Case: Marketing Management at Gatorade

Gatorade was first developed by researchers at the University of Florida to help the school’s athletes cope with the hot, humid climate. 

Its success in pioneering the sports drink category led PepsiCo to acquire its parent company in 2001 and invest in further growth. 

But when sales declined by $1 billion from 2007 to 2010, PepsiCo decided a change was needed. Gatorade’s marketers returned the brand to its roots to focus more on athletes. They repackaged and reformulated three product lines for pre-, during-, and post-workout consumption, targeting three different markets. 

The G Series line aimed at “performance” athletes active in school or recreational sports; the G Series Fit line targeted 18- to 34-year-olds who exercised three to four times a week; and the G Series Pro line targeted professional athletes. 

Gatorade’s advertising tagline, “Win From Within,” reflected the new brand strategy, and the communication budget included a 30 percent digital component

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