Sprite has recruited three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokić and American basketball star Anthony Edwards to headline a new global campaign aimed at strengthening the soft drink brand’s connection with basketball fans through sport, entertainment, gaming and community initiatives.
The campaign, titled Never Stop Refreshing the Game, will roll out across major markets in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Eurasia and the Middle East, with advertising featuring the two players scheduled to appear over the coming months and activities extending into 2027.
The initiative marks a new phase in Sprite’s basketball marketing strategy following its return as the National Basketball Association’s official global soft drink earlier in 2026. The partnership builds on a relationship between the brand and the NBA that dates back to 1986.
According to Brandspur Brand News, the campaign will combine global advertising with consumer promotions, neighbourhood basketball projects and digital experiences designed to bring supporters closer to the sport.
One of the planned activations will feature limited-edition Sprite cans bearing the images of Jokić and Edwards. QR codes on the packaging will give consumers access to digital games and opportunities to win prizes, including courtside tickets, basketballs and branded merchandise.
The brand also plans to introduce Hoops of Refreshment, a community initiative focused on renovating neighbourhood basketball courts with colourful murals. The project is intended to bring the campaign into local spaces where people gather and play, extending its reach beyond professional basketball arenas.
Gaming will form another part of the strategy, with Sprite planning integrations into the NBA 2K video game franchise. Live experiences around major basketball events are also expected to give fans additional opportunities to engage with the brand.
Oana Vlad, Sprite’s global brand vice-president, said the campaign would build on the company’s history of working with athletes, creators and communities that shape basketball culture. She said the initiative would combine entertainment and storytelling with new ways for fans to participate in the sport.
Jokić said basketball had the ability to connect people across national boundaries, while describing Sprite as a longstanding part of the game’s cultural history.
Edwards drew a connection between the campaign and Sprite’s previous basketball advertising, including Anta Claus and Obey Your Thirst. He said the new platform encouraged players to compete fiercely without losing their individuality.
The campaign also follows Sprite’s efforts to adapt its wider brand messaging to regional audiences. Earlier in 2026, the company rolled out a local interpretation of its It’s That Fresh platform in selected Southeast Asian and South Pacific markets, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
That campaign linked the brand with basketball, music and spicy food, using familiar social settings and local consumption habits to strengthen its appeal.
With Never Stop Refreshing the Game, Sprite is placing basketball at the centre of a broader marketing effort that combines internationally recognised players with digital promotions, gaming and community participation. The approach extends the brand’s long-running association with the NBA while seeking to reach fans through activities that go beyond watching matches.
