TOW #2 - Unmatched

     A few days into the 2015 U.S. Open, a set of Gatorade commercials were released featuring star tennis player Serena Williams. The lead video, titled "Unmatched," is based around a short clip of Williams as a young girl. At the start of the commercial, a young Serena is asked, "If you were a tennis player, who would you want to be like?" The video then transitions into her professional career, featuring clips of major victories and struggles, portraying her as a history-maker. The video concludes with Serena's response, "Well, I'd like other people to be like me," before fading to a black screen with the Gatorade logo and the tagline "Win from Within."

     The ad, timed with the media attention of the U.S. Open, gives publicity to both parties. Gatorade gets support from the best women's singles player in the nation (and at times in the world), and Williams gets some nice airtime with another crucial tournament. Most simply, the ad promotes Gatorade's sales and Williams' name - with that, the audience is athletes and athletics-admirers everywhere.

     However, it goes further into the promotion of a mindset built for success, an idea of self-driven perseverance. The main clip implies that Williams' ambition and determination, even as a young child, is what ultimately got her to where she is now. Showing Williams as grounded - with struggles, hopes, and victories - appeals to an unlimited audience. Perhaps, it's most aimed towards the younger ages, encouraging a fearlessness to go after what they want. In doing so, both parties build their reputations: Williams as a role model and Gatorade as a company that cares about its athletes.

     Ethos is immediately established by the fame of both Williams and Gatorade, logos by the use of Serena Williams' expertise to bring viewers to support Gatorade. An appeal to pathos is created by dynamic storytelling. We see Williams go through the best and worst of emotions. We see her as a confident young girl who isn't afraid to dream big. We see her as a successful professional athlete, passing on the wisdom she has gained over the years. The commercial is one minute of drama and realism that effectively fulfills both parties' purposes.