What Sprite's viral TikTok challenge could teach other brands

Sprite has yet to publicly acknowledge the trend. 

“Whether they acknowledge it or not, the trend is happening and it’s reshaping how millions of people perceive the brand and decide what drink to buy,” Tom Hyde, VP of strategy at Movers+Shakers, said in an email. “Burps are hilarious. A hearty surprise burp is a unique product benefit that no soda brand has dared assign budget against, but with the magic of creator culture and the open TikTok algorithm, Sprite didn’t have to.”

Brands large and small aspire to go viral on TikTok, but trending can be a double-edged sword. Detergent brand Tide became the unwilling star of the Tide Pod challenge in 2018, where consumers were biting into the squishy squares, an obvious health risk. (Drinking too much soda, too, could pose health risks.) On the other hand, Ocean Spray leaned in when its cranberry juice went viral in Nathan Apodaca’s TikTok of him sipping Ocean Spray while skateboarding and listening to “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. Ocean Spray’s CEO and Mick Fleetwood both ended up participating in the trend.

The Sprite challenge "lends itself more to an audience that loves absurd content, but who may not necessarily be Sprite’s target,” Amber Kazalbash, associate strategy director at R/GA, wrote in an email. “It’s such sticky/viral content that Sprite or other CPGs that don’t already fit the tone could quickly lose control of if they try to own the moment.”

But Dylan Conroy, chief revenue officer for The Social Standard, says that Sprite should “1000%” acknowledge the trend. “As long as a viral trend isn’t dangerous, brands should try to lean in,” he said. He points to Ocean Spray getting Mick Fleetwood involved. “It could be a way to direct the trend in the way the brand wants it to go.”

Brands often can’t participate in viral audio trends on TikTok because of music rights, though that of course wouldn't apply to the Sprite challenge because it involves burps.