NEW YORK -- PepsiCo, looking to resuscitate its Gatorade brands, debuted its new G Series line of drinks during Sunday’s Super Bowl, drinks marketed as beneficial to athletes during all phases of exercise, Reuters reports.
The G Series line will debut in stores beginning this spring, and PepsiCo hopes that the brand will boost overall Gatorade sales, which fell 14.2 percent in the first nine months of 2009, according to Beverage Digest. By contrast, Coca-Cola’s Powerade line fell only 0.3 percent during the same period.
The G Series will include "Gatorade Prime 01,” intended for consumption before exercise, "Gatorade Perform 02,” for consumption while engaged in sports, and “Gatorade Recover 03,” for use after exercising.
"For too long, this category has relied on flavor extensions and it's time to reset the clock in terms of functionality, and that's what we're doing in 2010," said Gatorade Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Robb O'Hagan.
Beverage Digest publisher John Sicher applauded Gatorade’s strategy and new product focus.
"For Gatorade to grow again, it probably has to lose some of the fringe consumption...and grow again with its core consumers, who are athletes and people drinking it in hot and sweaty occasions," Sicher told Reuters.