Gatorade Tiger Takes Off with Moon Drive Ad, Contest
Gatorade is pushing its new Tiger Woods signature sports drink with a multi-layered marketing campaign including TV spots and a virtual online golf game, all tied to the moon.
Pepsico’s sports drink brand teed off the effort last weekend in a TV campaign around Gatorade Tiger with an ad featuring the popular linkster in an astronaut suit launching a drive on the lunar surface. It simulates a stunt that really did occur during the Apollo 14 mission.
The TV spots will be accompanied by an online game that lets people play virtual golf on the moon and enter an online sweepstakes for a chance to win one of two “out of this world” grand prizes.
From late April through May, a golf simulator competition dubbed the “Gatorade Tiger Longest Drive Challenge” will hit five cities in the U.S., including Phoenix, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, FL, and New York.
The winner who hits the longest virtual drive during the climactic national championship event in New York in May will win the other grand prize. Gatorade will conduct sampling of the new product during the tour.
Gatorade will donate $100,000 to the Tiger Woods Foundation on behalf of fans who register online or play in the virtual traveling tournament.
“Tiger Woods is always striving to improve and we are excited Gatorade Tiger can help fuel his march toward history while also fueling and inspiring other athletes to elevate their game,” said Matt Knott, Gatorade vice president of marketing, in a statement.
Gatorade Tiger is currently available nationwide in three flavors, Red Drive (cherry), Cool Fusion (citrus) and Quiet Storm (grape). Woods underwent seat analysis testing at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute aimed at meeting his own hydration and nutrition needs.
