A pair of US sports stars – one from the NBA and the other from the world of boxing – fronted a new campaign from energy drink Gatorade which positions the drink as the ideal product for athletes of all disciplines.
The PepsiCo owned market-leading sports drink teamed up with the Portland Trailblazers’ point guard Damian Lillard and boxing champion Ryan Garcia for a campaign highlighting its rapid rehydration beverage Gatorlyte.
The hero spot – which ran across television, digital and social channels – kicked off Gatorade’s umbrella ‘All G’ platform: which spans the brand’s entire portfolio and which aims to position Gatorade as a brand for all athletes no matter their sport, exercise or their workout preferences.
The campaign, which was created by agency TBWA/Chiat/Day/Los Angeles and debuted on 18 April, sees Lillard and Garcia train together in a gym and ends with the pair going toe-to-toe in the ring.
Airing during both the NBA and NHL playoffs and also rolling out across digital and social platforms, the ad is set to an instrumental hip-hop track called ‘No Punches’ which was produced by Lillard himself – under his rap alias Dame D.O.L.L.A.
“At Gatorade, we’re committed to serving all athletes – no matter who you are or how you sweat,” explained Gatorade Head of Consumer and Athlete Engagement Brandi Ray. “Our ‘All G’ campaign underscores that commitment as we put a spotlight on our expanded portfolio of products that provides more options for athletes to choose from based on their personal exercise needs and ingredient preferences.”
“Gatorlyte is scientifically formulated for athletes who are looking for rapid rehydration and the [new] spot showcases the benefits of that through a high-intensity boxing session between the two star athletes,” continued Ray. “Ryan Garcia and Damian Lillard make such a great pair and together showcase the variety of different athletes that benefit from Gatorlyte.”
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It was back in 2020 that Lillard originally penned a Gatorade partnership, but this is the first creative to feature Garcia since he joined the brand’s athlete endorser stable last year.
This work follows on from Gatorade’s NBA All-Star ‘Fuel Tomorrow‘ activation in February 2022 which also featured Lillard.
Gatorlyte, the product featured in the campaign, launched in 2021 as one of four new Gatorade innovations as the brand evolves to meet the various needs and preferences of different athletes. The product includes, according to the brand, ‘a scientifically formulated 5-electrolyte blend’ designed to rehydrate athletes fast after a tough workout.
Long-time category leader Gatorade is experiencing increased competition in the sector from newer rivals such as BodyArmor as well as Coca-Cola’s Powerade.
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