In game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday, LeBron James was carried off of the court with cramps as the San Antonio Spurs went on to defeat the Jamesless Miami Heat. The Spurs weren’t the only ones to win big.
Gatorade decided to take a shot at the Powerade sponsored James(see below):
Gatorade has received tons of press regarding the situation, and has since apologized. You may think Gatorade lost the battle, but they won big. Not only did they get everyone talking about their product, but they did so without naming their rival (Powerade). From a brand awareness aspect, Gatorade hit a home-run.
When brands get personal with their Twitter interactions, it can get risky. Gatorade proves that there is a small area where businesses can take it far, without taking it too far. The tweet raised negative emotions, but Gatorade kept their positive image throughout.