Gatorade Keeps Growing by Redefining Who Is an Athlete

It’s a simple equation: No kids sports, no athletes. No athletes, no sports drink market. The variables are a bit more complex. Who’s being included in youth sports? Are the standard individual and team games the only true sports, or do skateboarding, dance, surfing, pickleball and rock climbing produce athletes and endorsers as well? Kalen Thornton became Gatorade’s chief marketing officer in March 2021 and has been answering these existential questions for much of his tenure. A former Nike and Jordan Brand executive—who played defensive end for the University of Texas and contributed as a linebacker and special-teams fixture for the Dallas Cowboys—Thornton made a statement with his first Gatorade campaign in February. The brand’s Fuel Tomorrow push debuted during the NBA All-Star Weekend. The spots ran throughout 2021 featuring not only Serena Williams, the NBA’s Damian Lillard and WNBA star Candace Parker, but a new generation of athletes including basketball players Isabella Escribano and Hansel Enmanuel, and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee. Professional Fighters League Elbows Its Way Into Combat Sports Spotlight Behind the ads is a pledge by Gatorade to donate $10 million to community groups over the next five years. Recipients include the Women’s Sports Foundation, Dick’s Sporting Goods, children’s sports equipment donor Good Sports and global sports charity Laureus. It’s also donating to the Honest Game Foundation to help athletes with academic eligibility requirements, and to Athlete Ally to fight homophobia and transphobia in sports. “We’ve increased our focus on the communities we serve, working to change lives through the power of sport. We believe everyone should be able to reap the benefits of sport, regardless of background,” Thornton told Adweek. Broadening Gatorade’s playing field presents its own challenges for Thornton and his staff. The original recipe drink that works for team spots may not necessarily meet the needs of a triathlete or yoga instructor. The company’s colorless, lightly sugared Gatorade Fit has its own audience. The Gatorlyte rapid-rehydration drink and Gx pod-based hydration monitoring system also aim at defined athletic niches. “We are intentionally expanding the ecosystem of who we serve to better match today’s definitions of 'sport' and 'athlete,' particularly as viewed by the next generation,” Thornton said. To reach those corners of sports, Gatorade has had to expand beyond the big-tent approach it used during lifetime deals with Williams, Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm and Peyton Manning. Though it still partners with the NBA, National Football League and Major League baseball—as well as big-league athletes including Jayson Tatum, Trevor Lawrence, Kahleah Copper and Sydney McLaughlin in its newest Fuel Tomorrow ads—Gatorade marketers keep looking toward the next generation. Recently granted name, image and likeness rights opened the door to partnerships with college athletes including Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders and University of Connecticut point guard Paige Bueckers. Meanwhile, its broadened definition of sport allows Gatorade to credibly recruit Instagram yoga instructor Jessamyn Stanley and Peloton instructor/Dancing With the Stars contestant Cody Rigbs. “The evolution of sports marketing is accelerating,” Thornton said, “so we are remaining nimble and embracing the next frontier.” You can hear more from Thornton on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at Brandweek Miami. How EA Sports Is Staying in the Game Despite End of FIFA Licensing Deal

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Road to Brandweek: Gatorade's Kalen Thornton on Broadening the Playing Field

Adopting modern definitions of 'sport' and 'athlete' keeps the sports drink maker agile

Jason Notte

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Jason Notte