Question- 6 Is Gatorade a global brand? The Gatorade brand has maintained a well-established brand name for decades. With over half a billion dollars in sales every year, the brand has continued to grow and maintain control of the sports drink market. Therefore, the Gatorade brand would be placed in the mature stage of the product life cycle. It has a fairly steady level of sales annually, and a globally recognized name. Thus, Gatorade is considered a global brand. What changes should Quaker consider as it markets Gatorade globally? Manufacturing hydrating bottled water and energy drink – In order to convert the above stated weakness into an opportunity, Gatorade could experiment and venture into the enhanced bottled water and energy drink segments. Although it may add to an already large assortment of products, if marketed correctly, it could definitely have some potential in terms of general, everyday use. Initiate increased global advertising – There is no denying Gatorade’s rampant presence in the North American market. However, the one facet in which competitors such as Powerade trump the brand is international advertising. Powerade has already capitalized on Gatorade’s absence, for example, by contracting British soccer stars such as Wayne Rooney. Although the company does sell its merchandise abroad, the advertising is desperately lacking in potential goldmines such as Asia and Europe. If action is taken, the company could definitely generate revenue and compensate for declining sales in the United States. Association with less nationally popular sports – One of Gatorade’s highly lauded strengths is their rich bond with the most popular sports in America: basketball, football, baseball, and the like. However, one aspect is less publicized and televised sports, such as boxing, wrestling, hockey or cricket. Loyal consumer base – Another bolstering strength that Gatorade can sustain and exploit is its loyal consumer base. Consumers who prefer the brand over competitors could, through some incentives, help diversify and increase the customer base. This following could also be utilized to try new products and promotional articles on. Media Strategy - There are two focal points with regards to Gatorade’s target audience. The first is athletes, or the main consumers of Gatorade. The new products launched by Gatorade will soon interest this audience the most. It is also important to consider non-athletes, around the ages 18-24, who enjoy sports and fitness. The main, yet not exclusive demographic, is young males in the South. Media classes such as television, magazines, radio, and newspapers will be used topromote the brand. Television will be most effective when trying to reach a national audience and particularly to the target segment. Magazines will also help provide national exposure to the segment while allowing for ads to have a long life span. The new ads will contain simple information about the new products that will not require frequent updates, making this media form cost efficient. Radio and newspapers can be used when focusing specifically on a region that is experiencing success in sports. During this time, the local community will have an increase in people who are interested in sports. Radio ads can be utilized during sports broadcasts, along with newspaper ads near the articles of the winning sports team.
