• by Danielle Oster , November 19, 2024

Minnesota Timberwolves all-star forward Anthony Edwards makes a return for Sprite, starring in a holiday campaign promoting its limited-time seasonal offering.

“Sippin Season” follows last month’s release of the Coca-Cola brand’s limited Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry and Sprite Zero Sugar Winter Spiced Cranberry seasonal offering, modifying Sprite’s signature citrus profile with flavors of cranberry and warm spices.

The campaign stars Edwards (whose nickname is “Ant”) as “Anta Claus” in a twist on the classic “Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem.

In the campaign’s 60-second hero ad, Edwards subs in for Santa after Father Christmas suffers from an off-screen injury. Anta Claus deliver Sprite’s seasonal soda to thirsty revelers at holiday gatherings, but he makes a few changes, like swapping out the sled for a sleeker ride, and employing “eight tiny wolfdeer” in place of reindeer, in a nod to the Timberwolves. Rapper Monaleo provides the voiceover narration for the ad.

The spot will run twice during the broadcast of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks Christmas Day matchup.

Sprite ads are becoming familiar territory for the star. Edwards first appeared in the 2022 “New Bottle, Same Sprite” ad celebrating the switch from green to clear bottles, and he appeared in this year’s reboot of Sprite’s classic “Obey Your Thirst” campaign from 1994.

“We hope to build on the momentum of AE’s meteoric rise -- from his highlight-reel dunks throughout the Timberwolves’ historic run, to being one of the youngest members of the Olympic Gold Medal-winning Dream Team, to starring in the hit Netflix series, “Starting Five” -- with our first new holiday campaign in three years,” A.P. Chaney, senior creative director, sparkling flavors, said in a statement.

This year, “Season Sippin” also includes some fresh point-of-sale elements. Sprite partnered  with Memphis-based illustrator and activist Eso Tolson -- known for work that “inspires joy and celebrates Black creativity and culture,” according to the brand  -- who created a custom font for this year’s packaging, in-store merchandising, and other campaign elements.

“Sippin’ Season” also includes a collaboration with the Gopuff delivery platform for the “Spice Swap” activation. Fans who tag Sprite on Instagram can score complimentary samples of Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry to swap in for staple holiday drinks like eggnog, hot coca, or mulled cider.