like Venezuela). Its taste is very similar to Sprite.

[edit] See also

• Soft drink
• Coca-Cola

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www2.coca-cola.com/presscenter/nr_20060518_americas_sprite_redefines.html
2. ^ http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2004-04-25-sprite_x.htm

• FDA FAQs on benzene and soft drinks.

[edit] External links

• Sprite official website
• SoftDrinkGuide.com -> Sprite