In the US there is a rapidly increasing focus among brands, marketers and advertisers on Branded Entertainment initiatives. This focus is fueled by the desire to increase consumer engagement and increase brand value and affinity. TV networks and broadcasters are eager to partner in Branded Entertainment initiatives, particularly when brands are able to bring unique ideas and executions to the table while offering exclusive access to the celebrities, athletes, teams, etc., that they have relationships with.

Several unsuspecting convenience store customers experienced Gatorade’s new policy firsthand. With the help of Peyton Manning and Cam Newton, an unwavering convenience store clerk informed customers trying to buy Gatorade that they needed a new type of currency: sweat. No sweat, no service. Instead of walking away empty-handed, customers busted out jumping jacks, push-ups and even a little yoga to break a sweat and earn their Gatorade. At the end of the day, we released eight different customer interactions all at once. Perfect for binge watching.

- The campaign resulted in a +13% lift in purchase intent from athletes and exercisers, Gatorade’s core target audience

- Athletes and committed exercisers who watched the campaign were also more likely to identify Gatorade as a performance-improving sports drink (+17%) and a “go-to” brand (+13%)

- 23.3 million online video views across all 8 videos

- 217.7 million impressions for press pickup; $4.3 million value

- 97% positive-neutral sentiment for social mentions

- Users who were exposed to C Store reported a 147% increase in searches for Gatorade vs. control