Sprite

The History:

While many drinks gain market share through merit and word of mouth, Sprite’s rise to fame is more a story of aggressive marketing and pushiness on the part of its parent company, Coca-Cola. Debuting in the early 1960’s, Sprite was unveiled in the United States to compete against the mainstay lemon-lime drink, 7up.

As Coca-Cola refined its distribution system and gained influence, it used that influence to pressure bottlers to push Sprite rather than 7up. The plan worked beautifully, and in conjunction with very aggressive marketing campaigns that lasted throughout the late 1980’s and the 1990’s, Sprite secured its position as the lemon-lime drink of choice for many regions.

Taste Test:

We tried a Sprite the way the rest of America does – straight from a 20oz bottle.

What can we say? It’s Sprite and the taste is classic. It’s got the citrus taste and the carbonated kick that has come to be expected.

As it relates to other lemon-lime drinks, Sprite has a much crisper taste than other brands, namely 7up. It’s not quite as sweet as 7up. There is a little bit of an artificial taste which 7up doesn’t have.

The colder you can drink it, the better. Also, while we didn’t do it for this review, Sprite mixes really well with other flavors, adding some versatility to the drink that others don’t have.

Fun Stuff:

– Sprite is so ubiquitous that when people want a lemon-lime soda, they often ask for a “sprite” even if the establishment only carries a 7up or other variant.

– It’s interesting to note that many dentists and orthodontists recommend “Sprite” (meaning any lemon-lime soda) for people with certain kinds of braces and tooth implants because it doesn’t have the discoloration/staining potential for teeth that other drinks do.

– As with many other brand-name soft drinks, several variations exist, including Sprite Remix and Sprite Zero.

– Sprite is often given to people with an upset stomach, usually served warm or flat.