If you stick around long enough, you’ll see things come full circle. That’s exactly what’s happening with Gatorade, the world’s leading sports drink. I worked on the brand from 1998 to 2001, and those years were among my favorite creative periods ever. “Is It In You?” is the only tagline that truly resonated with the brand.
It was the liquid equivalent of Nike’s “Just Do It” or Apple’s “Think Different.” It challenged athletes from Little Leaguers to legends like Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm. It was proud, it was brave, and combined with the iconic dripping color sweat, the campaign was undeniably memorable.
“Is It In You?” fueled creative excellence from FCB, Chicago’s Mike and Mia, to Dr. Maya Angelou’s “We Rise,” the introduction of Gatorade Fierce, and the historic “39 vs. 23” from Element 79.
In 2024, being an athlete presents new challenges compared to three decades ago, with modern pressures and distractions. According to new data from Gatorade, among Gen Z athletes who have quit sports, 53% cited external factors such as social pressures and unrealistic expectations.
To combat this, Gatorade is enlisting its star-studded roster to help relaunch “Is It In You?” and encourage athletes to silence external noise and focus on their inner drive.
Created by TBWA\Chiat\Day, the modern-day debut of “Is It In You?” features a powerful 60-second film, “IT Hasn’t Changed”, narrated by Michael Jordan. The film highlights stories of Gatorade athletes like Josh Allen, Caitlin Clark, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Jayson Tatum, A’ja Wilson, and DJ Lagway, who have all overcome obstacles by tapping into their personal “IT”. Watch below:
REELated:
“As a brand that has fueled athletes for decades, we’re committed to helping them stay in the game and celebrating their unique ‘IT’,” said Anuj Bhasin, Gatorade Chief Brand Officer. “The return of ‘Is It In You?’, our biggest campaign to date, acknowledges the evolving sports landscape while emphasizing that the inner drive to succeed remains unchanged.”
“With ‘Is It In You?’ in the ’90s, we inspired a generation,” said Michael Jordan, Gatorade’s longest-standing athlete partner. “The return of ‘Is It In You?’ marks another chapter in Gatorade’s legacy of fueling champions on and off the field.”
The campaign launched during the NBA Western Conference Finals Game 4 and will be highly visible throughout the summer. It includes a colored sweat takeover on social media, custom Snapchat and Instagram filters for recreating the iconic colored sweat images, billboards across the country, and more. Fans can follow Gatorade’s social media accounts for additional campaign updates and surprises. Here is a look at some of the social:
This campaign follows a strong first half of the year for Gatorade, which continues to lead the sports drink market while expanding into new areas such as equipment, beverage enhancers, and enhanced water. Gatorade remains the most comprehensive portfolio of athletic solutions available today.
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Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on X at @colinthewriter1
