Glaceau Challenging Gatorade With Athlete Endorsements, Ads
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LeBron James One Of Many Athletes In Growing
Stable Of Endorsers For Glaceau's Vitaminwater |
Coca-Cola's Glaceau division, maker of Vitaminwater, "appears to be moving in on the turf of PepsiCo's Gatorade, amassing an impressive list of athlete endorsements and running advertisements that take a swipe at the famous Gatorade victory splash," according to Joe Guy Collier of the ATLANTA CONSTITUTION. Glaceau's roster features players from each of the four remaining teams in the NBA Playoffs, including Celtics G Ray Allen, Pistons G Chauncey Billups, Lakers G Kobe Bryant and Spurs G Tony Parker. Cavaliers F LeBron James also is appearing in Vitaminwater TV spots airing during the playoffs. And Vitaminwater "continues to expand its presence outside of athletics," as a new ad featuring singer Carrie Underwood is "expected to air soon." The company is "engaged in a brewing fight with Gatorade over customers," as Vitaminwater is running an "Out with the old ... in with the new" campaign showing football players dumping a cooler of Gatorade. Vitaminwater also in a recent issue of ESPN The Magazine ran an ad "pointing out that Vitaminwater has no lightning bolts, fluorescent drops of sweat, old school formula or sodium, all digs at Gatorade." Beverage Digest indicated that Gatorade in '07 "accounted for 76.3[%] of take-home sales in sports drinks," while Coca-Cola brand Powerade ranked a "distant second at 22.7[%]." But Glaceau led the "enhanced and flavored water category with 34.1[%] of that segment," with PepsiCo's Propel ranked second at 26.8% (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/27).
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