Sprite® Re-Ups Obey Your Verse® Lyrical Collection with Three New Iconic Artists and 16 Lyrical Designs

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

In hip-hop, authenticity is everything. Beats and rhymes move us, but true lyricism is what makes the music matter most. That's why Sprite^® is reintroducing its limited-edition Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection, which will feature three new iconic artists and some of their most empowering lyrics on Sprite packaging this summer.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160615005960/en/

On the heels of last year's successful program debut, the second edition of the Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection features 16 inspirational lyrics from hip-hop royalty, 2Pac, Missy Elliott and J. Cole. The artists were chosen based on their reputation for remaining true to themselves through their music, storytelling and impact on culture.

"From the moment Sprite tapped into hip-hop culture 30 years ago with our ad featuring Kurtis Blow, the brand has strived to celebrate self-expression and provide artists with platforms to tell their most moving stories," said Bobby Oliver, director, Sprite & Citrus Brands, Coca-Cola North America. "The Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection is not only an acknowledgment of the genre's best storytellers, but also a way of inspiring and empowering our fans to be true to themselves."

Starting later this month, the 16 lyrics will appear on individual 12- and 16-ounce cans, 20-ounce bottles, and 12-, 20- and 24-packs of 12-ounce cans and be available in stores nationwide while supplies last.

The Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection is a continuation of the Obey Your Thirst^® campaign, which originated in 1994. As one of the first brands to acknowledge the cultural impact of hip-hop, Sprite has a history of featuring major hip-hop icons like A Tribe Called Quest, Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Grand Puba and Grandmaster Flash, as well as contemporary greats like Drake, Nas, Missy Elliott, Common and Fat Joe. The first edition of the Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection featured lyrics by Drake, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G. and Rakim.

The second edition of the Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection features the following lyrics:

2Pac

• "Keep ya head up" from "Keep Ya Head Up"
• "If you fall, stand tall and come back for more" from "Keep Ya Head Up"
• "The gift of speech, the power to reach" from "When We Ride"
• "Embrace my words make the world change" from "Smile"
• "I'll learn from mistakes and try 2 achieve again" from "If I Fail"
• "Please wake me when I'm free" from "Wake Me When I'm Free"

Missy Elliott

• "Me I'm supa fly, supa dupa fly" from "Supa Dupa Fly"
• "How they do it where you from?" from "WTF (Where They From)"
• "Cause the beat's so cold" from "WTF (Where They From)"
• "I won't settle for less" from "Hot Boyz"
• "Talk wit it, walk wit it, I'm no gimmick" from "9^th Inning"

J. Cole

• "Goodbye to the bottom, hello to the top" from "Grown Simba"
• "Love yourz" from "Love Yourz"
• "We ain't picture perfect but we worth the picture still" from "Crooked Smile"
• "I got a dollar and a dream" from "Dollar and a Dream III"
• "You gotta dream like you never seen obstacles" from "The Autograph"

Sprite will celebrate each of the lyrics on its social channels throughout the summer, as well as during the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola^®, the annual entertainment fest being held June 23-26. Fans can keep up with the social conversation by following and participating on Twitter using the hashtag #ObeyYourVerse.

In addition, from June 20 through August 15, fans can experience the Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection in an all-new way through innovative mobile technology enhancements on the Sprite brand website. As fans collect the limited-edition cans this summer, they can log onto www.Sprite.com from their smartphones and snap a photo of each can to unlock a Sprite product offer, earn a music reward, and be entered for a chance to win autographed music memorabilia and the ultimate VIP concert experience.

The Sprite Obey Your Verse program will be supported with a robust integrated marketing campaign, including TV, outdoor, radio, digital, social and in-store advertising. Outdoor advertising will feature the likeness of each Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection artist along with their respective packaging. A 30-second broadcast spot will debut in late June and include a special appearance from Rakim, one of last year's Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection artists.

To learn more about the Sprite Obey Your Verse Lyrical Collection, visit http://sprite.tumblr.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company KO is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, DelValle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160615005960/en/