Good news for all you fellas (and ladyfellas) who use Gatorade as your top source of everyday hydration: PepsiCo is going to come up with a low-calorie version of the stuff.
Citing consumer demand, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said the product would be marketed to “less active” athletes. Since most of Gatorade’s market consists of these people (i.e. the ones who believe that it’s the consumption of Gatorade that increases fitness, rather than the actual fitness activity) it’s got the chance to be a real hit, along the lines of Diet Coke.
Gatorade has a huge market share , and this might be a good way for it to fight off products like Vitaminwater. The only problem is brand confusion with Propel, which is basically its own kind of low-calorie Gatorade.
The only issue? Coming up with a way to harness the appeal of Gatorade — that it lets drinkers build a mental association with athletes — in a product that points to a need for calorie control. It’s a fine line.
