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Top 10 Untold Truths of Sprite Soda Drink
Widely regarded as the favorite lemon-lime beverage among NBA players and average consumers alike, Sprite has made its mark as a staple beverage you can find almost anywhere. With that being said, there are lots of facts you might not know about this sparkling citrus sensation; keep reading for this list of the Top 10 Untold Truths of Sprite Soda Drink!
10. It’s Made By Coca-Cola
If you thought Coca-Cola was just the name of a single drink, think again! The next time your friends start arguing over whether Coke or Sprite is better, you can shut them all down by saying that Coca-Cola and Sprite are both made by the Coca-Cola Company. This comes as a surprise to people who think that Coke and Sprite are in some sort of bitter rivalry, and for good reason; big companies will often pit their own products against each other as a way to bolster sales. Because you’re too caught up in rooting for whichever soda you think is better, you don’t really notice that they’re manufactured by the exact same company, allowing them to pocket more money from each side of the rivalry! Coca-Cola also manufactures Fanta, meaning that most of the sodas in your workplace’s vending machine or in movie theaters are Coca-Cola-owned. They’ve even branched out to non-sparkling beverages, owning recognizable brands such as Minute Maid, Dasani, and Powerade. It is said that Coca-Cola even manufactures a type of canned soup that is only sold in Japan, making it nearly omnipresent all around the globe. With connections in 200 countries, Sprite is only the tip of the iceberg for the Coca-Cola Company!
9. The Original Sprite Was Made In Germany
You might think of Sprite as being an all-American beverage, but the first Sprite was actually made in West Germany in 1959. The original Sprite was originally named “Fanta Klare Zitrone,” and was created to be a clear, lemon-lime variant of its predecessor, Fanta. Though Fanta was originally made during World War II to serve as a substitute to Coca-Cola due to shortages in Germany at the time, it had gained its own notoriety among consumers for its distinct taste. While Fanta had been around since 1940, the Coca-Cola company likely sought to expand their flavor line to compete with rival brands that were beginning to pop up. While “Fanta Klare Zitrone” has technically existed since 1959, it didn’t gain its famous monosyllabic name until 1961, when it was marketed as Sprite to United States consumers. Sprite was well-received upon its release, gaining popularity especially among adult customers. The Coca-Cola Company worked hard to advertise Sprite everywhere, and it had reached 39 countries by 1967. Despite its initial success, it wasn’t until the 1980s that our favorite lemon-lime soda finally caught on with kids and teenagers, becoming popular amidst younger audiences. Nowadays, it seems like Sprite is more popular among kids and teenagers than grown-ups, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sneak a bottle or two as an adult!
8. They Know How To Market Themselves
Though most sodas tend to release limited-edition cans to build up hype around their product and connect with consumers on an aesthetic level, Sprite seems to do this better than any other soda on the market. Seriously, other soft drink brands need to take notes on how Sprite hypes up their products; from collaborating and shooting commercials with the NBA to having a famous graffiti artist design can art to welcome in the new millennium, The Coca-Cola Company sure does know how to market their products in an attractive way. Another promo that occurred in recent years was the inclusion of famous rap lyrics on the side of Sprite cans; with a few different lyrics in circulation, consumers could pick the lyric that corresponded to whichever musical artist they liked the best — or, better yet, collect them all, making Sprite have value not only as a beverage, but as a collector’s item. This seems to have become a trend with the Coca-Cola Company’s products, with the “Share A Coke” campaign bringing about a similar reaction from consumers.
7. Sprite’s Original Competitor Was 7-Up
People nowadays may think that Sprite was the original lemon-lime soda, seeing as it tends to get more media attention and sell better than 7-Up. However, the introduction of Sprite was caused by the existence of 7-Up in the first place; “Fanta Klare Zitrone” was created to directly compete with the clear lemon-lime flavor of 7-Up, which had existed for a few decades longer. Introduced in 1929, 7-Up was originally called “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda” — which the company must have realized later on was too much of an alliterative mouthful, considering the short and sweet name it’s known for now. Jokes aside, the original recipe for 7-Up contained lithium, a mineral used in the early years of modern medicine to treat mental illness. Though it sounds weird nowadays for a sweet, bubbly soda to be used for anything medicinal, the original purpose of Coca-Cola was similar to that of 7-Up; the cola we know and love today used to use coca leaves, which contained — you guessed it — cocaine. The carbonated water paired with the added ingredients in sodas were thought to have healing properties that were easier for patients to swallow than normal medicine. Though Sprite was introduced too late into the 20th century for it to be used for medicinal purposes, it’s interesting to think that other sodas in the same family were attempting to compete with one another not only for better flavor, but for healing properties as well.
6. There Have Been 17 Different Sprites
Sprite may be known for its refreshing citrus flavor, but the brand has also branched out several times to include new and exciting flavors to compliment what they already have going for them. Sprite’s signature flavor is described by its manufacturers as “lymon” — a term used to describe the combination of lemon and lime present in the soda. The lymon flavoring of Sprite already has a huge following, with fans being present in countries all across the globe. However, Sprite has managed to introduce new variations of their soda that manage to hold a candle to the original recipe; with zero-sugar Sprite Zero, Sprite Cranberry, and Sprite Ginger managing to withstand the hype that seems to follow the OG Sprite everywhere. Though you can find these flavors of Sprite pretty easily in stores or online, the special edition versions may be more difficult to come by. The most notable of these limited-edition soft drinks was when Sprite collaborated with NBA legend LeBron James to create Sprite 6Mix in 2014, which earned the brand a lot of hype upon its release. Sprite 6Mix stuck to its roots by holding true to the original lemon-lime flavor, while adding splashes of cherry and orange to mix things up. Sprite and LeBron James fans alike loved the beverage, proving that keeping things simple and sticking to your roots is the best way to make a fresh take on a cherished beverage. Sprite seems to have learned this over the years, with most of their flavor variants accentuating the lymon flavor that is essential to the drink instead of changing it entirely.
5. The Sprite Remix Mishap
Though Sprite may have had some successes in their flavor variations, that isn’t to say that every flavor they’ve ever introduced has been successful. There have also been a few notable flops, with Sprite Remix being one of the most distinguishable. Introduced in 2002 as a way to keep up with the trend of bizarre and unique sodas that were saturating the market, Sprite Remix wasn’t one particular flavor, but rather an entire line of new tastes; with tropical, berry, and Aruba Jam (whatever that is) being the three newcomers. Not only that, but the Coca-Cola Company expanded further and added a line of DIY flavor packets, allowing you to change any drink into a Sprite Remix drink easily. This was likely to compete with other sugary drink mixes like Kool-Aid, but it proved to be unsuccessful. Though Sprite Remix seemed like a good idea in theory, the execution was subpar, leading it to be discontinued in 2005. Sprite Remix is the epitome of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it;” trying to make a lemon-lime soft drink that is widely adored by fans into something completely different is never a good idea, since it sets high expectations for the new product that are nearly impossible to meet. Though Sprite Remix has been off shelves for over a decade now, it may be making a comeback; Sprite reintroduced Sprite Tropical Remix in 2015, with new branding that kept the lemon-lime flavor at the forefront. Looks like they learned from their mistake!
4. Its Name Is Also A Mythical Creature
Though we may all associate Sprite with the highly successful soft drink, sprites have existed in legends and myths for far longer than this soda has been around. Sprites are said to be fairy-like creatures, and can be found in European folklore. Knowing that the beverage originated from a European country, it makes sense that the name would derive from a recurring figure in folk tales native to that area. Sprites are often associated with water and air and use powers pertaining to both elements to help or hinder weary travelers, which fits perfectly well with the refreshing, bubbly beverage we know and love. It seems the folklore behind Sprite has also made its way into their advertising campaigns, too; advertisements for Sprite in the UK featured phrases like “Only One Sprite’s Right” and “Pick the Right Sprite,” which likely alludes to the mischievous nature of the fairies that gave this soft drink its name. Similar to the “Left Twix vs. Right Twix” advertisement campaign that occurred in recent years, the advertisement urged consumers to choose the right Sprite for them, even though they were guaranteed to get a refreshing lemon-lime drink no matter what. This is another clever trick Sprite used to get their brand more attention, while still going back to acknowledge the mythical meaning behind its name.
3. It Can Cure Your Hangover
If you’ve woken up early after a fun night feeling like you’re about to keel over, a Sprite might just be the trick to cure your hangover. A study conducted at a Chinese university compared the effects of 57 different soft drinks on hangovers, finding that Sprite actually helped with nausea and headaches, which go hand-in-hand with a few too many drinks. You might be wondering why Sprite somehow managed to perform better than other sodas, considering most of them have similar ingredients; Sprite contains a chemical called acetaldehyde, which can help relieve symptoms commonly associated with hangovers. However, this was only proven effective if the chemical was consumed in large amounts. Though it’s hard to determine the validity of this experiment, the results can give you the incentive to try to beat your hangover in a new way — and seeing as hangovers have a reputation for being incurable, it’s definitely worth a try. With that being said, it may be a smart move to stock up on Sprite before your big night out, so you’re fully prepared for the consequences that will ensue the next morning. Even if it may not help everyone’s hangover, the carbonation of Sprite paired with its lemon-lime flavor can help you if you’re feeling queasy. Carbonated beverages tend to make you burp, releasing built-up pressure in your stomach that may otherwise cause nausea and pain.
2. A Woman Survived on Sprite
Though it may sound like something straight out of a bestselling dystopian novel, a woman actually managed to survive solely by consuming Sprite for a few days. A 75 year-old grandmother dodged an animal while driving on a road, causing her to swerve and get her car stuck in a ravine. The woman, Wanda Mobley, had been making a long drive to meet up with other family members, and had packed three cans of Sprite to keep her going during her trip. Trapped inside her vehicle, the woman was forced to survive on her own for two whole days, and managed to do so by drinking three cans of Sprite alongside dirty water from the runoff of the ravine. With no cell phone service, she was unable to call for help, and waited 48 hours to be found by authorities. Luckily, she managed to survive, but the fact that this woman was able to do so by only drinking Sprite sure is impressive! Though it’s sad to hear that this ever happened to someone in the first place and was likely a horrific experience, it would be interesting to know how Sprite reacted when the news broke all across the internet about a woman managing to live off of their product. It may not have been the best for Sprite’s PR, but it’s relieving to know that this woman had her favorite soda with her at just the right time!
1. You Can Bake With Sprite
The next time you’re hungry for some home baked sweets, consider adding Sprite to your recipe! Though it sounds completely weird at first to put soda in your cake mix, tons of recipes online say that using Sprite in your baked goods is a great way to add some lemony, limey sweetness to whatever you’re making. Even better, most baking recipes that use Sprite are ridiculously easy to make, especially if you use a pre-prepared mix. If you’re not much of a baker but still want to make some delicious cupcakes, you can use Sprite alongside the cupcake mix of your choice for easy two-ingredient treats, or add it to a yellow cake mix for a simple dessert to take to your next potluck party or birthday bash. With lemon poppyseed cakes and lemon meringue pies being super popular among sweet-toothed consumers everywhere, it makes sense that a slightly tart, citrusy soda like Sprite would be a great way to add a little zing to vanilla-flavored or yellow cakes — especially if it’s as easy as pouring a can directly into the mixing bowl. The taste of baked goods made with Sprite is also affected by the carbonation, which reacts with ingredients like baking soda or baking powder. The release of carbon dioxide gas when this reaction occurs makes cakes less dense, giving them a fluffier and lighter texture. Though it may seem weird to throw in a soda like Sprite into your next baking project, it’s definitely worth a try if you want to add a unique and exciting flavor to your dessert!