To take Gatorade’s brand relevancy to a new level through gaming with NBA 2K9, we started working on our slam dunk by creating an innovative, unprecedented feature we call the Gatorade Thirst Meter System.

The Thirst Meter works with the game’s artificial intelligence, allowing the system to recognize when players become dehydrated. That’s when the “Gatorade Recommended Substitution” kicks in, designating players to hit the bench for a Gatorade refill. Once the player is hydrated, they’re back in action!

This never-before-seen functionality tied Gatorade’s hydration attributes seamlessly into the true experience of athletes, adding the dimension of thirst to gamers’ reality. To make the game even more realistic, dehydrated players who were not subbed out showed sluggish performance, indicated by a green Gatorade cup.Additional Gatorade branding, including signage, coolers and cups hard-coded into the stadiums, was strategically placed throughout the game to further enhance and maintain true-to-life authenticity.

Within just a few months, NBA2K9 surpassed its guarantee of 1.15MM units from 2K Sports. Brand research determined that the integration created a memorable experience. Strong recall levels indicate that the frequency of Gatorade’s placements positively impacted gamers’ awareness – 82% of those who recalled Gatorade in the game could even pinpoint a specific location. Three-quarters of players liked the various components of the integration, including the Thirst Meter. The creativity and activation of Gatorade’s presence presented an authentic, real-life replication of NBA games, with 34% of those surveyed responding that the Thirst Meter made the game feel more like an actual NBA game.