Bodyarmor has partnered with two of the country’s biggest sports stars of the moment as it looks to reposition itself as a the best bet among better-for-you hydration options in Canada.
The Coca-Cola Company sports drink’s new Canadian campaign, developed with Los Angeles-based creative agency Cartwright, launched Tuesday with Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Toronto Blue Jays franchise player Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as its feature faces.
The timing of the “Choose Better” campaign couldn’t have been better for Bodyarmor, with McDavid creating headlines by signing a new two-year, $25-million USD contract extension with the Oilers on the eve of the NHL season on Monday and Guerrero leading the Blue Jays into New York with a 2-0 lead over the Yankees ahead of Game 3 in the American League Division Series on Tuesday.
Tom Gargiulo, CMO at Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition, tells strategy that the decision to partner with hockey’s brightest star and Canadian baseball’s slugger of the moment boldly reiterates the product’s presence in Canada less than two years after its launch north of the border.
“We knew that to truly connect in Canada, it was important to listen first,” Gargiulo says. “Hockey is such a central part of Canadian culture, and Connor brings that authenticity in a way no one else can. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. complements that by connecting us to baseball fans. Both athletes give Bodyarmor an authentic way to show up in Canada.”
The hero video, which contrasts rival orange-drink-consuming athletes toiling away in windowless bunkers with a Bodyarmor team that connects directly with the natural world outdoors, also serves as a relaunch of the brand’s visual identity in Canada.
Gargiulo says Bodyarmor is targeting younger health-conscious athletes and everyday consumers with the rebrand and promotional push. While the company will be tracking a mix of metrics, including sales as a core KPI, he says brand awareness and consumer perception are the key aspects of Bodyarmor’s three-to-five-year outlook in Canada.
“Success in Canada is about building long-term trust and becoming the go-to hydration of choice for Canadians who demand better,” Gargiulo says. “Sales is an important part of the equation, but that’s a result of being culturally relevant and becoming part of Canadian sports and active lifestyles … That’s what ‘the next frontier’ truly means to us – earning relevance and driving growth.”
“Choose Better” rolls out nationally today in French and English, with 30-second videos and 15-second cutdowns airing on television alongside digital creative, streaming, OOH and social-media extensions. The new packaging will begin appearing in key cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton this month ahead of a nationwide rollout planned by the end of the year.
M+C Saatchi handled PR for the rebrand and campaign launch.
