The tournament-style Sprite Step Off competition returned with a six-city tour kicked off on March 19 in Charlotte, N.C. with teams from across the country competing for two $100,000 grand prizes in scholarships. Regional event competitions also will take place in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Houston, with the winning teams advancing to the national championship in Washington D.C. on May 21.

Coca-Cola’s Sprite is launching a new advertising campaign in India, where the brand holds the second position in the list of soft drink brands. The tagline of the marketing push, which aims at younger consumers, says, ‘First drink, then think. Sprite—University of Freshology.’ The iconic lemon-lime based soda, which was launched in 1999 across the country, will be now promoted through a series of 6 TV commercials, as well as social media platforms and the brand’s website—www.sprite.in.

In the third and the final chapter of our Brands and the City overview, we focused on brands’ projects which helped enrich city canvas and add more elements to the metropolitan life. Here we collected both projects with a social twist, revolving around the idea of making a city a better place to live, and works with a vivid advertising component, such as branded bus shelters, giant interactive billboards and shop windows, which broadened physical borders of the cities.

MySpace in partnership with Electus and Sprite® premieres the first episode of the original dance web series, ‘Jerk All-Stars.’ Originating in Southern California, jerkin’ is a street movement involving unique dance moves and fashions that has gained momentum virally through MySpace with groups like the New Boyz and Cali Swag District and is now spreading to the masses with everyone from NFL players to CNN anchors doing the dougie.

Sprite has launched a competition for younger generation of its creative-minded consumers, who want to make a first step in cinematography by collaborating with recognized professionals of the industry. The soft drink brand is offering U.S. university students of (18 years of age or older) an opportunity to explore their scriptwriting talent and gives teens aged 13-19 a chance to become a member of the crew, which will make a short film based on selected scripts with professional filmmakers and celebrities (so far, their names are kept secret).

Coca-Cola Co. has extended Sprite portfolio in China, where it has already become the No. 1 soft drink and is going on gaining popularity. The new beverage Spritea has appeared on the country’s market late last month, and it is believed to have a big future outside China, too, as «there is certainly interest in Spritea as in many Asian markets both Sprite and green tea are very popular beverages,» said Coke’s Hong Kong-based spokesman Kenth Kaerhoeg The concept of the new drink was developed more than a year ago, AdAge reports.

Sprite is giving consumers an easy and inexpensive way to give back to communities through the «Sprite Tabs for Habitat» program. During the month of April, look for specially marked Sprite or Sprite Zero™ multipacks or 12-oz single cans with a unique green tab and Habitat for Humanity logo. For each green tab consumers collect and mail in by May 30, 2010, Sprite will donate 10 cents to Habitat for Humanity, up to $500,000.