Since 1991 Jordan has graced ads for Gatorade, a sports drink made by Quaker Oats Co. , but he has taken a backseat to others since the six-time national champion "retired" from the game three years ago.
While P.J. Sinopoli, the head of Gatorade's marketing department, would neither confirm nor deny rumors that ads are ready to roll if Jordan announces a comeback, she did say the company "would hope to be prepared if he were to return."
Jordan first retired from basketball in 1994 to play baseball for the Birmingham Barons, but came back to the game a year later. After leading the Chicago Bulls to another three NBA championships, he retired in 1998.
"Are we prepared to consider how we might use Michael should he announce a return? We're certainly looking at it," Sinopoli told Reuters. "We'd be silly not to be prepared."
The 38-year-old former basketball superstar, who now serves as president of the Washington Wizards, has said he will decide in September whether to return to the court as a player.
But Jordan, who fractured two ribs during workouts in June, is clearly tied to the team, with a photo of him at the top of the Wizards' official web site (http://www.nba.com/wizards).
"Suffice it to say we are looking at all of the possibilities," Sinopoli said.
A possible return by Jordan could help Gatorade extend its lead in the sports drink market.
"Gatorade is definitely the old veteran in the industry, so if the old veteran who is still No. 1 in everybody's minds comes back, that's huge for Gatorade," said Mark DiMassimo, president of DiMassimo Brand Advertising. "Michael Jordan was certainly a big part of keeping Gatorade fresh, relevant and growing throughout the nineties."
Gatorade, which was developed in 1965 by researchers at the University of Florida for the school's Gators football team, has long been the market leader.
The brand's marketing, especially the Jordan push, has worked. What used to be the beverage of athletes "has become the beverage of people who do no more vigorous exercise then walking to the subway," DiMassimo said.
But he said a Jordan return could pose a risk to Gatorade, if the superstar doesn't live up to fans' expectations.
"It could just say that it's time for old school to pass and time for newer, fresher things to take the lead, and there's loads of competition waiting in the wings."
Gatorade has already signed one of the NBA's hottest newer players, Toronto Rapters' star Vince Carter, as a spokesman.
The brand has had to cope with an onslaught of new competitors over the past few years trying to carve their own niches in the market.
Jordan's possible return could serve as a major boost to the drink's advertising, because "even if you don't follow the sport, you know him," said John Lister, chairman of brand identity consulting firm Lister Butler Inc. But Lister said Gatorade must make sure that Jordan's presence does not take away from promoting the product it is trying to sell.
Gatorade dominated the U.S. sports drink market last year, with a 78 percent share, compared with Coca-Cola Co.'s Powerade's 15 percent share, and PepsiCo Inc.'s All Sport, which garnered a 4.4 percent share, according to industry newsletter Beverage Digest.
The dynasty has continued. In the first quarter of 2001, Gatorade gained 1.1 share points in U.S. take-home channels, while Powerade lost 0.9 share points and All Sport fell 1.6 share points, according to Beverage Digest.
"If Michael Jordan extends his reign, then Gatorade's reign can be extended, but we're looking at the tail of a mature career in both cases, and it's just a matter of how long and how glorious that tail end is going to be," DiMassimo said.
While Jordan's contract with Gatorade formally goes through the end of this year, Sinopoli said she cannot imagine a time that this brand wouldn't be affiliated with Jordan.
"Whether we'd look at an extension more formally would be totally determined based on what his interests are if he were to return."
Gatorade's ad agency, Foote, Cone & Belding, declined to comment on any possible ads. Foote, Cone & Belding is part of Interpublic Group of Cos. Inc. .
Last December, PepsiCo agreed to acquire Quaker for stock then valued at $13.4 billion, and it later said it would sell off its All Sport business.
The Quaker deal has not yet been approved by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. PepsiCo has said it does not know of any legitimate reason why the deal should be blocked, but some have said the possible dominance in the sports drink market is a concern.
