Hot Seats

When it comes to spicy food, Gen Z loves the burn. With 78% of Gen Z saying they like or love spicy food, Sprite needed an opportunity to position their brand as the ultimate companion to a spicy meal.
Ogilvy and Studio Resonate rose to the challenge, turning up the heat with “Sprite Hot Seats,” a first-of-its-kind, audio-driven multisensory activation that increased the perceived spiciness of food and demonstrated Sprite’s unique “burn balancing” properties.
We started with science, conducting controlled experiments with 200 participants to measure how Sprite, milk, and still/sparkling water ease oral burn. Not only did Sprite outperform still/sparkling water and match milk (in the first 10 seconds of consumption), but it also offered an added benefit: as the soothing effects of lemon-lime subside, the bubbles dancing in your mouth keep the stimulation alive. Instead of extinguishing the spice, Sprite lets you ride the heatwave longer.
Next, we tested the crossmodal effects of “sonic seasonings” to see if they could further enhance spice perception and amplify Sprite’s benefits. With the proof that they did, we partnered with Grammy-winning producer Ross Garren to compose a soundscape scientifically calibrated to produce the desired effects.
Finally, we needed a vivid way to bring it all to life, commissioning Bompas & Parr to design four custom chairs with heat-amplifying elements: our spicy soundscape, stimulating textures, smoky chipotle aromas, and shifting colors.
Launched at Slim Chickens in central London, our two-day event sold out within an hour. As diners sat in the chairs, we hacked their senses, turning up the heat as they experienced how Sprite’s refreshing lemon-lime effervescence balanced the burn without killing the thrill. Coverage poured in from UK influencers and major publications, and Garren’s “spicy soundscape” debuted globally on SoundCloud.
The result? Sprite Hot Seats delivered a whole new level of heat, leaving our target audience buzzing about Sprite as the perfect match for spicy food, keeping your mouth alive, refreshed, and ready for the next bite. With an earned reach of over 600 million and no paid media, it was multisensory marketing at its best: bold, flavorful, and refreshing.