It takes more

Coca-Cola has been the NCAA’s official sports drink sponsor since 2002. In 2010, Powerade assumed the official sports drink role for the college sports organization except in 2018 when sister brand BodyArmor replaced it during the NCAA championships.

“It Takes More” is tied to Powerade’s product marketing as a sports drink with 50% more electrolytes than Gatorade’s Thirst Quencher. The brand reformulated its product in 2023, and is striving to become the “go-to sports drink.”

“The story that we’re trying to tell is basically [with] these athletes,” Gargiulo told ADWEEK. “In order for them to get to that pinnacle in their career, they need to do more behind-the-scenes. When you do more, it requires different tools [and] hydration, and Powerade is that solution.”

The CMO said the original buy for this campaign was primarily geared towards social media. However, his team was “so thrilled” with the outcome that they invested more into it. 

Now, it will feature activations across national TV, digital creative, out-of-home, and social media extensions lasting throughout both the men’s and women’s tournament. The track and music video are also live across Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music.

To measure the campaign’s success, Gargiulo will primarily examine sales as well as shopper metrics and brand awareness.

In its latest earnings, Coca-Cola reported net revenue growth of 3% to $47.1 billion for 2024, with its sports drinks category declining by 1%.