First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon

Gatorade is an enthralling story, brought to life in bright color and sharp detail in this book as journalist and author Darren Rovell chronicles every astonishing milestone of the company’s history.

With unprecedented access to the inventors, the marketers, the analysts and observers, and key company figures past and present, Rovell recounts the sweat-drenched University of Florida football practices, the first (unpalatable) prototypes, and the commercial and financial interest that quickly took hold following the drink’s first on-field successes. Then came the advertising, sponsorships, product placements (many of them fortuitous), and finally the two milestones that cemented Gatorade’s iconic status once and for all -- the ubiquitous Gatorade bath and the Michael Jordan "Be Like Mike" endorsement deal.

With refreshing candor, First in Thirst also offers an inside look at all the aspects that went into building the brand, such as:

• negotiations,
• battles,
• lawsuits,
• mergers and acquisitions,
• product strategies,
• lucky breaks,
• and even the mishaps that have attended Gatorade’s reign as the 800-pound gorilla of the sports-drink scene.

First in Thirst identifies the nine Gatorade Rules, business principles that have helped Gatorade become one of the most dominant brands ever. By adhering to these principles, businesses in other industries may achieve greater brand recognition and market share. Long before America knew what "deep-down body thirst" was, a team of university scientists had already invented something to quench it. This book is the story of the product and the company, and of America’s fascination with the one and only Gatorade.