Dive Brief:

• Sports drink Bodyarmor this week is launching its largest advertising campaign, including a TV spot, digital and social assets, as well as out-of-home (OOH) and in-store components, the company shared with Marketing Dive.
• The beverage brand, which is partially owned by Coca-Cola, is working with seven famed athletes for the promotion: James Harden, Mike Trout, Megan Rapinoe, Dustin Johnson, Naomi Osaka, Carlos Vela and Skylar Diggins-Smith. Actor Michael B. Jordan does the voiceover for the TV spot.
• The theme of the creative is that "no matter who you are, only you can make you better" and encourages hard work and mental toughness. The national TV debut of the spot will air on Sunday, May 24 during Capital One's live broadcast golf event, The Match: Champions for Charity.

Dive Insight:

Bodyarmor's comprehensive campaign kicks off the summer season, and its media buy hints at a positive outlook for the advertising industry. The brand, partially owned by Coca-Cola, is running a full-fledged campaign that includes OOH elements and paid media, suggesting that marketers may be returning to these efforts after a pandemic-related break.

The COVID-19 crisis has caused marketers to pull back on OOH as social distancing mandates and stay-at-home orders kept people inside, where they're unlikely to see billboards or other OOH formats. As states slowly begin to reopen, Bodyarmor seems to expect regulations to loosen and consumers to gather outside again, making OOH a viable channel to communicate an empowering message around health and mental fortitude.

Teaming with iconic athletes follows the fitness beverage's strategy in the past. Last year, it featured NBA stars James Harden and Donovan Mitchell to support its official NCAA partnership during March Madness.

While last year's spot was humorous, this year, the brand is offering more of a positive message of hope. This tone may resonate with folks as they cautiously return to the world of sports after months of social distancing, especially as 41% are now ready to hear from brands about topics unrelated to the pandemic.

The spot will run during Capital One's The Match: Champions for Charity, one of the first televised sporting events since coronavirus lockdowns, suggesting a potentially sizable audience of sports-starved fans. By running a spot during this highly visible event and then kicking off OOH and social media activations, the brand is laying the groundwork for a big splash this summer and into the rest of 2020.