Case Study: Gatorade achieves a 20-point lift in ad recall and 5-point lift in brand association with Instagram

Gatorade - Customer Case Study

Gatorade, the sports drink developed in 1965 and now holding over 70% of the U.S. market, set out to re-establish itself as an inspiring brand by reviving its iconic "Be Like Mike" campaign for its 50th anniversary. The challenge was to drive advert recall and lift brand association—specifically to inspire athletes and reconnect the brand with the aspirational message of the original campaign.

Gatorade ran a retro photo-led campaign across Facebook and Instagram using a #BeLikeMike hashtag and targeted ad units to reach athletes and broader audiences. The approach delivered strong results: a 20‑point lift in advert recall and a 5‑point lift in brand association, with the campaign producing the highest brand recall Gatorade had seen.

Gatorade

Jeff Miller

Director Of Digital Strategy