Marketing Vanguard: How to Become a SUCCESSFUL Challenger Brand ft. BodyArmor and Tom Gargiulo

Podcast: Marketing Vanguard (Adweek)
Episode Date: January 8, 2026
Guest: Tom Gargiulo, CMO of BodyArmor
Host: Jenn Rooney

Episode Overview

This episode of Marketing Vanguard explores what it takes to lead and build a successful challenger brand in the ultra-competitive sports drink market. Special guest Tom Gargiulo, the CMO of BodyArmor, joins host Jenn Rooney to share his career journey, insights on revitalizing mature brands, and the strategic moves BodyArmor has made to disrupt category incumbents like Gatorade. The conversation delves into the art of challenger thinking, brand positioning, leveraging partnerships, and the importance of internal team and culture. Listeners come away with a blueprint for driving meaningful change and growth even when resources are limited.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Tom Gargiulo’s Unexpected Career Path (02:20–08:38)

• Early Days

  • Attended Holy Cross (liberal arts, political science major). Originally considered law before pivoting to sports and agency work.
  • Began career with roles at small agencies, dot-com startups, and minor league teams.
  • Landed at the NFL in an entry-level role—learned the industry from the ground up.

• Brand Marketing Evolution

  • Realized passion for brand-side consumer marketing while connecting brands (e.g., Campbell’s Soup, PepsiCo) with the NFL audience.
  • Attended Emory for business school to formalize his marketing education.

• Major Brand Experiences

  • Interned at Kimberly Clark (Kleenex).
  • Worked at PepsiCo on Frito Lay brands (Plano, Texas).
  • Returned to the Northeast, joined Dannon/Danone, spending almost 10 years across sales, marketing, and as CMO for the yogurt business during the ‘Greek yogurt boom.’
  • Invited by a former boss to join Kind, overseeing marketing and sales during the Mars acquisition—“embracing challenger brands” (08:01).
  • Brief stint at food tech startup Nick’s; returned to big CPG via Coca-Cola’s sports division leading BodyArmor.

“I started pretty much from the ground up... answering phones, doing expense reports, scheduling meetings... but I was learning a ton.” — Tom Gargiulo (03:18)

2. The State of the Sports Drink Market & BodyArmor’s Challenger Role (09:00–14:03)

• Category Dynamics

  • Previously dominated by Gatorade. Segment evolving rapidly with new health/performance-focused entrants and shifting consumer habits.
  • Coca-Cola now owns BodyArmor alongside Powerade, creating a “one-two punch” against Gatorade.

• Origins of BodyArmor

  • Launched 15 years ago by entrepreneurs seeking a “better option for athletes” with more electrolytes, vitamins, minerals, and natural ingredients.
  • Emphasis on disruption: packaging, taste, and celebrity athletes (notably Kobe Bryant) as early differentiators.
  • The category has seen many new brands come and go, but the major players remain entrenched.

“When you look at the fuel and the recovery mechanisms that were available to athletes, it hasn’t really changed. So that’s why they created BodyArmor. They wanted a better option…” — Tom Gargiulo (11:45)

3. Rebranding and Campaign Innovation: 'Choose Better' (14:03–18:16)

• Leveraging Coca-Cola’s Scale

  • “The world’s best marketers” offer BodyArmor access to bigger tools: media, analytics, bottling, etc.
  • Post-acquisition, the focus was recapturing the brand’s disruptor status with a more modern visual identity and bolder, clearer communication.

• ‘Choose Better’ Campaign

  • Research revealed most purchases were out of habit, not active choice. Campaign encourages consumers to reconsider their default and ‘choose better.’
  • Visual and messaging updates across packaging and in-store marketing to drive clarity and shelf appeal.

“We wanted to make a statement… We are the true challenger and we are the true disruptor, and we are ready to take the reins from the category leader.” — Tom Gargiulo (15:19)

“The clarity of the flavors and the specificity on the labeling... became something that changed my sort of choice at the shelf.” — Jenn Rooney (16:38)

4. Standing Out: Product, Partnerships & Being ‘Athlete-First’ (18:16–22:08)

• Product Differentiation

  • Increased electrolytes (800mg vs. 320-350mg in typical sports drinks), potassium, immunity/recovery benefits, and fruit-forward flavors.

• Partnerships & Athlete Strategy

  • Early focus on working with pro athletes before they reach peak fame (e.g., Mike Trout, James Harden).
  • Recent marquee partnership: “Official sports drink of the NHL”—leverages hockey’s growing fan base and youthful talent.
  • Focus on collaboration rather than massive spend: involving retail and distribution partners early in the process to build “sweat equity.”

“We are very much an athlete forward or athlete first kind of brand… bring players on before they hit their stride.” — Tom Gargiulo (18:24)

“When you excite our bottling community, they’re going to execute the crap out of it.” — Tom Gargiulo (20:40)

5. Media & Influencer Strategy: "Punching Above Our Weight" (22:08–24:39)

• Resourceful, Nimble Marketing
  • Limited budgets mean BodyArmor invests heavily in creative and social-first channels: Barstool Sports, Dude Perfect, Savannah Bananas.
  • Developed a stable of repeat influencers ("The Playmakers").
  • Heavy investment in Meta and Snapchat over traditional TV, citing 4-5x ROI on social.

“It’s all about constantly punching above our weight and finding unique and creative ways of breaking through the clutter and connecting with our consumers.” — Tom Gargiulo (22:35)

“Some of these social media channels are delivering 4 or 5x what linear TV would deliver from an ROI standpoint.” — Tom Gargiulo (24:18)

6. Looking Ahead: Events, Product Focus, and Team Culture (24:39–28:00)

• Upcoming Initiatives

  • Continued investment in Flash IV (rapid rehydration).
  • Plans for 2026: Winter Olympics (Powerade), March Madness (BodyArmor), World Cup (Powerade), NHL season, college football.
  • “No time to rest”—busy calendar aligns perfectly with Tom’s passion for sports and performance.

• Team Leadership

  • Assembled a versatile, high-performing marketing team with diverse experiences.
  • Self-described as a leader who values humor, transparency, and empowering strong performers.

“If you’re not having fun at work, then you’re not having fun at all… I always try to infuse some humor and sarcasm into my day to day interactions with the team.” — Tom Gargiulo (26:14)

“The more information that you have, the better that you can be and the more empowered you can be in your role.” — Tom Gargiulo (26:37)

7. Final Thoughts and Shoutouts (28:00–29:00)

• Brand Admiration
  • Tom singles out Bombas as a brand he admires for doing things “the right way” and recommends their leadership for a future podcast episode.

Notable Quotes

• On Challenger Brand Mindset:
  “We are the true challenger and we are the true disruptor, and we are ready to take the reins from the category leader.” — Tom Gargiulo (15:19)

• On Product Evolution:
  “The product they started with is not the product that we have now… over those 15 years, we feel like we finally got it right.” — Tom Gargiulo (17:14)

• On Team Leadership:
  “If you’re not having fun at work, then you’re not having fun at all.” — Tom Gargiulo (26:14)

Highlight Timestamps

• Tom’s Backstory & Early Career: 02:20–08:38
• Sports Drink Category & BodyArmor’s Place: 09:00–14:03
• Rebranding & ‘Choose Better’ Campaign: 14:03–18:16
• Athlete Partnerships & Collaborations: 18:16–22:08
• Media & Influencer Strategy: 22:08–24:39
• 2026 Plans & Team Culture: 24:39–28:00
• Brand Admiration/Wrap-up: 28:00–29:00

Tone and Takeaways

The episode is a candid, fast-moving conversation full of practical details and real-world insight, with Tom Gargiulo bringing a sense of humility, humor, and strategic clarity. Listeners get an inside look at how a challenger brand can win not just with product, but with scrappy marketing, genuine partnerships, energized teams, and a willingness to zig where others zag.

BodyArmor’s story is ultimately about how to create impact with limited resources, build true consumer preference, and lead with values in one of the world’s most competitive spaces.