Sprite Triple Slam 2011 Begins

Sprite, the world's number one lemon and lime flavoured sparkling beverage from the stable of The Coca-Cola Company has activated the popular Sprite Triple Slam (STS) for the fourth straight year in line with the brand's promise of creatively engaging its target audience consistently. The activation which is a unique and exciting fusion of skill and dexterity in basketball, music and dance, embodies the free spirited and spark up creative attitude of the Sprite brand. Speaking at the media briefing heralding the activation in Lagos, Mr. Austin Ufomba, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria said the Sprite Triple Slam is targeted at the youth on campuses across Nigeria and is designed to stimulate out-of- the-box thinking and self-expression as well as to spark up creativity and unleash the ingenuity embedded in the average Nigerian youth. Also speaking on the event, Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi, Strategic Marketing Manager (Flavours), said the Sprite brand encapsulates the attitude and way of life of the urbane youth. According to her "Sprite stands for the attitude, edginess and swagger of the urbane youth and initiated the Sprite Triple Slam to further strengthen its connection with consumers. It is hinged on the three passion points of today's youth; dance, music and basketball." On why the game of Basketball was chosen over other games, she stated that the game of basketball has a culture which embodies everything the urbane youth stands for. The sagged jeans, punk hairstyles, tattoo and dare-to-do-attitude that is associated with the game and its heroes. "It is this spirit which is common to both the game and the brand and for this reason the game of basketball was chosen over others for the Sprite Triple Slam." Throwing light on the timelines for the activation across the country, Toyin Nnodi, Brand Manager, Flavours said the digital campaign for STS has already kicked off on www.facebook. com/tripleslam so also is the SMS platform which will serve as a veritable tool for registration for the competition nationwide. In line with this, regional activations will begin with Enugu activation on July 1 , Calabar activation will be on July 8 while Abuja and Lagos activations will be held on the July 15 and 22 , respectively. The grand finale where the overall winners for each category would be chosen will hold in Lagos on August 8 , 2011. Nnodi stated that there is a slight modification of the activation this year, "Contestants will compete as individuals in the three categories of basketball, dance and music and will be rewarded in individual capacity unlike in previous editions of the Sprite Triple Slam where registration, performance and rewards were team based. The cash prizes of N1 million for each contestant however remains unchanged." The Brand Manager added that "Sprite is the number one lemon and lime beverage drink in the world and it is also number one in terms of consumer engagement because it refreshes physically and uplifts that spark of creativity in you which is what the Sprite Triple Slam contestants demonstrate through basketball, music and dance. Sprite is about the urban culture. Sprite is very edgy and is a brand that depicts consumer lifestyle while consistently connecting with them". It would be recalled that in the 2010 edition of competition was won by the "Street Maniac" from Calabar, Cross River State. The group was made up of Olubo Olabode Cross River State University of Technology, Ichire Nsor Cross River State University of Technology, Louis Martins University of Calabar, Adegbe Ikwue Adegbe, Federal University of Technology, Minna; Unyime Otuokon Fred, University of Calabar and Ayeabie Behakongevers; University of Calabar. They later released a single titled "No Fall My Hand" and a basketball themed music video of the same title. The 2010 edition of the competition was hosted by Kevin Chuwang Pam of the Big Brother Africa fame, the activations also had Eldee the Don (an artist and music producer), Michael Egbebor of the DNMT dance group fame, and Bolaji Akiode, a female basketballer who has represented Nigeria at the Olympics as Judges. MI, Nigeria's finest hip hop rapper and Wande Coal, of the Mo Hit music label performed as Guest artistes while music was provided by Africa's best, D.J Jimmy Jatt. The activation, which was held in partnership with MTV, lived up to its billings as thousands of fans stormed the various venues of the activation.
TTowonubi