This is not a recent campaign. That’s exactly the point.

The Powerade turnaround—alongside iconic work for LG Mobile, Hawaiian Punch, and dnL—represents the foundational thinking that shaped the leadership of Left Off Madison. These were the moments that taught us how to fight category leaders, re-ignite retailer belief, and engineer demand when the odds (and shelf space) are stacked against you.

For CMOs facing commoditization, retailer resistance, or a dominant competitor today, the lessons from Powerade are not dated—they’re timeless.

The Business Problem

Powerade was created by The Coca-Cola Company to challenge PepsiCo’s Gatorade — the undisputed leader of the sports drink category. Five years in, the numbers told a brutal story:

• Powerade market share: 15%

• Gatorade market share: 73%

Retailers were losing patience. Velocity lagged. Promotions and coupons failed to create sustained lift. As the sports drink category continued to grow, Powerade was being systematically delisted, store by store. The brand wasn’t just losing, it was becoming invisible.

Coca-Cola faced a stark reality: Win differently, or lose permanently.

The Strategic Reset

Coca-Cola made a bold internal move: brand leadership for Powerade shifted from Atlanta to Energy Brands (Glacéau) in Whitestone, NY — the same entrepreneurial incubator that built Smartwater and Vitaminwater.

New leadership demanded new thinking. New thinking demanded new agency partners. This wasn’t about polishing a message. It was about re-engineering relevance.

The Strategy: Flip the Battlefield

Instead of chasing Gatorade head-on, Powerade changed the rules of engagement. The turnaround was built on three strategic pillars:

1. Innovation as a Wedge

Powerade launched Powerade Zero, staking early claim to the sugar-free, performance-hydration space—well before it was a priority for Gatorade.

This wasn’t incremental innovation. It reframed Powerade as progressive, performance-driven, and health-aware. Not a copycat.

2. Science Over Swagger

As Gatorade leaned increasingly into lifestyle and heritage, Powerade leaned hard into sports science and functional performance. The message was clear: This isn’t about legacy. It’s about results.

3. Credibility at Scale

To rebuild trust and trial, Powerade engineered omnipresent credibility:

• Olympic-level legitimacy

• Elite athlete validation

• Grassroots visibility where athletes are made, not just celebrated

The Plan: Force the Brand Back Onto the Shelf

Powerade didn’t whisper its comeback. It made it impossible to ignore.

Global Authority

Through Coca-Cola’s Olympic sponsorship, Powerade became the exclusive branded beverage of the Olympic Games surrounding the world’s greatest athletes with the product at the highest level of performance.

Star Power with Purpose

Powerade aligned with elite, high-performance athletes across major sports, including:

• Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, LeBron James (NBA)

• Ryan Howard (MLB)

• Chris Johnson (NFL)

• Ashton Eaton (Decathlon)

These weren’t just endorsements, they were proof points.

Cultural Saturation in Sports

• Strategic NCAA partnerships

• Courtside and sideline visibility via branded coolers and cups

• Multi-year sponsorship of the NCAA Final Four

• High-school athlete engagement via ESPN HS / RISE and local sports activations

Retail as a Growth Channel—not a Gatekeeper

The brand and agency teams jointly developed custom retailer-specific sell-in stories, not one generic deck.

Retailers including Costco, BJ’s, 7-Eleven, Walgreens, CVS, Safeway, and Stop & Shop weren’t asked for space. They were shown why Powerade would earn it.

The Result

Powerade’s strategy-driven resurgence pushed the brand to a 27% market share peak, nearly doubling its position by:

• Creating new reasons to believe

• New reasons to stock

• New reasons to choose

Gatorade remained the leader, but Powerade was no longer an afterthought. t was back in the game.