Gatorade & Michael Jordan revive iconic ‘Is It in You?’ campaign with a modern twist
The sports drink updates its biggest campaign in history, modernizing its message for the next generation of athletes.
Today marks a historic moment for Gatorade, the world’s leading sports drink brand, as it launches the revival of its largest campaign ever: ‘Is It in You?’
Originally a defining force in sports culture during the 1990s and early 2000s, this legendary campaign featured none other than Michael Jordan — Gatorade’s longest-standing athlete partner, six-time NBA Champion, five-time NBA MVP and 14-time NBA All-Star. Jordan’s unforgettable, Gatorade-colored sweat symbolized the relentless drive and passion inherent in every athlete.
Now, Gatorade is breathing new life into ‘Is It in You?’ with a dynamic 60-second film titled ‘It Hasn’t Changed,’ narrated by Jordan himself. This film speaks directly to Gen Z athletes, urging them to look beyond external pressures and social media distractions, and to focus on their inner drive—the personal “it” that Gatorade famously championed.
Being an athlete today is vastly different from three decades ago. According to recent data from Gatorade, 53% of Gen Z athletes stop playing sports due to external factors, like social pressures and unrealistic expectations. The new campaign aims to counter these trends by encouraging young athletes to reconnect with their inner motivations.
The film showcases inspiring stories from Gatorade’s roster of athletes, including NFL star Josh Allen, basketball prodigy Caitlin Clark, track sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, NBA standout Jayson Tatum, WNBA champion A’ja Wilson and high school football phenom DJ Lagway. Each athlete’s journey underscores the importance of embracing their personal “it” to overcome life’s challenges and stay committed to their sport.
“With ‘Is It in You?’ in the ‘90s, we inspired a generation,” Jordan said in a statement. “The return of 'Is It in You?' is another chapter in greatness for Gatorade, a brand that has fueled champions for decades and relentlessly serves athletes on and off the field.”
The creative agency behind the campaign is TBWA/Chiat/Day LA.
“As the brand that has been on the sidelines fueling athletes for decades, we’re committed to not only helping them stay in the game but also celebrating their unique ‘it’,” Gatorade chief brand officer, Anuj Bhasin, added in the same release. “The return of ‘Is It In You?’, our biggest campaign of all time, is about acknowledging how much the sports landscape has changed, while reminding athletes that one thing hasn’t – the inner drive that fuels you – and that’s what matters most.”
The film made its debut during the NBA Western Conference Finals Game 4 last night, and the 360 campaign media will run throughout the summer, including a colored sweat takeover on social media from Gatorade’s athlete roster, custom filters on Snapchat and Instagram and billboards in cities across the US.
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