Sprite and Safaricom Hook have joined forces to launch one of Kenya’s most ambitious youth creator initiatives yet, a KES 3 million Hook’d on Fresh Creator Challenge that combines campus masterclasses, live showcases, digital competitions, and structured mentorship to build a lasting creative economy for young Kenyans.
The Big Picture: What the Initiative Is
Sprite’s It’s That Fresh Creator Challenge targets the full arc of a creator’s journey — from raw talent to sustainable income. Through a combination of campus activations, expert-led masterclasses, competitive content submissions, and practical training in storytelling, branding, and monetisation, the programme sets out to do something most brand campaigns do not: leave participants with skills that outlast the campaign itself.
The initiative officially launched in March at the KICC COMESA Grounds, drawing thousands of young attendees for a high-energy experience that blended music, sport, and digital culture. From there, it moves to universities across the country, including Kenyatta University, Moi University, Maseno University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, and others — where students will participate in immersive brand experiences and creator workshops.
“Kenyan youth are bold, innovative, and unapologetically expressive,” said a Sprite spokesperson at the launch. “Through the It’s That Fresh Creator Challenge, we are providing a platform for them to tell their stories, sharpen their skills, and access real financial rewards. Sprite believes in backing fresh ideas and giving young people the confidence to own their voice.”
Hook’d on Fresh: The Campus Masterclass Series
Delivering the initiative at ground level is the Hook’d on Fresh Masterclass Series, a campus-touring programme that Safaricom Hook developed in partnership with Sprite Kenya. The series kicked off on 13th March at JKUAT and will travel to four university campuses, with an estimated 40,000 students expected to participate.
Each session brings together some of Kenya’s most prominent digital voices — including Carrie Wahu, Tileh Pacbro, Charisma, and dance collective Cluster KE — to lead hands-on conversations around content creation, trend navigation, virality, and audience engagement. Attendees leave with practical knowledge drawn directly from creators operating at the highest level of Kenya’s digital content scene, all powered by a cold Sprite and the Safaricom Hook BLIVE Bundle via *555#.
Travelling alongside the masterclasses, the Safaricom Hook Green Couch rolls onto each campus as a mobile podcast studio, an unfiltered space for students to speak candidly about their stories, ambitions, and lived experiences.
A National UGC Challenge with Real Cash Prizes
At the competitive heart of the initiative sits the Hook’d on Fresh UGC Challenge — a national short-form video competition open to all Kenyan youth. Participants create videos showcasing their take on fresh moments across music, sport, fashion, or comedy, then post them on TikTok and/or Instagram using the hashtags #HookdOnFresh and #SafaricomHook, tagging both the Sprite Kenya and Safaricom Hook pages.
The rewards scale with performance. A tiered structure spanning nine levels will recognise 403 creators, with cash prizes ranging from KES 3,000 at entry level to KES 20,000 for top performers — drawn from the overall KES 3 million prize pool. Safaricom Hook adds smartphones and data bundles for standout content. Winners are determined monthly based on cumulative views, meaning sustained creative output — not just a single viral moment — drives success.
The Thinking Behind the Partnership
Both brands position this as infrastructure, not just activation. Sprite frames the series as an extension of its It’s That Fresh campaign, built on the idea that clarity and confidence under pressure define peak performance for young Kenyans.
“By partnering with Safaricom, the network that already powers the digital lives of millions of young Kenyans, Sprite is creating a seamless bridge between physical activation and digital participation,” said Juliana Kituma, Director of Marketing, Coca-Cola Kenya.
Safaricom echoes that ambition. “We are focused on bringing together culture and creativity, putting real tools, real skills, and real rewards directly into the hands of the next generation of creators,” said Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Chief Consumer Business Officer, Safaricom PLC.
The timing reflects a broader shift in Kenya’s economy. Young creators increasingly leverage social media to build brands, influence culture, and generate income and demand for structured entry points into that economy continues to grow. As one programme representative put it: “Content creation is no longer just a hobby. It’s a viable economic pathway. This challenge is designed to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity by combining financial support with education and exposure.”
