Tonight I had a special opportunity to hear from Randall Brown, Director of Digital Marketing at Gatorade, at an event the American Advertising Federation of Kansas City was hosting downtown. As a sports fan, and going to college in Florida where Gatorade was born, I have always been fascinated with the brand and its evolution. Honestly, I was never quite exactly sure how Gatorade fit into the sports landscape – but they were always there. Sure, it always made sense for the athletes, but you don’t root for Gatorade like a team, Gatorade is not a cultural phenomenon or fashion statement like Nike, and although the athletes are drinking it on the sidelines, you can't even walk to a concession stand and order one. That’s why I was shocked when I learned tonight that Gatorade is actually the third largest sports brand behind only Nike and ESPN.