Gatorade has a unique brand proposition. The product was created in a lab at the University of Florida, and is scientifically proven to help athletes perform at their best. That isn’t always the easiest message to get across. Sure you can say it in a commercial, but it’s just words. Only one medium let’s people feel the scientifically proven benefits of Gatorade.

With Virtual Reality, we knew that we could let the audience actually feel what it’s like to compete hydrated vs. dehydrated. But if users were truly going to feel the effects, we also knew there would need to be interactive elements. That, we hypothesized, would be a far better way to educate users on the product benefit verse words on a screen.

With the headsets on, the gamer is transported to Banker’s Field House, home to the Indiana Pacers and Paul George. In the arena, gamers see the exact court that Paul George would play on including the roaring crowd and Gatorade sideline coolers. Before the games begin, the user has an opportunity to consume a Gatorade product before beginning. Using a product would help the players reach peak performance – helping to improve their stamina, speed, or energy. Just as Gatorade does in the real world. And just like in the real world, the effects of virtual dehydration could impact player performance as well. As the game progresses gameplay becomes more difficult, providing physical consequences of dehydration. The screen shakes, and sweat fills your eyes, making each shot more difficult. If you want to achieve your high score, you better hydrate with Gatorade.

NBA 2KVR became the first virtual reality league supported and NBA game to launch across all 3 high-end headsets. Upon launch the game was universally applauded by the press with coverage from major tech and sports publications. Gamers and athletes alike raved to their friends on social about the game. Organically gaming influencers on Twitch and YouTube, the two biggest destinations for gaming content, picked up the title and used the game for their streams. Despite launching the week of Black Friday, the game became a featured titled in the biggest virtual reality stores: Oculus, Samsung Gear, and PlayStation VR. But most importantly, Gatorade’s collaboration with2K allowed their audience to see and feel firsthand the effects of dehydration on performance. And that is far more valuable than words on a screen.