Gatorade Releases New Ad Campaign "Make Defeat Your Fuel," Features Falcons QB Ryan

Gatorade yesterday released its new campaign spot, "Make Defeat Your Fuel," in which iconic athletes including Michael Jordan, Texans DE J.J. Watt, former NFLer Peyton Manning, Giants QB Eli Manning and Serena Williams "reveal their greatest failures which ultimately become fuel for their greatest victories," according to JuliaKate E. Culpepper of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. The ad "ends with the memorable scene" of Falcons QB Matt Ryan "walking through red and blue confetti at the end" of Super Bowl LI after the team blew a 28-3 lead against the Patriots (AJC.com, 6/27). In Atlanta, Eric Mandel noted Ryan then "stares into the camera and calls out 'defeat' as his secret to victory, with the video then transitioning to his intense offseason work" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/27). T'Wolves C Karl-Anthony Towns and Cubs LF Kyle Schwarber also appear in the ad. Meanwhile, The Players' Tribune has signed Gatorade as its latest content partner, and the brand will be sponsoring a new video series premiering today called "The Loss." The series will focus on free agent F Gordon Hayward, Chiefs S Eric Berry and tennis player Nicolas Mahut as they share intimate details of the feelings that accompany defeat in first-person narratives. The TPT series with Gatorade is meant to amplify and expand the "Make Defeat Your Fuel" campaign (Liz Mullen, Staff Writer).

FUN IN THE SUN: This year's Gatorade "Beat the Heat" campaign, now in its 13th year, will feature activations centered around six key markets: Chicago, Houston, Miami, N.Y., L.A and Tampa. In addition, Watt, Towns, beach volleyball player April Ross and Nets G D'Angelo Russell will demonstrate the importance of heat safety and hydration as they battle the summer heat in videos shared on Gatorade's YouTube page (Gatorade).