Dive Brief: 

• Gatorade has teamed with rapper Kendrick Lamar for a new campaign titled “Lose More. Win More.,” per details shared with Marketing Dive. The campaign is the latest expression of its “Is It In You?” platform.
• A 60-second spot features a voice over from Lamar and is meant to honor the hard work and sacrifice of great athletes. The campaign spotlights Gatorade’s roster of athletes including Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić and Shedeur Sanders.
• The spot will debut during the NBA Playoffs April 19 and run across tentpole sporting events this summer. The campaign will be amplified by an additional 30-second spot along with bespoke films and out-of-home takeovers in the local markets of Gatorade’s athlete roster.

Dive Insight: 

PepsiCo’s Gatorade is paying tribute to the relentless effort it takes for athletes to reach icon status for its latest campaign. The effort is the latest iteration of its “Is It In You?” platform that was originally used in the 1990s and 2000s and revived in 2024 as part of a nostalgic effort that featured a tie-up with longtime brand partner Michael Jordan. The move also arrives as the brand enters its 60th year. 

At the center of the new campaign is a 60-second spot narrated by Lamar, an artist who has won 22 Grammy Awards, and soundtracked by his song “Peekaboo.” The spot begins with the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach getting doused with Gatorade after the team’s recent Super Bowl win — a game day tradition — before cameos appear of Clark, Wilson, Tatum, Dončić and Sanders. Lamar is heard asking, “How much are you willing to lose?” before telling the story of Gatorade’s creation in 1965 for the Florida Gators.

Closing out the spot, Lamar says, “So how much sweat are you willing to lose? That’s how you know how much you’re willing to win.” 

The spot also includes a cameo from Lamar, making the star the first musician to appear in creative for the brand. Gatorade’s partnership with the rapper arrives on the heels of his highly anticipated appearance in the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which now stands as the most-watched halftime show performance of all time. The move, which also comes as Lamar kicks off his Grand National Tour, is yet another example of how brands are linking themselves to culture in an attempt to grow loyalty among key audiences.

The campaign, created with TBWA/Chiat/Day LA, Gatorade’s creative agency of record, will also include a 30-second spot that will debut next week. Additional video creative and OOH takeovers in the local markets of the brand’s athlete roster round out the effort. 

The decision by Gatorade to center its creative around well-known athletes contrasts with the strategy of competitor Powerade. The Coca-Cola-owned brand recently launched the latest extension of its “It Takes More” campaign with a 30-second spot that did not spotlight a real-life athlete, a choice that falls in line with its recent decision to message more around its product. Other brands have marketed around what it takes to be a successful athlete, including Adidas and Nike, the latter of which has caught attention for its particularly gritty ads.  

PepsiCo saw Q4 2024 organic revenue increase 2.1% year over year, per an earnings statement. Full year organic revenue increased 2% compared to 9.5% organic revenue growth the year prior. Gatorade was named in prepared remarks for gaining market share in 2024.