Nothing says victory like a coach getting dunked with Gatorade.
A tradition that started in 1987, the Gatorade dunk has evolved into an iconic event that has put the PepsiCo’s sport drink brand on center stage.
While not the biggest day for Gatorade retail sales, the Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year “in terms of exposure and showcase of what we do,” said Brett O’Brien, General Manager of Gatorade.
“It’s such a massive sporting event, there’s no better time to see Gatorade powering the athlete,” he told CNBC recently, noting that Gatorade’s actual sales peak during the warmer months.
“This would be there biggest dunk of the year,” said Eric Smallwood, president of APEX Marketing Group, who estimates that Gatorade has received over $18 million worth of publicity after appearing in 22 of 33 Super Bowls.
To commemorate the Super Bowl in the Peach State, the company is rolling out a limited time only Peach flavored Gatorade in the Atlanta area this week.
O’Brien also said the company loved the exposure it gets from gamblers trying to guess which color of Gatorade will be part of the dunk. It’s one of the most popular prop bets at Las Vegas sports books every Super Bowl. “It’s comes down to the players, it’s all about them,” said O’Brien. “They will vote and say this is the color we want the most.”
Rams running back Todd Gurley tweeted his vote is for “ice punch” flavor, which may be affecting some odds.
“Todd Gurley is one of our guys,” said O’Brien, when stalling about which team he’s rooting for. “I hope the best for him. They are both big Gatorade teams so either way is a win for us.”
