Gatorade’s Propel Plans Further Push into Immunity Line

A year after testing the (functional) waters, Propel is diving in headfirst.

Last October, the Gatorade-owned fitness water brand introduced Immune Support, a two-SKU line of flavored waters that contain 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C and at least 30% of the daily value of zinc in each 20 oz. PET bottle. More than simply bringing new consumers into the brand family, the product’s success thus far has served to reorient the company’s growth strategy around functional beverages, both within Immune Support and beyond.

“This year was a bit of step one into the functional beverage space,” said Laura Gardner, Senior Director, Active Fitness Platform at Propel. “(Immune Support) gave us a lot of confidence that this is where our exercisers want us to go, so we want to keep delivering for them.”

Focusing on immunity has proved a good place to start: spurred by the pandemic, consumers are snapping up immune-boosting products of all kinds at a rapid clip. Gardner said Propel plans to “double down” on Immune Support next year in various ways, including the launch of a new flavor (Pineapple Peach) and by introducing powder mix versions of its two current SKUs, Blackberry Lemon and Orange Raspberry. Immune Support will also launch in a 1 liter bottle and in multipacks.

According to IRI data through October 26, Propel has reported a 42.4% rise in dollar sales for its core offering across multi-outlet retail, and a 34.3% increase for its drink mix products. The brand has grown by more than 90% across all channels since 2016, the company stated.

“We knew that we were in the right place at the right time when Immune Support launched, so you are going to see us keep leaning in and keep innovating,” said Gardner. “This functional innovation territory is one that our exercisers are really responding to as they look for their water to do more.”

The brand is aiming to capitalize on its current momentum by “recruiting more exercisers into the Propel family,” according to Gardner, who noted that household penetration increased this year. In terms of building awareness, the company enlisted actress Mindy Kaling to be the face of its national ad campaign for Immune Support, the first time in nearly a decade that it had used a celebrity spokesperson in 360-degree marketing campaign.

Those ads feature Kaling jogging at an outdoor park, which fits with the campaign’s theme of integrating exercise and fitness into consumers’ busy on-the-go lifestyles. That also extends to Propel’s social media presence: Gardner said the brand’s Instagram page highlights 50 guided at-home workouts and “mood breaks” across a range of styles like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga and boxing.