The advertising campaign making all the noise at last week’s Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival – even dubbed as “the future” by some judges – was Gatorade Replay. Blurring the lines of traditional advertising categories, Gatorade Replay pitted two high school football teams against each other. The interesting part? The teams weren’t filled with 17 year old students, but with 30 year olds ready to revisit a historic tie-game between the two rival teams in 1993.

The work of advertising agency TBWA, Gatorade Replay took the function of public relations, sales promotions, endorsements, advertising, and, of course, entertainment. 10,000 game tickets sold out in ninety minutes, Peyton and Eli Manning served as assistant coaches, and the event was even followed on SportsCenter. With just $225 thousand worth of paid media, news coverage earned Gatorade the equivalent of over $3.4 million worth of media.

Gatorade was most effective in tapping an untapped market. After high school, most of us discontinue the athletic activities that defined our afternoons. For many of us, a lack of exercise renders Gatorade unnecessary. With Gatorade Replay, a 100 year rivalry was rekindled along with the active lifestyles of the team members. The Gatorade Replay promotion inspired adults over 30 to engage in active lifestyles, which effectively expands Gatorade’s potential markets. And if “the future” entails encouraging exercise in adults to increase sales, then we’re fine with that.