GATORADE® LAUNCHES "THE NEXT 90 MINUTES" TO INSPIRE GREATNESS IN ATHLETES AT ALL LEVELS, STARRING LIONEL MESSI, AND FEATURING ROBERTO CARLOS AND ROBERT PIRES

IN THE NEW GLOBAL CAMPAIGN, GATORADE REINFORCES HOW PREPARATION IS KEY WHEN FACING ANY CHALLENGE AHEAD WITH CONFIDENCE

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gatorade®, the world's number one sports drink*, launches an epic new global campaign to inspire future generations mentally and physically to achieve greatness, by facing any challenge ahead with confidence. In an exciting hero film, titled "The Next 90 Minutes" starring Messi, Gatorade reinforces that no matter the level of athlete, preparation is the key to confidence on the pitch.

Gatorade is proud to have fuelled Messi through pivotal moments in his incredible career, and this new campaign champions this long-standing partnership with seven time Ballon D'Or winner. Also featuring legends of the game Roberto Carlos and Robert Pires, the trio of athletes have united to show how the secret to success is not what the challenge is, but how prepared you are to face it.

The sports drink brand has long been using its science-backed research through GSSI (Gatorade Sports Science Institute) to help strengthen and improve athletes' mental and physical game, inspiring them to play at their peak. As a partner to performance, Gatorade encourages all athletes to never settle on their path to greatness.

"Through Gatorade's long-standing partnership with Messi, we've witnessed first-hand his level of preparation, and how this brings the confidence needed to conquer any challenge in front of him." Robert Blythe, Senior Marketing Director at PepsiCo, commented, "Our new hero film demonstrates how Gatorade fuels the greatest athletes on their own paths to greatness at the most important moments of their career, whilst celebrating Messi's world-renowned desire to win. Through 'The Next 90 Minutes' we want to inspire future G.O.A.T.s that preparation, dedication and facing challenges head on is what it takes to be the best."

Messi commented: "Throughout my career, I've learned that success is a result of a combination of factors, but preparation plays a key part. Taking the time to prepare your body and mind, and visualize the game ahead is a skill in itself. This is why it's been amazing to work with Gatorade to launch 'The Next 90 Minutes' campaign, to share my pregame ritual, and inspire the next generation on their own path to greatness".

To celebrate Messi's extraordinary achievements to date, simultaneously launching is a limited-edition version of Gatorade's iconic Gx Bottle co-designed by Messi himself. The illustrations capture his life and epic legacy in the bottle. Both his hometown and the football community have always played a central part in Messi's life and are paid tribute throughout the bottle.

Messi's signature celebratory pose is shown in gold and is the focal point of the back of the bottle. Elsewhere, his beloved home country of Argentina is represented with nods to its iconic monuments and landmarks including the Paraná River. Messi's love for the game is also woven subtly throughout the imagery, including a soccer field, penalty box, cleats, goal netting and ball. The abstract design of the bottle is inspired by Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles paying homage to the culture that raised and continues to inspire him. The limited-edition Gx bottle is available to purchase in the USA only, at Gatorade.com and in limited stores.

From sponsoring some of the best athletes in the world, to creating Gatorade 5v5, a grassroots programme to inspire the next generation, Gatorade has had a strong presence in sport throughout its history. This, alongside its extensive research with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, where the brand offers access to expert information and scientifically backed resources, sets Gatorade apart as the leading brand in developing sports performance.

* Source Euromonitor International Limited; Soft Drinks 2022 edition: % brand share, off-trade volume & value rsp terms, 2021 data.

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About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. 

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo. 

About Gatorade
The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo, provides sports performance innovations designed to meet the needs of athletes at all competitive levels and across a broad range of sports. Backed by more than a 50-year history of studying the best athletes in the world and grounded in years of hydration and sports nutrition research at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Gatorade provides scientifically formulated products to meet the sports fuelling needs of athletes in all phases of athletic activity. For more information and a full list of products, please visit www.gatorade.com.

About GSSI
Founded in 1985, the mission of The Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) has always been to help athletes optimise their health and performance through research and education in hydration and sports nutrition. Gatorade is focused on meaningful, science-based innovations that help improve athletic performance. As the creator of the sports drink, science is at the foundation of the brand and a key driver of long-term strategy, which is focused on the belief that athletic performance is driven from the inside out.

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