17427: Yo, Dawg.

Does Simparica Trio think dogs love hip hop too?

17410: The New Sprite Platform Is Not Fresh.

 

Advertising Age spotlighted Sprite’s new identity and pseudo culture-first platform: It’s That Fresh.

 

Yo, that’s anything but fresh.

 

For starters, fresh is an old-school term, arguably outdated for the youth audience targeted by the brand.

 

How did the word even gain legal approval? The FDA has guidelines for products to be labeled fresh. Sprite bottles and cans do not include freshness dates.

 

Sprite has embraced hip-hop culture for decades, and the refresh recruited rappers and music artists to deliver authenticity. Yet the agencies and enterprises Ad Age identified as responsible for the work appear to be predominately White—and lame to boot.

 

The scenario demonstrates how White advertising agencies and brands love hip hop—and use cultural appropriation as a marketing ploy.

 

Somebody should ask Will Smith to recreate The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air role and slap everyone behind the new Sprite platform.

Sprite unveils new identity and culture-first ‘It’s That Fresh’ platform

 

By Tim Nudd

 

Sprite is hitting refresh with a new global platform that turns up the flavor of culture.

 

The Coca-Cola-owned soda’s new “It’s That Fresh” effort brings its branding, partnerships and product pipeline under one umbrella across 180 markets. The push centers on culture, with a focus on music, streetwear, basketball and food trends that shape younger audiences. The campaign acts as a reset of sorts, aligning everything from visuals to collabs into a single global system.

 

At the core of the effort is a refreshed brand identity, updating Sprite’s look and feel across packaging and communications. The redesign revives the brand’s lemon-lime iconography and pairs it with a bolder wordmark. Also, cans now feature a vertical logo treatment. Alongside the visual overhaul, Sprite is introducing a new sonic identity developed with producer Mustard, designed to carry across ads, digital content and brand experiences.

 

Music plays a major role in the rollout. U.K. rapper LeoStayTrill is among the artists contributing original work tied to the platform, using a custom Sprite-branded instrument loaded with sounds inspired by the product. The move extends Sprite’s long-running association with emerging artists, positioning the campaign as both a branding effort and a content engine for social and streaming.

 

Coca-Cola’s internal design team worked with the agency forpeople on the new identity. Other agencies who worked on this campaign include WPP Open X, Zeno Group, Tuney and Ear Candy.

 

The brand is also expanding its footprint in street culture through a collab with Crenshaw Skate Club, a Los Angeles-based collective known for its crossover between skateboarding and fashion. The partnership is expected to include limited-edition drops and experiences throughout the year, adding a retail and experiential layer to the work while connecting Sprite to grassroots creative communities.

 

“Today’s generation isn’t looking to be told what’s cool—they’re defining it for themselves,” said Oana Vlad, VP of Sprite global brand. “‘It’s That Fresh’ is Sprite meeting them where they are, spotlighting the freshest takes across culture and the people who aren’t afraid to play by their own rules.”

 

Food is another pillar, with Sprite continuing its “Hurts Real Good” effort focused on spicy flavors. Partnerships with Takis, Tabasco and McDonald’s will include social activations, live events and co-branded offerings, tying the drink to late-night eating and bold flavor profiles. The campaign positions Sprite as a go-to pairing for heat-heavy dishes, a trend that has gained traction among younger consumers.

 

On the product side, the platform is backed by global expansion plans for Sprite Chill and Sprite+Tea, two newer offerings that reflect shifting tastes and online-driven experimentation. Sprite Chill introduces a cooling sensation layered onto the classic lemon-lime profile, while Sprite+Tea builds on a viral trend of mixing soda with tea. Both lines are expected to roll out in multiple flavors and formats depending on the market.

 

The campaign kicks off with an event in London called Sprite FreshFest, featuring performances, product showcases and brand-led experiences across music, fashion and food. From there, the platform will expand globally through the summer, with localized activations both online and in person.

17370: BHM 2026—Kellogg’s.

It might not be an official BHM 2026 tribute, but MediaPost reported Kellogg’s gave Tony the Tiger a hip-hop reboot.

 

The campaign underscores how White brands, White advertising agencies, and White critters love hip hop.

 

Cultural appropriation is Gr-r-reat!

 

Kellogg’s Gives Tony The Tiger Hip Hop Reboot

 

By Sarah Mahoney

 

In an effort to encourage kids to tap their inner tiger, Kellogg’s is rethinking a classic mascot — and his theme song. The new effort positions the big cat as one of the original “Day Ones,” a long-time friend to teens looking for a mood boost at the breakfast table.

 

Hip-hop artist J.I.D. reimagines Tony’s iconic 1990s jingle, “Hey Tony,” tying it to a limited-edition Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes release. To build cultural buzz, the brand is also introducing Tony the Tiger x J.I.D. “Day Ones” merchandise, along with a special “Day Ones” cereal box featuring J.I.D. on the packaging. A QR code takes people to a full-length version of the track on Spotify.

 

The drop includes a full-length version of the track, with original verses designed to echo Tony’s signature motivational energy — a reflection, the company says, of the confidence and optimism the brand hopes to inspire.

 

“Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and Tony the Tiger have always stood for encouragement and belief,” said Laura Newman, vice president of brand marketing at WK Kellogg Co., in the release. “Hip-hop is a culture built on that same energy, so teaming up with J.I.D. was a natural connection for us to bring back ‘Hey Tony’ in a way that honors helping to bring out your greatness for a new generation.”

 

The packaging also includes a QR code linking to the track on Spotify. The song is set to debut next week at the brand’s “Day Ones” Bowl Game, a showcase featuring a marching-band-driven pep rally, including a performance by Stephenson High School’s “Sonic Sound” Marching Band from Stone Mountain, Georgia, J.I.D.’s alma mater. Four local teams will compete in a 7-on-7 football playoff for the title.

 

WK Kellogg Co., home to numerous breakfast cereal brands, was acquired last summer by the Ferrero Group for $3.1 billion. The Luxembourg-based company, best known for its extensive candy portfolio, described the acquisition as part of its growth strategy to expand across more consumption occasions “with renowned beloved brands and strong consumer relevance.” 

17335: BHM 2026—Google.

 

Google—like the average White advertising agency—loves hip hop, celebrating Black History Month with The Art of Hip-Hop Beat Making.

17220: Nutty Stereotypes & Cultural Appropriation.

 

This KP Signature commercial from St. Luke’s—a White advertising agency in the UK—underscores a basic truth: White ad agencies love hip hop.

16451: That’s Poppin’ At Popeyes—Pffft.

 

Popeyes PH—ie, in the Philippines—doesn’t make sense either, presenting lame music video-style commercials rapping about all the wondrous stuff “That’s Poppin’ at Popeyes.” Looks like Filipino advertising agencies love hip hop too.

 

 

16371: The Best Or Nothing New.

Mercedes-Benz in Germany celebrates 50 years of Hip Hop—with a video that looks decades old.

16302: 50 Years Of Hip-Hop, Infinite Years Of Hijacking Culture For Branding.

 

Sprite celebrating 50 years of hip-hop sorta makes sense. But Ford too?

 

Then again, it just underscores how White advertising agencies and brands love hip-hop.

 

 

16089: Straight Outta Ulaanbaatar.

 

This Britto Visa Card promotional video shows that Mongolians love hip hop too.

 

16071: Kraft Puts The Sing—Or Rap—In Singles.

Advertising Age spotlighted the Kraft Singles Rap Battle, crafted for the food company by Illmac (aka Illmaculate).

 

When asked about moving the concept forward, the Kraft Singles brand manager—a White woman—gushed, “We believe the music space, particularly hip-hop and rap, is resonating with consumers so we’re hoping to expand it.”

 

Yep, White advertising agencies and White brands love hip hop—even when the idea is cheesy.

16013: Heineken Hearts Hip Hop.

BBH Singapore and Leo Burnett Vietnam are among the agencies responsible for this concept-free cartoon campaign for Heineken. There’s an old advertising line attributed to David Ogilvy—which is typically extended—that reads: “When you have nothing to say, sing it. When you have less than nothing to say, let a kid sing it.”

 

Today the line should read: “When you have nothing to say, sing it. When you have less than nothing to say, let a hip-hop artist rap it.”

 

16011: Culturally Clueless Circle Jerk From VaynerMedia.

 

The VaynerMedia creative team responsible for this Durex video is clearly a bunch of ignorant dicks. Word.

 

 

15997: U Can’t—And Don’t Wanna—Touch This.

 

Hard to believe that Santander Bank and its White advertising agency could sink lower than a previous piece-of-shit commercial, but the culturally clueless corporate cretins managed to do so with this Scammer Pants spot. At least MC Hammer got paid.

 

15887: Straight Outta Cultural Cluelessness…

 

McCann in the UK takes credit for ‘Straight Outta Crumpton’—hyping a drink from Aston Manor Cider. Sorry, but the responsible creative team should be kicked straight outta Adland.