Gatorade’s “Unpaid Product Shot” campaign was a brilliant and cost-effective marketing strategy launched in Colombia in June 2019.
Campaign Overview
Cause for Campaign:
Gatorade, the official sports drink of the Colombian National Football Team, couldn’t afford high-budget commercials featuring famous athletes during the Copa America, a major international football tournament.
Idea & Concept:
Leverage the passion of Colombian fans to generate “unpaid product shots” showcasing Gatorade.
Execution:
Live Broadcast Integration: During live broadcasts of Colombia’s matches, Gatorade encouraged viewers to take pictures of players rehydrating with Gatorade bottles whenever shown on screen.
Social Media Sharing: Fans were asked to share their pictures on social media using a specific hashtag to enter a contest.
Prize Incentive: The winner received the same type of Gatorade squeeze bottle used by the professional athletes.
Impacts
Engaged Fans: The campaign successfully turned viewers into active participants, generating a massive amount of user-created content featuring Gatorade.
Social Media Buzz: The hashtag trended on social media platforms, increasing brand awareness and positive sentiment towards Gatorade.
Cost-Effective Marketing: By leveraging fan-generated content, Gatorade achieved high-quality product placement without expensive celebrity endorsements or production costs.
Impact and Results
Gatorade’s “Unpaid Product Shot” campaign achieved outstanding results, garnering 17% engagement, 99% share of voices, 44 times more than any other advertisers
Lessons Learned
Engaging Your Audience: The campaign tapped into the fans’ passion for their team and offered a fun way to interact with the brand.
Power of User-Generated Content: Authentic user-created content can be highly effective in promoting a brand and building trust with consumers.
Thinking Outside the Box: Gatorade’s innovative approach demonstrated how to achieve marketing goals with limited resources.
