Does it come in yellow flavor?... Gatorade doesn't want to just be the thing you bring to soccer matches — it wants to be the thing you wear at them. The Pepsi-owned brand just pulled an Apple: it's launching its first wearable.
- Gx Sweat Patch: Looks like a cool band-aid, actually a ~$13 single-use patch that measures your fitness levels (by pulling the data out of your sweat).
- Gx App: You scan the patch on Gatorade's app post-Zumba sesh to reveal your unique sweat profile. Think: sodium loss and sweat rate.
No, I don't want a Pepsi instead... Coke may be winning on soft drinks, but Pepsi's winning on sports drinks: Gatorade dominates the US sports drink category with a whopping 72% of market share — Coke’s Powerade lags as #2 with a 16% share. That's probably why Pepsi mentioned Gatorade 8X during its last earnings call (more than Mountain Dew). Now it's moving into pseudo-Fitbit territory to seize on a growing trend: personalization.
Personalization = the ultimate product puppy... From apps that track your sleep, to watches that track your heart rate, we're becoming obsessed with knowing more about ourselves. That's why Gatorade's CEO says personalized products can be sold at a premium (read: more $$$). Companies that customize products are seeing faster sales growth. Personalization can also drive loyalty, by making us feel extra special. Gatorade’s end goal with Sweat Patch isn’t FitnessTech — it’s personal connection.