Marketing is a tough game, too, and NBA MVP James Harden plays his marketing game just as hard as his wicked brand of basketball. Harden is a laid-back, funny and genial presence in his national ads for Allstate insurance with teammate Chris Paul. But when Harden is working his own lane — using his strong marketing voice to endorse his own products — he throws some far less friendly daggers.
.@DrinkBODYARMOR ain’t playin around… Thanks @Gatorade, we’ll take it from here. #ObsessedWithBetter 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LeomSFihKg
— James Harden (@JHarden13) March 20, 2019
Harden has an ownership stake in BODYARMOR and he’s taking a mean marketing page out of the confrontational Mac vs. PC battles and the old Coke vs. Pepsi rivalry. (Speaking of Coke, it’s an owner of BODYARMOR, too.) Harden’s not just saying how good his hydration formula is — he’s saying it’s better than the famous competition: “We’ll take it from here, Gatorade,” he tweets, echoing the TV commercial’s challenge, and calling out the biggest name in the sports drink game. Harden’s move comes just in time for the NCAA Tournament, for which BODYARMOR, not Gatorade or Powerade, is the official sponsor this year. Kobe Bryant also has an ownership stake, acquired in 2013, in BODYARMOR — that’s another guy who never tamps down his competitive instincts. Here’s the FAQ on BODYARMOR. And here’s a young James Harden with a dagger:
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