• Ad Age, Tuesday, April 14, 2009 10:45 AM

In a lawsuit filed in federal district court in New York, PepsiCo charges that Coca-Cola's new Powerade Ion4 ad campaign is "a calculated, intentional strategy designed to falsely and viciously attack the readily-identifiable market leader, Gatorade." (Don't you love the way that even the legal beagles at Pepsi can't pass up the opportunity to reinforce its category-champion status?)

The campaign positions Powerade's newly reformulated drink containing four electrolytes -- sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium -- as the "complete sports drink," Natalie Zmuda reports. Executions picture half of a Gatorade bottle with the text "Don't settle for an incomplete sports drink." Gatorade's formula contains just two electrolytes, sodium and potassium.

"The truth is, scientists say there is no evidence that Powerade Ion4 is a more complete sports drink than Gatorade," PepsiCo says in a statement. It also takes issue with New York-based Ammirati's creative, calling its depictions of Gatorade bottles "mutilated" and "distorted." A Coke spokesman says it stands behind the "product" and that it will "defend the role that Powerade plays in hydrating consumers."

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