Digital marketers at functional CPG brands better watch how they flex on Instagram. When Powerade reformulated its beverage to contain more electrolytes earlier this year, The Coca-Cola Company decided to take a few swipes at hated rival PepsiCo...owner of Gatorade. In one of these “Powerade vs. Gatorade” social media posts, it featured a side-by-side comparison of electrolytes and vitamins with the caption reading, “don’t underestimate our electrolytes” followed by a flexed arm emoji. Harmless enough, right? Wrong! The “National Advertising Division” sided with Gatorade’s compliant that the ad implied that Powerade “delivers superior heath, hydration, and performance benefits and through the flexed arm emoji, that drinking Powerade will make consumers stronger than Gatorade.” This decision could have broad implications, as functional CPG brands will need to understand that common emojis can convey claims that require substantiation.

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