Is it in you?


Yeah, so this is the tagline for Gatorade, the most eXtreme sports beverage out there. In fact, it's even too eXtreme to be described by a lame term like beverage; Gatorade is more of an eXperience, yo. Frankly, I believe the preceeding line would make a better slogan than the incredibly vague one they're currently using. Is it in you? That could mean any number of different things, many of which have absolutely nothing to do with the product in question. What are they going for here? EXtreme ambiguity? I've seen a lot of Gatorade commercials lately, and I still don't quite get what they're all about. They show various atheletes sweating Gatorade, apparently implying that their amazing internal engines are powered by this eXtraordinary substance. What with this and the questioning tagline that avoids mentioning the product's name, it almost seems like Gatorade is some sort of secret, contraband formula for atheletic success. That doesn't really strike me as a great marketing image. I don't think they intend to promote Gatorade as a performance enhancing substance, at least not in that sense. Or maybe they do. Maybe it's cooler that way, and I'm just hopelessly outdated. Either way, that's sort of the impression I get from the commercials.

In my opinion, the only thing about Gatorade advertising that actually makes any rational sense would have to be the logo. You could basically describe it as some sort of funky, brightly-colored lightning bolt. To give credit where it's due, I have to say that this emblem seems to fit really well with the eXtreme image they're so desperately trying to craft. Because, like lightning, Gatorade is shocking! It's electrifying! It's got crazy colors! It can charge up your body! And it looks just like The Flash's symbol! Seriously, it does. And if you know anything about The Flash, you'll know that this isn't necessarily a good thing. It's implying that quenching the drink will make you fast, but also useless. I'm not sure that's a trade most people would be willing to make, even if it would turn their sweat bright blue.

It's time to take a step back, before I make any more ludicrous accusations. Really, does anyone outside a Gatorade commercial actually believe that it serves as the organic equivalent of rocket fuel? Maybe some impressionable kids somewhere, but they really shouldn't be allowed to watch commercials of any sort. The rest of us have probably noticed the way Gatorade tends to be used more often for drenching successful athletes than for drinking. Is this meant to suggest that the beneficial effects of Gatorade can be absorbed through the skin, after having a bottle of that stuff sprayed all over your face? 'Cause I'm not buying. Literally. But I am laughing.

Gatorade isn't the only beverage with an amusing marketing campaign. Sprite suffers from the same fate, with its tagline: Obey your thirst. Okay, I will. And that means drinking Coke. You can't beat the real thing, no matter how much lightning is on the outside of your bottle.


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