Gatorade is proud to be associated with Georges ‘Rush’ St-Pierre (GSP), a mixed martial arts champion and a ‘motivation to anyone who sweats,’ says Dale Hooper, VP marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada, in a release.

The announcement is accompanied by a black-and-white video of the beefy athlete training in the ring, which will air on TSN and Sportsnet and be featured online on YouTube and Facebook. Gatorade’s creative agency is TBWAToronto, with media handled by OMD.

In a MiC interview earlier this year about the brand’s new ‘Experience G’ program, Cheryl Radisa, PepsiCo VP consumer marketing, explained that this year Gatorade is building a new, bold identity so that more Canadians can see themselves in the brand.

‘One of the most visible signals of our new attitude is our new packaging, which elevates the idea of ‘G’ as a new symbol for the brand, along with our iconic bolt. For Gatorade, ‘G’ represents the heart, hustle and soul of athleticism – and will become a badge of pride for anyone who sweats,’ Radisa told MiC.

Gatorade’s Facebook fan page has more than 30,000 members, and regularly offers contests for free tickets to sporting events. Online and broadcast are the two pillars of Gatorade’s 2010 media strategy, Radisa explained.