Gatorade debuting first big marketing push under CMO Kalen Thornton

Gatorade is using this weekend’s NBA All-Star Game to debut a campaign that pushes its "Fuel Tomorrow" initiative, which aims to lower barriers in sport by providing money and resources to community organizations. It marks the first big marketing push for the PepsiCo-owned brand under Kalen Thornton, a former NFL player who joined Gatorade as chief marketing officer last year after a long career at Nike. A new ad, which will air for the first time on Friday during the All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars challenge, is called “Fuel Tomorrow” and features voiceovers from WNBA’s Candace Parker and NBA player Damian Lillard, as well as rising young basketball player Isabella Escribano. “This is the moment it all starts,” say the players together in the ad. “But only if we get the chance to have it.” The spot was created by agency TBWA\Chiat\Day. Thornton in an interview emphasized the long-term nature of the campaign and called it an “evolution” of Gatorade and a move to “reinvigorate” the brand. This marks the first time Gatorade is putting money and resources behind its values, he said. The brand plans to give $10 million to community organizations such as Athlete Ally, which aims to end homophobia and transphobia in sports, and Honest Game foundation, which preps students to meet NCAA requirements, over the course of five years. Some organizations are longtime partners of Gatorade, while others are new, said Thornton. With a focus on reaching young people, the initiative focuses on the idea that “sport has the power to change lives,” said Thornton. Challenges to sport accessibility include lack of resources and money, as well as where people are physically located, said Thornton, noting the difference in infrastructure and sports fields between New York City and Texas–for instance, the Lone Star state has more open space suitable for sports fields. The campaign, which is being rolled out during Black History Month, in this way also includes pushing for diversity and against stereotypes and microaggressions, said Thornton. He noted that his first sport was gymnastics, “an unorthodox sport for someone who looks like me.” The campaign also aims to leverage the attention around the NBA All-Star Game. Ads will air on multiple channels including TV, streaming and digital. Young people, particularly Gen Z and also Generation Alpha, are the campaign’s focus. Sportswear company Under Armour debuted a similar initiative in January, pledging to help millions of young people get into sports by providing programs and scholarships. Gatorade, which saw drops in sales after losing market share to competitors including Coca-Cola Co.-owned BodyArmor, has come out with new products, including a sweat patch and beverages including Gatorade Juiced to target younger athletes. Gatorade chose to launch the campaign at the time when “people and athletes are all now thinking about what the future looks like,” said Thornton, as sports and places continue to open up after pandemic shutdowns.

Gatorade debuting first big marketing push under CMO Kalen Thornton

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