Jalen Hurts not too long ago mentioned that he has “moved on” from the Philadelphia Eagles’ Tremendous Bowl 59 win. He’s undoubtedly locked in on the season forward, however with NFL kickoff additionally comes a brand new model partnership for the famously stoic MVP quarterback.
Hurts is the primary NFL participant to entrance Sprite’s long-running “Obey Your Thirst” marketing campaign, which returned Monday, July 28, with a brand new advert known as “Success Hurts.”
The amusing 30-second spot sees Hurts being questioned by an overbearing reporter named Thirsten A. Sip (we see what you probably did there, Sprite). Sip asks Hurts a barrage of irrelevant questions in settings starting from a press convention to a restaurant, all the best way to the tailor.
The work performs on Hurts’ demeanor in real-life interviews, the place he stays cool, calm, and picked up, regardless of the typically nonsense questions thrown his method.
“Being part of the subsequent ‘Obey Your Thirst’ marketing campaign is absolutely particular,” he solely informed ADWEEK through e-mail. “This partnership brings again plenty of childhood nostalgia and never solely speaks to my core values, however to the requirements I’ve set for myself all through my profession—exhibiting up and being your self is all the time sufficient.”
Like with all of his model partnerships, which additionally embody Jordan Model and Hulu, Hurts was deeply concerned with the inventive course of, mentioned Joe D’Amelio, senior vice chairman and head of soccer advertising and marketing at Klutch Sports activities Group, the place Hurts is managed.
A.P. Chaney, senior inventive director at Sprite, added that Hurts wrote elements of the script himself and stayed longer on set to good his scenes.
“He’s a perfectionist in one of the best ways,” she mentioned. “He positively is aware of promoting, is aware of what he likes, and is aware of what he desires.”
“Success Hurts” was created by Majority with assist from WPP Open X, together with Ogilvy New York and VML, alongside Publicis Groupe.
The advert will run throughout linear TV, social media, on-line video channels, and streaming platforms.
Obey Your Thirst
Since 2004, Sprite’s market share of the U.S. carbonated tender drink class has elevated 2.4%. It now reigns because the nation’s third-favorite tender drink behind Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper, respectively.
Sprite first debuted “Obey Your Thirst” in 1994 as a name to motion championing counterculture and galvanizing youthful shoppers to belief their instincts, observe their passions, and personal their individuality.
Early adverts leaned into predominantly Black subcultures in basketball and hip-hop, the place Sprite has traditionally had a presence, with previous work that includes figures like Drake, LeBron James, Grant Hill, and Nas.
Final yr, the model reimagined “Obey Your Thirst” to encourage a brand new era by partnering with expertise like Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and monitor star Sha’Carri Richardson, who can be its first girl athlete associate.
“Sprite wouldn’t be who we’re with out Black and Brown shoppers,” mentioned Chaney, including they’re the model’s prime demographic. “We begin plenty of our inventive from a Black body of reference, however general, it’s extra about specificity.”
She continued: “Whenever you’re particular about your viewers and nuance, you turn into a magnet, not a mirror. We need to appeal to folks to the model versus simply mirror what folks suppose they need to see or what we predict shoppers need to see.”
With companions like Edwards and now Hurts, Sprite is “dialing up the contrasting however complementary personas” of its athlete companions because it ushers in a brand new period of “Obey Your Thirst.”
“There’s a yin and a yang with Jalen and Anthony,” mentioned Chaney. “Jalen is a person of few phrases, and Anthony is beloved by many for his outspoken swagger. Followers who, for no matter motive, didn’t see themselves in Anthony, would possibly see themselves in Jalen via this spot.”
