Gatorade Taps Eminem and Michael Jordan for New Ad Campaign
Michael Jordan for New Ad Campaign
With the release of ESPN’s “The Last Dance” documentary series capturing the final seasons of his career, Michael Jordan’s profile is at an all-time high. That makes it the perfect time for sports beverage company Gatorade to re-release one of its most iconic commercials starring His Airness himself.
The legendary Gatorade ad was the brand’s first official commercial starring the future Hall of Famer, and it ran right after he won his first of six NBA Championships. The ad showcases the young Jordan playing basketball with children in a North Side playground. He is seen as the dream every kid wants to be as a basketball player and person. It is no secret that Jordan had a significant impact on the NBA and his sponsor, Nike’s Jordan brand, but he also significantly influenced Gatorade’s success.
Gatorade’s sports marketing chief Tom Fox recalls showing the famous ad to then NBA Commissioner David Stern in La Jolla, and Stern, at first, wasn’t convinced that Jordan was actually in the commercial. However, once he saw it, the commissioner was sold, and that commercial became a cultural phenomenon.
It’s been over three decades since the spot first aired, but it hasn’t lost its charm or ability to sell products. That may be mainly due to its incredibly catchy jingle, created by Bernie Pitzel, the advertising executive behind such classics as the McDonald’s “Nothing But Net” spot and the original Nike ad starring Michael Jordan.
Pitzel has recently opened up about creating the ad’s legendary anthem. He says he and the agency he worked with initially wanted to license “I Wanna Be Like You” from The Jungle Book for the ad, but Disney demanded a million dollars, and that deal never came through.
Gatorade Ads Eminem to the New Ad
The new ad, which premiered on Sunday evening, features current NBA stars such as Pelicans’ Zion Williamson and Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and WNBA star Elena Delle Donne re-creating the scenes from the iconic 1992 spot. The ad is narrated by Detroit rapper and artist Eminem and produced by the TBWA creative agency.
The ad is the first of two in a summer campaign for the sports drink company and it is designed to connect with the current generation of athletes and youth. Earlier this year, Pitzel was appointed the brand’s new global chief marketing officer, replacing outgoing chief marketing officer Kalen Thornton.
