A once-in-a-lifetime talent, Serena Williams would soon be evolving away from the game that she had forever changed. As one of Gatorade’s longest-standing athlete partners, the brand wanted to celebrate Serena and pay homage to her impact on and off the court in an iconic way fitting of the G.O.A.T.  

What made Serena’s legacy different is that it began with the power of love. In tennis, “love” means zero - nothing, but for Serena, love was everything. Her self-belief has been an inspiration to everyone, but especially young women of color. “Love Means Everything” was a tribute to the worldwide movement Serena sparked — and a recognition that you can do anything if you have self-love.

Serena had an impact all throughout culture in sports and beyond, so we wanted the voice that delivered the message to have equal cultural gravitas. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter was perfect. Narrating for a queen could only be done by another queen — and one that was a dear friend. 

The film premiered during MTV’s Video Music Awards, helping Gatorade to break through the news cycle by being one of the first brands to pay tribute to Serena ahead of her final major, the U.S. Open, which began the following day. We created such a buzz that, within the first five days of launching, the campaign received 684 earned media placements and 20B earned media impressions. Outlets such as the TODAY Show (twice), Good Morning America, PEOPLE, Variety, Billboard and E! covered the film, helping to stretch the brand's reach and relevance into verticals outside of sports.  

Prominent influencers from the worlds of sports, entertainment and equity & inclusion shared the film, authentically bringing our message deeper into these communities.

One of the things we're most proud of is seeing that Serena appreciated and shared the film on her own social channels. 

Twice.

Our tribute to Serena’s legacy placed Gatorade in the center of cultural conversations and, most of all, ignited a powerful reminder to truly believe in and love who you are.