Business Book Blog Tour: First In Thirst

Today is day one of the Business Book Blog Tour for Darren Rovell's just published First In Thirst: How Gatorade Turned The Science of Sweat Into A Cultural Phenomenon.  I enjoyed the book's history of Gatorade, because it brought back lots of childhood memories of famous sports moments, and there were some great marketing lessons in motion as well.  So, I was excited to have the opportunity to see how some of what Gatorade brand managers have done so successfully over the years exemplifies some of the truths of marketing to women (even though their core market is obviously not women).  So here goes:

AL: The “story” of Gatorade – where it came from, it’s connection to college football players practicing in the hot sun, and then the Gatorade moments that could not have been staged, is so easily accessible. It seems very honest and not "produced" out of the sky. Let's talk about that story/authenticity/humanization a bit.  Why do you think investors didn’t buy the concept or story initially, but customers seemed to emotionally connect right away?

DR: That’s a very good question. I think the people at Stokely-Van Camp were well aware of the power of the story. It enabled them to believe that there was a chance that this could reach the mass market. But it was by no stretch of the imagination an easy product to pitch to a critical mass of people back then.

AL: Being a fanatical college football fan myself, I love the fact that Gatorade didn’t have to “engineer” Gatorade moments like the dumping of the cooler on the coach. In fact, even as they got press for that, you write that they made sure NOT to leverage those natural occurrences for any more publicity. 

How did the brand manage to not get too caught up in the hype and buzz, and just stay true – to let the great moments happen on their own? Was it just a unique mix of people involved in the brand? Were they just so busy with other aspects of their business that they didn’t have time to think about it (I doubt that)? What kept them in check?

DR: I think those running Gatorade were well aware of how marketing worked. They realized that the Gatorade dunk/bath moment was going to continue even if they didn’t tinker with it. They might not have engineered moments, but they did put the brand in position to enjoy more natural product placement occasions thanks to putting locals on towels and on waxed paper cups.

AL: A few of your 9 Gatorade Rules, from Chapter 8, align well with rules for transparent marketing.  Let's start with:

Gatorade Rule 2. Never Stop Researching the Marketplace.

AL: You write that one of the key strategies for Gatorade was to be the most knowledgeable organization in the science of fluid replacement in the world. What made them think that this was necessary? How did they know that becoming a resource in the field was going to be so important? In what ways have they continued with this and does it remain “under the radar” for the general consuming public, or does the mass market really bother to check into all the scientific research Gatorade is producing?

DR: The executives at Gatorade wanted to be knowledgeable in fluid science because they felt that Gatorade wasn’t the last step. They knew that there would innovations over the years and they wanted to be on the cutting edge. Once they started doing research, I think they realized that it was well worth the investment they were putting in. I don’t really think the general public bothers with what the Gatorade Sports Science Institute produces. They do bother to look at what GSSI says when a report comes out that says that Gatorade or sports drinks aren’t healthy for a particular reason and GSSI is right there to try to explain to the parent what their research shows about the added calories or tooth decay.

AL: From grassroots consumer use to the pros, Gatorade tended to their different routes to loyalty. They stayed in touch with consumer concerns. To paraphrase something Cindy Alston of Gatorade said - the consumer may have not changed a ton over the years, but Gatorade’s knowledge of them has grown. This has helped them to stay really relevant for their market – in a way that works for both male and female consumers, I’d think. Do you know the ways that Gatorade has stayed connected with customers? How do they do their research? How DO they know the latest concerns of Gatorade drinkers and buyers? How does that result in a different look/feel/experience than their competitors today?

DR: I’m not sure how often Gatorade does their research, but they always seem to have a pulse on what they brand loyal fans are thinking. I know every time they are about to do something major, such as change to the ergonomic sports bottle, they talk to a tremendous amount of people.

Gatorade Rule 3. Identify Drivers of Business and Take care of Them.

AL: What a concept – making sure to serve the influencers well! In this case trainers, and perhaps in another case “moms?” You write that sports team trainers, over the years, have really grown to trust Gatorade. Was it partially because Gatorade, right from the start, wanted to involve and get input from trainers? Why else are trainers so loyal? 

DR: Gatorade has not only treated the trainers well, but with all the science that Gatorade has, I think they communicate it to the trainers and that makes them smarter. That being said, Gatorade is clearly not an unbiased party. I don’t doubt that the things they commission are authentic, but they are ultimately there to make money have serve their own best interests.

AL: And, what of moms? Are there ways that Gatorade may be seeking to take care of these younger generation influencers more these days? 

DR: I really haven’t seen much influence of mothers. Gatorade in its advertising has really stuck to the envying of the athlete. That aspirational drive to drink what the athlete drinks. I think they ultimately influences kids who are sports fans to ask their mothers to buy them Gatorade.

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AL: Let's take a break and Darren and I will be back in a bit to talk about a few more of those 9 rules, which include the importance of packaging (!) and how crucial emotion is to this brand.