Product Review of Gatorade A.M.

Gatorade, the most popular sports drink in a booming market, is trying to further its brand by the introduction of Gatorade A.M. In an industry in which trends are strong and fast moving (with flavors and markets), Gatorade has been the first of the major companies to push the go button on a new drink marketed for the morning. Known for its multiple endorsements by famous and successful athletes, the marketing campaign for Gatorade A.M. features the trademark celebrity commercial, currently featuring Kevin Garnet as a milkman, delivering Gatorade A.M. to famous athletes, including Payton Manning. As a big Gatorade fan and consumer, I tried the new product with an open mind, and found both good and bad.

The Good

The basic idea of Gatorade A.M is simple: "Get the Most out of Your Morning Workout". From a marketing standpoint, this is brilliant. Gatorade started, and continues, to push the idea of staying hydrated for a workout. This product aims at those who workout in the morning, reminding them that they need to refuel after a long night's rest. What better way to do that than with a product tailored for that specific need?

Where Gatorade changed their product is not in their popular formula. They admit, right off of he bat, that the formula is the exact same as their regular Gatorade. Where the change comes, however, is the tailoring of the flavors to a morning mindset. The website states that the flavors have been "developed to appeal to you in the morning". The two major flavors offered by Gatorade A.M are "Orange-Strawberry" and "Tropical-Mango". These flavors are both tasty and smooth, an easy and appetizing drink for the morning hours and can go easily with a breakfast meal.

The Not So Good

The lack of flavors of Gatorade A.M is the only major downside of the line that I've found. With only two flavors to choose from, options are severely limited. One of the things that I enjoy about Gatorade products is that there are a multitude of flavors available for each line. While I'm sure that Gatorade A.M.'s flavors will grow as the product gains popularity, it would be nice to have a few more flavors to choose from to mix up part of a daily routine.

Gatorade has found a way to make its popular drink more appealing for the mornings. This angle uses the famous Gatorade formula to reap the same benefits, but changes the composition of flavors for a more interesting and more tailored product. Can it carry over to non-users who work out in the morning? With the same formula as before, that is questionable. For those who drink Gatorade on a regular basis, however, Gatorade A.M is a perfect fit.