Gatorade is one of the most complex beverages on the planet. Built in a lab, it was custom created as a way to make sure pro athletes' electrolytes were in balance and their blood sugar was in check.

For 55 years, Gatorade’s Sports Science Institute has helped pro athletes achieve peak performance taking into account athlete nutrition, biochemical responses, and environments.

But fitness today is more inclusive than ever, and so is the definition of an athlete. Our objective was to take meticulous research, learning, insights, and science-backed data and then translate it into a digital tool not reserved for pros but for any athlete.

Training online —propelled by the pandemic— ranked as the #1 training trend in ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal survey in 2021.

We saw a way for Gatorade, and specifically, the Gx app serve as a digital teammate, cheerleader, trainer, and coach to athletes and teams.

Gatorade has been around since the 1960's and known as a staple in pro sports —yet it's available for a few dollars virtually anywhere.

In short, it's high end but democratized.

In a similar vein, we thought: what if Gatorade could help to level the playing field to democratize the kinds of tools and knowledge long available to elite athletes? We decided to develop the Gx platform to unlock professional sports science —for any athlete, for free.

First, we helped the Gatorade Sports Science Institute create a new process to measure the connections between hydration, performance, and recovery, which were used by professional strength coaches we partnered with, to inform variable fueling and training recommendations for athletes.

We then translated those recommendations into digital algorithms for the Gx app, before designing and developing the app itself with a focus on giving users tailored insights and motivation triggers.

Our target audience for Gatorade is ever broadening as fitness becomes more inclusive. It's everyone who plays sports, works out, trains, and is looking to improve their personal performance.

The strategy was to develop a product that reflects that the possibilities of sport are limitless and extend far beyond the field.

We knew there's no shortage of information out there about ways to stay healthy. But it's hard to find personally tailored information, and ways to stay motivated, for free.

The app's simplified health data helps users understand the power of hydration in a personalized way and keep tracking how it changes performance. Our approach was to make opening the app a way to get clear direction on what to do now and what to do next—which could be a particular workout, a reminder to take a rest day to recover or specific hydration recommendations to make training most beneficial.

The Gx app is highly unique in the context of the CPG category as a way to connect with and offer value to customers and fans.

It was released in late 2022, and now any athlete can get one step closer to the pros.

Each comprehensive program guides users through specific training, nutrition and recovery goals. To bring all athletes closer to the pros, the app features a variety of workout programs inspired by pros like Serena Williams and Lionel Messi.

The gradients are dynamic and clear typography make it simple to read recommendations on the go. You can set your goals, and the Gx app suggests guidance week after week. SMS notifications remind athletes what to do to stay on track, making pro-level training easy.

Companion hardware – the Gx Sweat Patch and the Smart Gx Bottle – makes the Gx App experience even more personalized.

With the global sports drink market at $37 million dollars (Skyquest Technology Consulting Stat Nov. 2022) and with Gatorade as market leader, the new Gx app is an example of how a brand can stay on top through digital innovation.

Five months post launch, PepsiCo's CEO Ramon Laguarta publicly hailed Gatorade for creating a purpose-driven product focused on helping athletes perform at their best.

He said: "Nearly 60 years later, the original brand ethos still guides its greatness – even in the digital wellness world. I’m proud of the new Gatorade GX app, which provides users with science-backed training tools and guidance. Wellness is a growing priority for our consumers, and I’m happy to see our team’s latest effort provide them with solutions."

Indeed it represents decades of meticulous research all in your pocket, for free.

It's working:

-Average app store rating 4.6/5

-Six billion+ impressions

-500K+ workouts

-190+press stories