Sprite is back as the NBA's official soft drink partner after a ten-year absence, and it is launching a global platform called "Never Stop Refreshing the Game." Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić joins Anthony Edwards on the brand's roster. The approach shows how sports sponsorship marketing can go beyond logo exposure.
The reserved Jokić and the brash Edwards play and talk differently. Oana Vlad, Sprite's global brand vice president, said both are "uniquely original and absolutely comfortable in being who they are." Jokić's international profile fits the global ambitions of both the brand and the league. The campaign rolls out through 2027 across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and India.
Vlad called packaging "our most important touch point with consumers." The campaign includes:
Sprite is borrowing Coca-Cola's World Cup approach: one global platform, amplified locally through creators and on-pack QR codes. Coke's World Cup push collected more than 25 million first-party data points and generated more than 9 billion digital and social views.
Sponsorships that stop at logo placement are hard to measure. Sprite turns the product itself into a data-capture channel and puts touchpoints where fans already spend time: games, delivery apps and neighborhood courts. Brands with league deals should plan how QR-collected fan data will feed re-engagement campaigns during the season.
For a long-term view of sports partnerships, read Volkswagen's CMO on sports partnership marketing. For the gaming opportunity, see Two-thirds of Americans game, but gaming gets 2.4% of ad spend.
"Never Stop Refreshing the Game." It features Nikola Jokić and Anthony Edwards and runs globally into 2027.
They unlock digital games with prizes such as VIP tickets, official Wilson game balls and exclusive gear, while giving the brand first-party data.
It collected more than 25 million first-party data points and generated more than 9 billion views across digital and social.
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