LAST year, Pepsi Cola Jamaica and Usain Bolt unveiled the new Gatorade equity bottle brand campaign right here in Jamaica and plans are afoot to bring another Gatorade innovation locally, Carlo Redwood, head of marketing, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

"They (Gatorade Sports marketing) are always evaluating these arrangements with these elite athletes and Bolt, obviously, is the top one on that list and we will get back to you on details of what is to come as it relates to Gatorade and Bolt," said Redwood.

Bolt, the World and Olympic sprint champion and arguably the world's premier athlete in any sport, will be heading to New Zealand next month to promote the energy drink. But soon, plans will be released as to the Bolt/Gatorade campaign in Jamaica.

"We are working on a number of innovations, the G-Series in America that we are looking to bring it to Jamaica as we continue to build the brand," he added.

Redwood was at Tracks and Records Sports Bar represents the energy drink sponsor which honour the track and field legend.

"Gatorade has supported elite athletes and sports people since its origins in 1965, but as a Jamaican, I am especially proud that Bolt was selected to be part of the Gatorade team three years ago," noted Redwood.

"Over the last three years Gatorade has been the optimal source of electrolytes and carbohydrates to rehydrate, replenish and refuel the sprint king during his intense training sessions and excellent performances around the world," he added.

"Usain Bolt has been a great ambassador for the brand and the perfect example of what Gatorade delivers in enhancing athletic performance," said Redwood.

In addition to the world's fastest man, Gatorade has a history of recruiting top-ranked athletes as ambassadors for the brand. Some of these include Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett, Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Chad Ortiz and Dwayne Wade, to name a few, and Redwood has pointed out that sales have increased over the years.

"The sales have gone up significantly, certainly in markets where athletics is big, and the association with Bolt will help any brand. With a personality like Bolt we have seen a growth in our brand," noted Redwood.

Other than Gatorade, Bolt has also inked endorsement deals with Puma, Swiss watchmaker Hublot and Virgin Media. Visa signed him to an agreement and splashed Bolt's image on billboards across Europe, where track and field remains a popular sport and more recently, Soul Electronics signed a deal that will develop Bolt's own line of headphones for the company.