Leading Him To Water: Sports Marketer Bob Cramer To Glaceau

By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large

Glaceau Taps Cramer As VP/Sports Marketing

Sports marketing veteran Bob Cramer is the new VP/Sports Marketing at Glaceau, makers of Vitaminwater.  Cramer, the former sponsorship chief at MasterCard, will direct sports efforts for the Vitaminwater brand, which has assembled a group of endorsers that includes rapper 50 Cent, Bears LB Brian Urlacher and Mets 3B David Wright. With Coca-Cola acquiring Glaceau in May for $4.1B, marketing for the soda giant's Powerade sports drink is now being directed by Glaceau. The Vitaminwater brand was built largely with guerilla marketing, but with Coca-Cola's vast resources behind it, that may change. "It is a great opportunity with a great brand, and I'm looking forward to it,'' said Cramer. "Aside from that, I can't say much more, since I've only been working here for two days." 

BACKGROUND: Cramer's most recent job was President of Genesco Sports Enterprises. He left that position in June, 22 months after joining the sports marketing firm. During his nine years with MasterCard, Cramer was named to SportsBusiness Journal's Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame and engineered two high-visibility marketing programs with MLB -- the All-Century Team in '00, and the Memorable Moments campaign in '02.