• by Danielle Oster , February 25, 2025

Powerade will be back for its third consecutive March Madness, serving as the official hydration partner for the NCAA basketball tournament.

Ahead of tipoff for the first round of games, the Coca-Cola brand launched an “It Takes More To Get This Far’ campaign, extending the “It Takes More”theme introduced in campaigns for the 2024 Paris Olympics and college football season. The campaign centers three star NCAA players it recently added to its roster of athlete partners: UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban, University of Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love, and North Carolina State University Wolfpack guard Saniya Rivers.

“Heading into our third straight March Madness campaign, it’s been incredible to see the growth that Powerade has experienced over the last few years,” Tom Gargiulo, CMO of Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition, said in a statement, adding that the brand’s athlete partners were “a few of the most dynamic athletes in college basketball.”

The campaign, created in partnership with a WPP OpenX team led by Ogilvy New York, kicked off with an “athlete-agnostic” -- per the brand’s description -- 30-second TV spot, entitled “The Ladder,” supported by content featuring the aforementioned trio of NCAA basketball stars. Powerade already posted one social video featuring the three stars on the brand’s Instagram page. A second portion of the campaign will launch on March 6, starring returning brand partner Louisiana State University Tigers guard Flau'Jae Johnson.

“It Takes More To Get This Far” will run nationally across streaming CTV and online platforms, social media, out-of-home, and retail marketing extensions, throughout the March Madness tournament. Elements on digital and social media channels will be supported by over 35 name, image, and likeness partnerships with athletes at colleges and universities across the country.