January 2005: Powerade, the Official Sports Drink of the Football League, has signed a new deal to sponsor Sky Sports’ Football League programming.

The deal, which runs from January to May 2005, will cover all live Football League matches on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports Extra as well as the Football League Review programme.

The Powerade sponsorship is designed to raise Powerade’s profile within sport alongside Coca-Cola’s partnership with The Football League. The deal consists of two 15′ programme opening and closing sequences and 6′ commercial break-bumpers. Executions will feature real Coca-Cola Championship players, Danny Webber of Watford and Nigel Reo-Coker of West Ham.

Wieden + Kennedy/Amsterdam created the two 15′ executions entitled ‘Push Ups’, featuring Webber, and ‘Penalties’ featuring Reo-Coker, kicking-off the sponsorship deal. They are interspersed with 5′ break bumpers entitled ‘Floor’, ‘Push-Ups’, ‘Sledge’, ‘Penalties’, ‘Retrieve’ and ‘Sit-ups’.

The players are seen in various training scenarios, including doing sit-ups and push-ups, pulling a sledge, and practicing taking penalties.

Whilst training, there is often a voice inside your head urging you on, pushing you further when you feel like giving up. The scenarios see the pushy inner voice suddenly with a body – it’s the players’ double! The double interacts with the player encouraging him to push himself harder, with Powerade enabling him to enhance his performance. In the end the player is alone again, determined to push themselves further, the double gone.

All executions sign off with the end line ‘Powerade. Official Sports Drink of The Football League.’

Judith Synder, PR Manager, Powerade said: ‘The deal with Sky Sports provides Powerade with a strong platform from which to further raise the brand’s presence in sport.’

For further information please contact:

Coca-Cola Football League Press Office c/o M&C Saatchi Sponsorship
Clare Walker / Kirstie Wise
Tel: 0207 543 4740 / 4665
Email: clarewa@mcsaatchi.com / kirstiew@mcsaatchi.com