The sports and energy drink industries have never been more competitive. From BODYARMOR to Pepsico owned Gatorade, consumers have a litany of choices to pick through. And especially during COVID-19, these companies are being forced to get creative with their marketing in order to become top-of-mind for consumers.
So it begs the question, what helps a brand stand out from the rest?
Enter Coca-Cola’s Powerade. With their full array of product lines, the Average Joe can feel confident knowing they are getting quality hydration backed by the world’s top nutritionists.
But don’t just take their word for it. The top athletes within the world of soccer, basketball, and many others use the brand that brings “More Power To You.” They advance their own athletic prowess and have leveraged the sports drink’s platform to bring greater visibility to causes that they are uniquely passionate about.
Here are the top Powerade athletes in terms of social following:
9. Asia Durr | WNBA
Instagram Following: 34,000
Twitter Following: 10,000
Facebook Following: 436
Total Following: 44,000
Though she entered the league in 2019, Durr has been familiar with the sports drink brand for quite some time. While still in high school back in 2015, she won the Powerade Jam Fest Girls’ Three-Point Shoutout. After being drafted by the New York Liberty, Durr sat down for a collaboration between UNINTERRUPTED and Powerade. In it, she detailed her upbringing and how studying street basketball helped to develop her basketball handles.
8. Alex Laughlin | Racing
Instagram Following: 57,000
Facebook Following: 38,000
Twitter Following 3,000
Total Following: 98,000
Laughlin relies on the beverage company’s Power Water to get through races (especially when he has to cool down from driving in a 140-degree race car)!
7. Ron Capps | Racing
Twitter Following: 106,000
Facebook Following: 55,000
Instagram Following: 47,000
Total Following: 208,000
Capps can be seen promoting the Powerade Ultra line on the track, consuming the sports drink before races.
6. Kevin Pillar | MLB
Instagram Following: 319,000
Twitter Following: 280,000
Facebook Following: N/A
Total Following: 599,000
Pillar has been with the Powerade brand since 2017 when he was on Toronto Blue Jays. As the brand was the official sports drink of the team, Pillar was a natural fit for the partnership. He was the face of integrated marketing and events throughout retail activations within Canada. In fact, he helped to roll out the new watermelon strawberry flavor within the country.
Furthermore, Pillar aligned well with the brand’s “Power Through” messaging. As a 32nd round draftee, Pillar went hand-in-hand with the messaging of extra effort in order to find success.
5. Steven Adams | NBA
Instagram Following: 461,000
Facebook Following: 291,000
Twitter Following: 214,000
Total Following: 966,000
The charismatic Adams inked his sponsorship deal with the sports drink giant back in 2016. The New Zealand star has promoted his use of Powerade Ion4 throughout the years.
4. Jamal Crawford | NBA
Twitter Following: 1.4 million
Instagram Following: N/A
Facebook Following: N/A
Total Following: 1.4 million
Like his WNBA counterpart Asia Durr, Crawford also sat down with the team of UNINTERRUPTED and Powerade to discuss his upbringing within the game of basketball. He expands on his playground games in Seattle and how the fast-paced nature helped to shape his game over the years.
3. Ali Krieger | NWSL & USWNT
Instagram Following: 902,000
Twitter Following: 868,000
Facebook Following: 291,000
Total Following: 2 million
Krieger has been a prominent player for club and country, featuring in U.S. Olympic runs and World Cup journeys. The defender teamed up with The Players Tribune and the sports drink brand to share her 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup experience and her amazing comeback from injury.
2. Damian Lillard | NBA
Instagram Following: 8.4 million
Facebook Following: 4.1 million
Twitter Following: 2.2 million
Total Following: 14.7 million
He shoots. He raps. And he drinks Powerade.
Damian Lillard became a Powerade athlete back in 2017. The initial advertising spot “No Easy Bucket” showcased his intense workout style and his road to stardom. The spot was played ahead of another Powerade sponsored element: the NCAA March Madness tournament.
1. Alex Morgan | Women’s Super League & USWNT
Instagram Following: 9.2 million
Facebook Following: 5.7 million
Twitter Following: 3.9 million
Total Following: 18.8 million
Morgan has long been involved with the Coca-Cola company through her platform on the national stage. As POWERADE is the official sports drink of the USWNT, Morgan has helped to further increase their market share and visibility as one of the team’s brightest stars throughout the 2010s.
Ahead of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, both parties came together in a joint effort to substantially grow the women’s game. “Power Pitches” were built in underserved communities throughout the country including in Morgan’s local L.A. area. The field was named in her honor and serves as a viable community spot where thousands of youth can hone their skills and play The Beautiful Game.
Powerade Athlete Endorsers
Powerade stars are high achievers both within their sport and in everyday life. Fueling the underdog and hard work mentality, the brand leverages its athletes in that same way as they continue to overcome obstacles and keep forging ahead.
