beverages

Basketball Star Ja Morant Will Front Biggest-Ever Powerade Campaign After Reformulation

Powerade will leverage the March Madness college basketball tournament and NBA basketball star Ja Morant to showcase the sports drink’s recent reformulation that includes 50% more electrolytes.

It’s the first athletic sponsorship for Powerade in five years.

Accompanied by music from Memphis-born artist NLE Choppa and voiceovers from Morant’s father Tee, the campaign creative will show the hard work and after-hours dedication that athletes endure to reach the next level of their development.

Coca-Cola says it’s the largest marketing campaign and media spend in Powerade history—with activations across national television, out-of-home, radio and social media .

Earlier this year Powerade executed a packaging refresh and brand reformulation, promoting the fact it has has 50% more electrolytes than competitor Gatorade Thirst Quencher, and vitamins B12 and D—which Gatorade does not—as illustrated by this Instagram post.

advertisement

advertisement

“Powerade is a dynamic brand with a deep history but it was time to evolve our game” Matt Dzamba, CMO of the BodyArmor Sports Nutrition brand umbrella that includes Powerade, said in a news release.

The commercial will premiere March 14 during the opening of March Madness, the annual NCAA men’s basketball tournament of which Powerade has been the official sports drink since 2010.

The campaign comes as Coca-Cola seeks to rejuvenate the BodyArmor sports hydration brand, which it acquired for $5.6 billion.

In the two-week period ended Feb. 11, Coca-Cola had a 26.3% dollar share of the sports drinks market, behind PepsiCo at 65.6%.

1 comment about "Basketball Star Ja Morant Will Front Biggest-Ever Powerade Campaign After Reformulation".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Jim Thompson from Temple University, March 7, 2023 at 9:20 a.m.

    More likely, the Powerade brand will need to shelve the ads featuring Ja Morant, given the player's high-profile gun incidents and suspension. To paraphrase Morant's team, the Memphis Grizzlies, there is no timetable for his return.

    Celebrity spokespersons are often a conundrum. The brand needs to boost its popularity but the celebs implied endorsement comes with a level of risk (see Adidas and Kanye West).

Next story loading loading..