Gatorade has launched a new campaign celebrating women’s basketball, tying together past and present WNBA stars through a shared symbol of effort—sweat. Featuring legends like Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Elena Delle Donne alongside current standouts Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, and Kahleah Copper, the spot honors the game’s evolution while spotlighting how far there is to go in gender equity.
Developed by OMD and TBWA\Chiat\Day, “Let Her Cook” debuted during WNBA All-Star weekend and included live testing of players’ hydration and sweat levels, with plans to expand across sports.
Highlights on the :60 “Let Her Cook” among American viewers:
The Details:
- Gatorade’s :60 “Let Her Cook” is suitable for broad reach media as the creative resonated at (to above) benchmark levels for the sports drinks category (past year) among male viewers, and well above-norm across women of all ages:
- While the WNBA athletes made an impression on American viewers, so did the brand itself, with 85% successfully recalling that the ad was about Gatorade (unaided) after a single exposure – to outpace the average sports drink spot by an impressive +25 pts.
- The ad’s strengths were found in its breakthrough ability and Watchability, the latter unusual for a longer-format ad; however, the audience found both humor and inspiration in the new :60.
- While a bit longer than average, “Let Her Cook” was persuasive across the broad audience, 59% of whom reported being more likely to consider Gatorade as a result of the ad (+6 pts over norm).
- While the WNBA athletes made an impression on American viewers, so did the brand itself, with 85% successfully recalling that the ad was about Gatorade (unaided) after a single exposure – to outpace the average sports drink spot by an impressive +25 pts.
Among American Female Viewers:
- “Let Her Cook” was even more Inspiring and convincing among females, with 62% reporting increased consideration (+10 pts vs audience benchmark):
- Response strengthened as the age of females declined, with comments from this audience showing strong appreciation for the focus on women athletes and in particular, the WNBA. Women enjoyed seeing stars from this league and the motivation they sparked. For some non-athletic women, the ad felt a bit exclusionary.
Sample comments from female viewers on “Let Her Cook” :60
“The brand focusing solely on the WNBA was amazing, since sports and sports-related products have always focused on and advertised to men. There are few, if any, brands that make women’s sports — or even women, for that matter — a priority or target audience. Good for Gatorade.”
Female 36–49
“The ad evokes feelings of inspiration, because as a woman — especially in sports — you can sometimes feel inferior. But this ad is quite empowering.”
Female 16–20
“I like that this is focused on the WNBA instead of the NBA. Women love Gatorade too!”
Female 36–49
“I didn’t like it — I was not impressed. Companies all use celebrities and athletes to try and sell their products. Try using normal, everyday people if you want to impress the consumer.”
Female 50+
“I like this ad because it showed a clip of a past professional NBA player. It also showed how the product can affect the way someone plays on the court. It’s a better way to get more buyers.”
Female 16–20
“I really like seeing Gatorade use the WNBA in advertisements. They’re hardworking athletes and deserve the recognition and sponsorship.”
Female 21–35
“Not great. Apparently, you only drink Gatorade if you play sports.”
Female 50+
“I think it’s wonderful advertising with the WNBA. They are not recognized enough, and to be affiliated with Gatorade is a great idea.”
Female 50+
“I liked the editing, the music — it was a motivating ad, and you can tell a lot of work was put into it.”
Female 16–20
- Second-by-second trace reflects the ad’s unusual ability to grab engagement among women 16-20 early and hold it throughout the spot:
- Given the impressive results, a shorter form could be considered to expand reach within the budget, as iSpot media measurement reports limited linear and streaming Impression delivery since launch (7/18/25-7/26/25).
- Moreover, significant wear has been observed on Gatorade spots dominating in both channels.
- Given the impressive results, a shorter form could be considered to expand reach within the budget, as iSpot media measurement reports limited linear and streaming Impression delivery since launch (7/18/25-7/26/25).
Female Viewers:
- Among American women, “Let Her Cook” ranks as the best received sports drink ad over the past 180 days:
- The Gatorade :60 also was the third most persuasive of the top ads, trailing Gatorade’s :15 “Hydrate Better” (showing heavy wear in-market) and Liquid IV’s :30 “Extraordinary Hydration Science.”
- “Let Her Cook” was the sixth best-received sports drink ad among gen pop American viewers over the past 180 days, with BodyArmor taking the first spot:
- The :60 ranked fourth in persuasive ability within the broad audience.
Creative that connects with its audience can still underdeliver without effective execution and measurement. Limited impression delivery or early signs of wear can reduce a campaign’s potential impact, even when the message is highly persuasive.
Schedule a demo to see how iSpot can help you activate and extend top-performing creative across every screen. From real-time measurement to smarter media planning, iSpot enables you to boost campaign effectiveness, reduce waste, and drive better outcomes—all while making sure standout creative gets the attention it deserves.
Creative Agency: OMD and TBWA\Chiat\Day