Why Gatorade launched a water brand and how it is being marketed

Gatorade today is introducing a take on the original sports drink—its first branded water. Gatorade Water will bring “trust and credibility” to the water aisle, filling a market void for an athletic-focused water brand, execs for the PepsiCo brand said. Gatorade has recruited prominent dancers, led by the hip-hop duo Les Twins, to appear as part of an awareness campaign that will include a linear TV ad on sports broadcasts. “We expect this platform to be large off the bat,” Anuj Bhasin, Gatorade’s chief brand officer, said in an interview. “There’s a large user base of consumers that don’t feel like someone has created a water for them—consumers that have an athletic mindset, that engage with the Gatorade brand.” The campaign, called “Always in Motion,” will run throughout the spring. The media buy includes college basketball programming in March, the NBA regular season and playoffs and the WNBA tip-off. TBWA\Chiat\Day\LA worked on the campaign. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here A digital campaign will feature what Gatorade called “disruptors in the world of movement.” These include Les Twins (French-born twin brothers Laurent and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois, known for a unique style of finishing one another’s moves); “Dancing with the Stars” veteran Witney Carson, an Emmy-nominated choreographer and dancer; and Aliya Janell, a choreographer and dancer known for her dances in heels. These figures “flow the way water moves,” according to the brand. Gatorade describes Gatorade Water as alkaline with a pH of 7.5 or higher and electrolyte-infused, a description not unlike that of other enhanced waters such as Nestle’s Essentia, Coca-Cola-owned Smartwater and PepsiCo’s own Lifewtr. PepsiCo also owns the bottled water brand Aquafina, as well as a bevy of existing hydration products under the Gatorade and Propel umbrellas. But the brand said it was confident Gatorade Water would have a “distinct role” within the Gatorade portfolio and the beverage aisle as a whole, without cannibalizing its own brands. “Our consumer insights work found that the definition of an athlete, and what they are looking for, is expanding,” according to the brand. “Everyday athletes are seeking an unflavored water for all-day, on-the-go hydration, but many haven’t yet found a brand they trust. As a brand with deep credibility in hydration, it makes sense for us to fill the gap.” Gatorade Water will be priced as a premium item: 1-liter bottles have a suggested retail price of $2.39 to $2.99 (or $11.99 for a six-pack). The brand will also offer 700 mL bottles with a sport cap, with a suggested price of $1.99-$2.69. Gatorade said plans call for merchandising Gatorade Water alongside Gatorade’s low- and no-sugar products to increase awareness for the breadth of its offerings, highlight product attributes and demonstrate it can “support active people 24/7,” the brand said. “The water category is a $25B+ category, but there are tens of millions of users who are not reaching for enhanced water at shelf,” the brand said. “We see Gatorade Water as an incredible opportunity to incrementally grow the category. We know everyday athletes are looking for all-day hydration options, and as the most trusted brand for them, we see this as a complimentary product to the portfolio. “ The Gatorade portfolio includes brands Gatorade, Fast Twitch, Propel, Evolve and Muscle Milk.

Why Gatorade launched a water brand and how it is being marketed

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