In a tropical country like the Philippines, where heat and humidity are everyday staples for about 10 months a year, summer is a state of mind. Soaring temperatures affect people’s lifestyles and social habits, and even culture. So rather than beating the heat, it makes sense to just lean into it. Embrace the sultriness with a cool refreshment.
Sprite taps into this reality with its latest “‘Yan Ang Refreshing” campaign. With summer easily associated with vibrant festivities, living bolder and louder, and fresh, bright flavors, Sprite goes beyond the seasons and deems summer as a way of living, symbolizing moments that celebrate heat and complementing them with a refreshing sip of Sprite.
Embodying the spirit of summer
To Sprite, the core idea of “‘Yan Ang Refreshing” is simple: No matter the source of the heat, Sprite is the ultimate refreshment that empowers you to thrive with — and in—it.
“It’s not solely about a time of year. ‘Yan Ang Refreshing is about empowering the Filipino youth to have their fresh take, embrace intense summer moments and thrive in the heat,” said Frenissa Lagman, Senior Director and Head of Marketing at Coca-Cola Philippines, in an exclusive interview with adobo Magazine.
For the campaign’s introduction, Sprite’s “‘Yan Ang Refreshing” focused on the sweltering heat as part of the local climate and the celebration of summer as an actual season. Frenissa explained that during peak tag-init (dry season) in the country, heat comes not only from the sun’s power but also from the vibrant social energy of the outdoors. People long for sunny days spent lounging on the sand, or cooling off in the salty waters. And if you live in the city, you could consider yourself lucky if you can even make it to one trip to the beach.
“Don’t get us wrong; I love the beach. We love the beach!” Frenissa clarified. “But what we have done was to just step back. Summer’s not just all about us going to the beach. With our fresh insight, I think it was the perfect time for us to create something different.”
“Not everyone can go to Boracay. Not everyone can go to Cebu. So the question for us is, how can we make sure that we bring the summer energy anytime, anywhere?”
The answer was to simply make the vibe of summer more accessible to city folk. The result: Sprite’s Ultimate Sunset Summer Party. Headlined by today’s hottest local artists such as BGYO, Fitterkarma, Shanti Dope, Illest Morena, Drag Race Philippines Season 3 winner Maxie Andreison, and fired up with a set by DJ Sky Dominique, the event was held at the Mall of Asia where Gen Zers flocked to reach peak pandemonium.
The pumped-up party was a truly refreshing event that included everything Gen Zers are passionate about in summer: live music, chill vibes, and overflowing ice-cold refreshment. A picturesque sunset over Manila Bay capped off the event.
But just because the sun has set, doesn’t mean that summer is over. To Sprite, things are just about to get hotter.
Can you handle the heat?
Moving on to the next phase of its campaign, Sprite turns its attention to another source of heat; something Filipinos, especially Gen Zers, know and love: spicy food and bold flavors.
“As the seasons shift, there is an emerging attention to food heat,” Frenissa pointed out.
We all love a good combination of spicy food and a cold glass of Sprite. But the campaign takes it up a notch by putting a spotlight on the feeling — the kick — that people chase when they eat spicy food paired with a refreshing drink.
Frenissa went on: “By naming and celebrating that sensation, we turn a habit into something more meaningful. This makes Sprite a part of how people experience spice beyond summer, not just what they drink with it.”
Of all the flavor profiles and mouthfeel that Sprite could have focused on, the brand focused on spiciness and shared its two-pronged reasoning behind it. The first is that Sprite’s main target market, Gen Z, has a certain inclination toward spicy food. A perfect example of this is the spicy noodle challenge that has gone viral in recent years. The second prong is that Sprite’s carbonation and citrus notes perfectly complement the sensation of spice on the palate.
“Spicy (flavor) lets Sprite play its most natural and most credible role. The interesting thing is, when you eat something that is spicy, pairing that with Sprite makes that spicy sensory experience elevated instead of washing it off. It doesn’t cancel the heat. It actually makes the flavor become brighter,” she explained.
Bring the heat on
Sprite’s spicy phase of the “‘Yan Ang Refreshing” campaign is set to take over for the rest of the year as a continuation of the revelries in recognition of heat. The brand will continue to bolster ideas that will live within our culture, not just in the media.
Moreover, Frenissa teased that Sprite is geared towards being part of Filipinos’ spicy moments by bringing a fresh take on food-led experiences. Consumers can also look forward to iconic partnerships.
And more than anything, Sprite is here to make sure that summer vibes are here to stay — just through a different kind of heat.
