Middle of last year it was Dr Pepper that passed Pepsi to become the second-largest selling soft drink in America. Now Sprite has pushed Pepsi down another notch, with the lemon-lime soda becoming the third highest selling soda.
Adweek, citing figures from Beverage Digest, said Sprite, which is owned by Coca-Cola Co., captured 8.03% of the U.S. carbonated soft drink category last year, while Pepsi fell to 7.97% of the market.
Coca-Cola remains unassailable at No. 1. Dr Pepper narrowly held onto second place.
Adweek credited Coca-Cola Co. with shaking up its marketing strategy and investing more in the brand, which early last year returned to its “Obey Your Thirst” tagline, originally launched in 1994 in a spot fronted by then-NBA star Grant Hill. This time around, the ads feature NBA player Anthony Edwards and sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson to appeal to Gen Z.
Last fall the brand also launched its first holiday-themed beverage, Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry. Sprite Chill, which claims to offer a unique cooling sensation, debuted for a 13-week limited run last year and since has become a permanent fixture in Coca-Cola’s product roster and was the top-selling innovation in North America in 2024, according to Adweek.
