Synopses & Reviews
Review
“[A] fascinating new book….[Author] Rovell does an excellent job keeping a business story moving by interweaving plenty of sports and bigger picture ideas into First in Thirst. There is enough here for the businessperson, the sports fan and anyone who loves a story about how one small, simple idea could become so big.”
-Yahoo! Sports
Review
"He [Rovell] writes a fascinating chronicle of how Gatorade’s superb marketing overcame obstacles."
-Detroit Free Press
Review
"""Given its prominence and brand equity, it's amazing we've had to wait until now to read the story about the domination of Gatorade. Darren Rovell will quench your thirst by deftly weaving the tale from its humble beginnings to its extraordinary market share and iconic brand status.""
-- David Stern, Commissioner, National Basketball Association
""Without Darren Rovell's First In Thirst, how would I know there was once a Gatorade called ‘ESPN the Flavor’? At last I understand how Chris Berman and Stuart Scott race through exhausting highlight packages without becoming dehydrated.""
-- Bob Costas, Broadcaster, NBC and HBO
""The story of Gatorade's wild success was just waiting to be told, and Darren Rovell is the perfect person to tell it. First in Thirst is a business book and a marketing book and a zeitgeist book, but most of all it's just a terrific book to read.""
-- Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.
""First In Thirst chronicles why Gatorade has become the 'oral imperative' for athletes just like spinach was for Popeye.""
-- Joseph R. Castiglione, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, University of Oklahoma
""Well dump a bucket of green juice over my head! What a great insider's look at the building of a brand that people believe in.""
-- Seth Godin, author, All Marketers Are Liars
""Being first, picking a shocking name and using liberal quantities of PR are the three rules of brand building. Darren Rovell tells the fascinating story of one brand that did all three exceptionally well.""
-- Al Ries and Laura Ries, co-authors, The Origin of Brands"
Review
“[A] fascinating new book."
-Yahoo! Sports
Review
“[A] new book by ESPN business reporter Darren Rovell provides fascinating insights into original development—and sale—of Gatorade.”
-Beverage Digest
Review
“…an account wide in scope, rich in details and sufficiently varied to keep the pages turning.”
-Publisher's Weekly
Review
"It’s a lively book rich in detail."
-Steve Powers, Dallas Morning News anchor and nationally syndicated columnist
Review
"...an engrossing read...the book is captivating."
-Business Ledger
Review
"A good read about a product’s ups and downs for those into sports, business, or supposed hangover cures."
-BrandChannel.com
Review
"...a fascinating business story."
-Mississippi Business Journal
Synopsis
*Selected as one of Soundview Executive Book Summaries's the "30 Best Business Books" of the year.*
Remember the Cola Wars, with Coke and Pepsi battling it out year after year for supremacy in the soft drink market? Or what about the Burger Wars, the legendary slugfests between McDonald’s and Burger King?
Then of course, there were the Sports Drink Wars. If you blinked, you might have missed them, because Gatorade has swiftly and decisively fended off every would-be rival. Although a few other brands hold slim market shares, the fact is that Gatorade single-handedly created the sports drink industry 40 years ago and has absolutely ruled it ever since.
But Gatorade is more than just a triumph of branding. First, it’s a trusted product that has been scientifically proven to do what it claims to do.
Second, Gatorade is an enthralling story, brought to life in bright color and sharp detail in First in Thirst. Author Darren Rovell, a skilled, objective, and passionate journalist, chronicles every astonishing milestone of the company’s history.
With unprecedented access to the inventors, the marketers, the analysts and observers, and key company figures past and present, Rovell recounts the sweat-drenched University of Florida football practices, the first (unpalatable) prototypes, and the commercial and financial interest that quickly took hold following the drink’s first on-field successes. Then came the advertising, sponsorships, product placements (many of them fortuitous), and finally the two milestones that cemented Gatorade’s iconic status once and for all -- the ubiquitous Gatorade bath and the Michael Jordan ""Be Like Mike"" endorsement deal.
With refreshing candor, First in Thirst also offers an inside look at the negotiations, battles, lawsuits, mergers and acquisitions, product strategies, lucky breaks, and even the missteps (there have not been many) that have attended Gatorade’s reign as the 800-pound gorilla of the sports-drink scene. Rovell places the reader inside labs and brainstorming sessions, at board meetings and ad shoots, on the sidelines and in the dugouts, even in the winner’s circle at NASCAR events -- where Gatorade manages maximum exposure even at tracks whose official sponsors include chief rival POWERade.
The book identifies the nine Gatorade Rules, business principles that have helped Gatorade become one of the most dominant brands ever. By adhering to these principles, businesses in other industries may achieve greater brand recognition and market share.
Long before America knew what ""deep-down body thirst"" was, a team of university scientists had already invented something to quench it. First in Thirst is the story of the product and the company, and of America’s fascination with the one and only Gatorade.
About the Author
Darren Rovell has been reporting on sports business since 1998. Since June 2000 he has served as ESPN.com’s sports business reporter. He also appears on numerous ESPN radio affiliate shows and on ESPNews, and contributes to ESPN’s flagship Sports Center, its investigative Outside the Lines shows, and ESPN2’s morning show Cold Pizza. In 2004, Rovell was named to Newsbios’ 30 under 30, a list of the top 30 national business reporters under 30. He is the co-author of On the Ball: What You Can Learn About Business from America’s Sports Leaders. Mr. Rovell is based in Bristol, Connecticut.
Table of Contents
"ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IX
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 1: SWEAT IN A BOTTLE 9
The Guinea Pigs and Testing 15
Making the Drink 17
The First Test 19
The LSU Game 21
CHAPTER 2: THE MYSTIQUE IS BORN 25
The Auburn Game 29
Gatorade Snatchers 30
Press Catches On 33
Commercial Interest 38
CHAPTER 3: FROM FIELD TO SHELVES 41
In Gatorade They Trust 44
Marketing Issues 46
NFL Coolers and Cups 50
Sports Illustrated 53
Cyclamate Disaster 58
Continuing the Legend 62
CHAPTER 4: WRESTLING OVER GATORADE 65
The University Loses Out 68
The Trust Takes It to Court 71
Cade Explodes 72
It’s All Settled 74
CHAPTER 5: THE “TIPPING” POINT 77
The Inaugural Dunk 78
Carson and Parcells Get Paid 80
Best Gatorade Baths 86
The Deadly Dunk 88
CHAPTER 6: “BE LIKE MIKE” 95
The Thirst Aid Campaign 97
Wooing Michael Jordan 99
Jordan Signs $13.5 Million Deal 102
“Be Like Mike” 105
His Airness Retires 115
CHAPTER 7: “WE’RE GOING TO WAR” 123
Coke and Pepsi Attack 124
All Sport Dismantled 131
1996 Olympics 138
Convenience Store Strategy 139
POWERade Relaunch 145
NASCAR Battleground 150
CHAPTER 8: THE GATORADE RULES 153
1. Make Sure Your Product, Service, or Brand
Is Unique and Know What Makes It Unique 154
2. Never Stop Researching the Marketplace 158
3. Identify Drivers of the Business and
Take Care of Them 163
4. Never Stop Working to Get Your Next Consumer 168
5. Packaging Counts 172
6. Learn from Your Mistakes 175
7. Seek to Connect Emotion and Passion to the Brand 178
8. Stay Disciplined 182
9. Form Smart Strategic Alliances 188
CHAPTER 9: GATORADE CRITICS 191
Quaker Buys TQ2 193
Pedialyte and Rehydralyte Challenge 196
New Challenger 199
Gatorade vs. Water 200
Influence Over Trainers 203
The Dehydration Myth 206
EPILOGUE 211
APPENDIX A 215
Sponsorships 215
Origins Ad 221
Everywhere Rap 223
Gatorade Royalties 224
Gatorade Sales 224
All-Time Flavor Roster 226
APPENDIX B 227
Letter Exchange, Bill Schmidt and Bill Parcells 229
NOTES 231
Index 239
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 244"