Dive Brief:

• Powerade launched the latest iteration of its “Pause is Power” platform, teaming with two young soccer stars for a pair of ads, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• Spanish player Lamine Yamal features in “The 304” while Brazilian player Rodrygo Goes features in “My First Love.” Both spots focus on the stars’ pre-game rituals, and the latter spot will be released in May.
• The global campaign, created by WPP Open X and led by Ogilvy, sets the stage for Powerade in advance of a four-year period that includes several FIFA events and the 2028 Olympics. 

Dive Insight:

Powerade’s latest effort heads to the pitch in advance of a four-year period that includes major global soccer events spanning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. Both spots tie into the brand’s “Pause is Power” platform and focus on a moment of calm before the game kicks off.

“We believe that true athletic performance isn’t just about the moment of competition – it’s also about what athletes do beforehand to prepare for it,” said Matrona Filippou, president of the global category of hydration, sports and tea global at Coca-Cola, in a statement. “We’re excited for sports fans around the world to see how a pause can fuel readiness, resilience and peak performance through the eyes of our athlete partners.”

Instead of retired greats like David Beckham or game-changers like Lionel Messi, Powerade has tapped two of the soccer world’s brightest young stars for the campaign. Yamal is a 17-year-old winger for Barcelona in La Liga and Spain’s national team, while the 24-year-old Goes plays for Real Madrid in La Liga and Brazil’s national team. 

In the 30-second spot “The 304,” Yamal celebrates his neighborhood, Rocafonda, which has the postal code 08304, sitting on its iconic, graffiti-covered wall and shouting out his barber and the platform where he waited to take the train to Barcelona. “My First Love,” due in May, features Goes and revolves around soccer-cousin futsal. 

The campaign is set to roll out globally across digital, social and partner channels. The effort was created by WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy and supported by Burson, EssenceMediacom, Hogarth, Village Marketing, VML, 22 Ventures, The Underdogs, Polaris and Octagon Brazil. 

While the campaign spots focus on pro stars, digital content running in global markets that will be posted to the brand’s channels in the coming weeks will show how everyday athletes can find power in a pause. Powerade’s “Pause is Power” platform, which encourages athletes to take a break and come back stronger, was extended last year with The Athletes Code, a contractual provision that allows athletes to focus on their well-being without losing sponsorships.

Powerade’s star-focused effort is a pivot from a March Madness campaign that did not spotlight a real-life athlete, but is in-line with a recent campaign from sister brand BodyArmor that focuses on both pros and everyday athletes. Meanwhile, competitor Gatorade last week tapped rapper Kendrick Lamar for the latest expression of its “Is It In You?” platform.