Having spent decades studying the best athletes in the world, no other brand understands the unique needs of athletes like Gatorade. Based on 57 years of research, Gatorade knows athletes want to start fast and ignite their workout performance. Until now, athletes have had to reach for caffeinated energy drinks that were not designed to meet their specific needs or have avoided the category altogether.
Fast Twitch received an NSF safe-for-sport certification, and is backed by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. It is also the first-ever athletic energy drink developed in consultation with the NFL and sports performance experts. As the brand launched, NFL athletes had exclusive access to the beverage during the 2022-2023 season before the product became available to the masses.
Our team defined and built a visual identity system for Fast Twitch in a category all its own as an ‘Athletic Energy Drink.’ The design strategy for this new brand, and ultimately its label, was to create a fresh look and feel that would complement the Gatorade master brand while also sitting in a new category, straddled between sports hydration and energy drinks. Being the first product of its kind, the team knew the label’s design language had to convey all the unique aspects of this new innovation.
Inspired by the idea of capturing lightning in a bottle, when designing the Fast Twitch label, our team focused on energy-forward neon green coloration informed by current design trends popular with Gen Z. This bright, loud, and confident hue immediately attracts athletes to the product while also capturing other category users.
In all Insights tests, the Fast Twitch label design exceeded consumer and category norms. It performed 16% higher than category norm for “findability,” and purchase intent performed 31% higher than category norms with Forever Athletes, those who share a goal-oriented mindset and healthy, active lifestyle. With its unique proposition and bold design, Fast Twitch is poised to become a brand leader in a category all its own.
Category:PackagingYear:2024Designers:PepsiCo, New York, New York, USAManufacturer:PepsiCo, New York, New York, USA
