Advertisements are essential for a company’s campaign. There are many factors that companies need to consider in order to create the perfect advertisement. This is why companies take a closer look at the psychological effects that ads have on people. Factors such as demographics, color, text, and imagery are critical to the effectiveness of an ad. It helps advertisers reel in the appropriate consumers. For instance, there are many sports drinks out on the market today. One sports drink advertisement in particular, Gatorade, expresses these four primary areas of support.

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 Demographics are an important aspect when it comes to creating the perfect advertisement. Gatorade uses its platform to attract potential customers such as current and aspiring athletes. Most people do not know this, but this sports drink was created at The University of Florida for their athletes to use during games and practices. According to Daniel Bubis, “Gatorade contains sugar and electrolytes…Electrolytes and carbohydrates help athletes refuel and rehydrate. This is what makes sports drinks popular. Electrolytes help regulate the body’s fluid balance while the carbs provide energy.” The ad shows this because it states that there are “no artificial colours, sweeteners, or flavours”. Those who play sports often drink this product because it can lead to a better performance on the field. If an athlete is dehydrated and needs to get back on the field quickly, this product is great for them because they can get the energy they need in a short amount of time.

 When creating the perfect advertisement, it is important to reel in the correct age group. Brandon Gaille states that “Gatorade’s primary target demographic is athlete males in the 25-34 age category.” This shows that the ad is created to attract a very specific audience. Gaille continues to note, “ The core target is the 16-24-year-old athlete. To achieve this, certain changes have been made to their core strategies.” As Gatorade created more products, they create a new target audience. This Gatorade advertisement also attracts numerous amounts of people based on more than just demographics.

 Certain colors on an ad can also have an effect on people. In this Gatorade advertisement, the colors black, green, orange and white stand out. These colors can attract young male athletes in various ways. In the Color Psychology article, “The color black is associated with power and strength… Green is considered beneficial to the mind and body.” Most athletic are training to be stronger and some just want to have a healthy mind. Many athletic men that are on the commercials want to feel and look powerful when playing their sports. The article goes on to say that “Orange represents determination and success… White is considered to be the color of perfection.” This quote from the article is the definition of an athlete. Those who are wanting a future in sports are set on a goal. They need the determination in order to be successful. Every athlete is determined to be the best on the team, no matter what it takes. That also means that perfection is key to becoming a great athlete. Gatorade advertisement recognizes the observations of these colors, which shows that the ad reels in the right audience to buy this product. However, there is more to it than just demographics and colors.

 In most advertisements, there is text displayed. The text in the ad plays an important role in what the consumer first notices. The key words in this Gatorade advertisement are “STAY AHEAD” and “FASTEST MAN”. The authors of the article, “The Effects of Warning-Label Placement in Print Ads”, say that “Print ad effectiveness is determined by the reader’s ability to recall pertinent information about the ad,” (Torres et al.). This shows that when readers see the words “fastest man”, they remember the name Usain Bold, who is known as the world’s fastest man. Cambridge University goes along to explain that “‘stay ahead’ is to know more about the most recent developments in a particular subject or activity than the people or companies you are competing against.” For athletes, competition is something that is brought up almost every day. Athletes are always playing against teams and beating them is the top priority. Athletic men that are determined to be the greatest are most likely to be attracted to this Gatorade advertisement.

 Imagery is the next factor that can entice a consumer to buy a product. Usain Bolt is the main attraction in this advertisement. Bolt being featured in this ad can reel in athletic men. The Live Science staff wrote in an article, “…the world’s fastest runner… has clocked nearly 28 mph in the 100-meter sprint.” When a little boy looks at this advertisement with Usain Bolt, they are going to think that anything is possible if he buys this product. If Usain Bolt drinks this product and runs fast, then consumers will think that if they drink this product they will run fast too. Another important image in this advertisement is the Gatorade logo. Anthony Pena notes, “It symbolizes power and raw energy, precisely what this iconic drink promised to give customers.” The simple lightning bolt helps create the illusion of a quick thirst quencher. Additionally, the look of determination and strength in Bolt’s face can inspire other men to be just like him.

 The Gatorade advertisement can appeal to people in various ways. The ad is mostly attracted by young, athletic men. The colors in the ad suggest power and determination. The Gatorade ad also suggests that drinking their product will help consumers  “STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME” and beat your opponents. Imagery in this advertisement pops out to the athletes because Usain Bolt is someone that people look up to everyday as the fastest man in the world. The four primary areas that companies consider do have an effect on consumers psychologically, which helps these companies attract more people. Another general area companies should consider would be placement of the imagery and text. This could create a new approach to how people see an advertisement as trust-worthy and beneficial.

Works Cited

Schaefer, Anna. “Gatorade: Is It Good for You?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 3 Oct. 2018, www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/is-gatorade-bad-for-you#pros-of-gatorade. Accessed 21 August 2019.

“Humans Could Run 40 Mph, in Theory.” LiveScience, Purch, www.livescience.com/8039-humans-run-40-mph-theory.html. Accessed 21 August 2019.

Gaille, Brandon. “16 Refreshing Gatorade Demographics.” BrandonGaille.com, 14 Jan. 2017, brandongaille.com/16-refreshing-gatorade-demographics/. Accessed 21 August 2019.

“The Ultimate Guide to Color Meanings.” Color Psychology, www.colorpsychology.org/. Accessed 21 August 2019.

“How Fast Is Usain Bolt?” Planet Science, www.planet-science.com/categories/over-11s/human-body/2012/06/how-fast-is-usain-bolt.aspx. Accessed 21 August 2019.

“Gatorade Logo Design History and Evolution.” Logo Realm, 25 June 2018, logorealm.com/gatorade-logo/. Accessed 21 August 2019.

“BE AHEAD OF THE GAME: Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary.” BE AHEAD OF THE GAME | Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/be-ahead-of-the-game. Accessed 21 August 2019.

Torres, Ivonne & Sierra, Jeremy & Heiser, Robert. (2007). The Effects of Warning-Label Placement in Print ADS: A Social Contract Perspective. Journal of Advertising – J ADVERTISING. 36. 49-62. 10.2753/JOA0091-3367360203.