During this Talks With Teads conversation at the Georgia Aquarium, Teads CMO Dani Cushion sits down with Jarreau Brown, Sprite Brand Manager at The Coca‑Cola Company, to unpack how Sprite stays embedded in culture, shows up deliberately in sports, balances creative storytelling with accountable measurement, and uses AI to sharpen human craft.
Key Interview Insights for Marketers
Authenticity and Consistency Create Lasting Relevance
Jarreau emphasizes staying true to the brand’s ethos while evolving with consumers. Even when speaking through a Gen Z lens, the question remains: “Is this Sprite?” Consistency across campaigns and clarity of brand identity build trust and enduring relevance.
Culture-First Connections
Sprite keeps close ties to music, fashion, and sports, especially basketball, to remain embedded in the culture. Close collaboration with consumer insights and media teams helps the brand understand what’s happening and respond with relevance without losing authenticity.
Show Up Additively in Sports Moments
Sprite’s approach is intentional: understand the brand’s role alongside Coca‑Cola and choose where to “sing its own song.” Basketball is a priority where Sprite aims to over‑index, while moments like FIFA may be Coke‑led; Sprite crafts its own distinctive brand moments rather than blending into the noise.
Balance Storytelling with Measurable Outcomes
Measurement matters, and marketers must quantify the impact of dollars spent. Strong storytelling remains essential, but results must be clear and defensible to leadership. The craft and the scorecard go hand in hand.
AI Enhances Creativity, It Doesn’t Replace It
AI helps synthesize work—“instead of boiling an ocean, we’re really kind of fishing from a pond”—but relying solely on AI risks sameness. Brands need sharp creative talent with a deep understanding of the consumer and the brand to ensure authenticity.
Product Quality Still Wins
At the end of the day, marketers are only as good as the product. High quality is foundational to everything else—connection, creativity, and performance are amplified when the product delivers.
For more insights from industry leaders, explore the full Talks With Teads series.