POWERADE Launches Star-Studded College Football NIL Campaign

Five top football stars are featured in the sports hydration brand's new "Commitment Takes More" commercial

Michael Ehrlich | Aug 30, 2024

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) throws a pass during the G-Day spring football game in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 13, 2024. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Georgia Bulldogs

Ahead of the college football season, sports hydration brand POWERADE has kicked off their latest marketing campaign featuring a star-studded roster. In a new commercial that debuted on Thursday, the brand is highlighting the dedication of Heisman Trophy candidates and All-Americans from such powerhouse programs as No. 1-ranked Georgia, LSU, USC, Florida State and Iowa.

Featured college football stars in POWERADE's "Commitment Takes More" campaign - that alludes to their all-in dedication in the current landscape of college football that now includes NIL, the transfer portal and new playoff format - include Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, LSU quarterback Garret Nussmeier, USC wide receiver Zachariah Branch, Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton and Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson.

“Being committed to the game means getting in the reps and putting in the work no one’s watching,” said Beck. “As you’ll see in this new campaign, POWERADE’s been fueling me every step of the way as I’m grinding to get better and prepare for the start of the season.”

As an extension to this campaign, POWERADE is also teaming up with more than 35 NIL athletes from universities across the country to further amplify the "Commitment Takes More" campaign via social media content.

“With POWERADE’s new campaign, we couldn’t be more excited to showcase our continued investment into college sports and build upon the great momentum we’ve seen over the last year,” said Tom Gargiulo, CMO of BODYARMOR Sports Nutrition. “Our goal is for POWERADE to be synonymous with college sports, so it was a no-brainer to partner with several of the nation’s best players ahead of an exciting upcoming college football season – and showcase to fans and consumers everywhere that POWERADE offers MORE than the competition”

POWERADE is currently the "Official Hydration Partner" for more than 20 college programs and to further underscore their commitment to powering the next generation of athletes, the brand is committing to donating 1 million bottles of POWERADE to youth sports programs by 2026.

Published Aug 30, 2024

MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com