Gatorade misses marketing moment during MLB game
Social media users couldn’t stop talking about a Pittsburgh Pirates player that took his frustrations out on the sports drinks’ iconic orange container. Many said the brand missed its opportunity in the spotlight.
The Gatorade shower is one of the greatest examples of “free publicity” in this history of the phrase.
Think about it: Gatorade’s brand is associated with some of sports’ greatest victories. Every Super Bowl, World Series or NCAA Championship all end in a shower of neon sugar water dumped from that ubiquitous orange bucket emblazoned with the Gatorade logo.
But Gatorade’s free publicity forays don’t always go as planned (or unplanned, as the case may be).
In the MLB one-game Wild Card playoff between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, it was a tale of two brand uses for Gatorade. The first was classic: On the front page of ESPN.com, the Cubs players celebrated their 4-0 victory with a shower of orange-flavored goodness:
The brand is synonymous with victory. Genius!
Download the free white paper, “How to be a brand journalist,” to learn how to tell your organization’s compelling stories.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
