Sidney Crosby stars in explosive new Gatorade TV commercial

 Integrated marketing campaign ignites road hockey frenzy

 TORONTO, April 17 /CNW/ - Gatorade's new integrated marketing campaign
featuring NHL phenom Sidney Crosby launches across Canada today, and acts as a
national rallying cry uniting Canadians in celebration of road hockey.
 The campaign consists of 30- and 60-second versions of the television
spot "Sticks," a 60-second cinematic version, public relations activities, as
well as an on-line contest at www.Gatorade.ca. "Sticks" debuts in English and
French across Canada Monday, April
17th, in time for the NHL playoffs.
 "We knew one of the best ways to connect with our target in Canada would
be through hockey. Sidney is a dynamic young hockey player who truly
demonstrates what being an athlete is all about. He symbolizes the Canadian
hockey dream and serves as a source of renewed inspiration for the game," says
Jeff Jackett, Gatorade Marketing Manager, Pepsi-QTG. "We wanted a campaign
that would bond Gatorade with Sidney and his passion for hockey to help
generate excitement and raise Gatorade's profile among hockey fans."
 Featuring Sidney Crosby, hundreds of kids, the notorious "Hanson
Brothers" of Slapshot fame, and a busload of Rimouski Oceanic players
(Sidney's former team in the Quebec Junior Hockey League) the highly-charged
TV spot, "Sticks," plays tribute to the time-honoured ritual of throwing
hockey sticks into a pile, which is then randomly divided into two teams.
 "Using the insight that
hockey is a touchstone of almost every Canadian's
life, we connect Gatorade to Canada's national sport through Sidney," says Dan
Pawych, creative director at Downtown Partners, the agency responsible for the
television campaign. "Instead of having him in a typical arena setting,
"Sticks' features Sidney in a surprising way, by having him join a group of
kids playing road hockey. Not only is it accessible to most Canadians, but
Sidney's a passionate advocate of road hockey,"
 In January 2006, Sidney who is from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, contacted
Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly asking him to rethink a vaguely worded bylaw that
could possibly be used to ban road hockey games.
 The "Sticks" campaign is also supported on-line with an interactive
contest on the recently revitalized Gatorade.ca website. Each day for 30-days
starting on May 1st, hockey-enthusiasts can virtually throw their stick onto a
stick pile for the chance to win one
of 30 autographed Sidney Crosby hockey
sticks.
 Public relations efforts, handled by Fleishman-Hillard, to support the
campaign include "The Gatorade Good Old Road Hockey Challenge," a charity
tournament where four lucky teams will compete for the chance to play against
the infamous "Hanson Brothers" and other local celebrities. The tournament
will take place on Wednesday, April 19th at Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.
 Participants and spectators are invited to bring a new or used hockey
stick to the tournament and Gatorade will donate $5.00 for every stick thrown
into the game to the Gord Summers Memorial Hockey League. Located at Moss Park
Arena, the Gord Summers Memorial Hockey League offers a free youth hockey
program for less fortunate children.

 About Gatorade
 Gatorade, the world's leading sports drink brand, is backed by 35 years
of research. Gatorade is scientifically formulated and proven to
quench
thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes and provide carbohydrate energy to
enhance athletic performance. For more information on Gatorade and the science
of hydration visit www.gatorade.ca and www.gssiweb.org.

 /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
 the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
 Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
 website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
 members of the media/

For further information: or visuals or to arrange an interview, please 
contact Sarah Rutka, Fleishman-Hillard, (416) 645-8191, 
rutkas@...

Being chased by zealous fans, Sidney Crosby shows off his road hockey skills in a new commercial for Gatorade debuting nationally April 17, in English and French. (CNW Group/Gatorade Sports Science Institute Canada)