Sprite Step Off: Multicultural Campaign

Best Multicultural/Ethnic Campaign

Sprite Step Off
Agency: commonground
Client: The Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola wanted to grow Sprite’s brand awareness and market share. The company was interested in creating a national showcase with a grassroots marketing approach targeting college students to re-establish Sprite as the beverage of choice for multicultural consumers 13-24 years old. Commonground created Sprite Step Off, the first ever multicultural, college step show competition to draw a national audience. In 22 events across 21 cities, Sprite Step Off showcased and celebrated multicultural youth through a $1.5 million scholarship prize pool, a commitment to serve 1.5 million hours of community service was launched and nationally known artists performed at every event.

A teaser campaign launched in May 2009 and continued throughout the competition. Media outreach included spritestepoff.com, promotions, radio, social media, partnerships with the Pan Hellenic Council (NPHC), Coca-Cola Collegiate partners, McDonald’s, MTV2, the NBA and other college and student organizations.

The program was sold into 12 Coke-friendly universities. Lead sponsor McDonald’s incorporated its Flavor Battle (DJ competition) into each event, while MTV created a six-episode docu-series giving youth across the country a better glimpse of the journey of team selection and the anticipation leading into each round of competition. In addition to national TV exposure, Sprite Step Off will be featured on the movie screen as a backdrop in Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming, coming out Fall 2010.

Schools received $3 per ticket sold, offering incentive for universities to promote it. The event partnered with Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Ronald McDonald House charities.

Overall, Sprite Step Off made a huge impact beyond its target demographic, including generating more than 200 million paid media impressions, 550,000 microsite visitors, 30,000 event attendees, more than 750 participants, and 89 step teams from 46 universities. More than 10,000 hours of community service were completed and $1.4 million in scholarships were awarded.

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