Powerade unveils new sponsorship rules prioritizing athlete mental health

Launched in collaboration with sports icons Alex Morgan, Tatjana Smith, Linda Motlhalo and Douglas Matera, The Athletes Code introduces a contractual amendment that guarantees athletes the right to take a mental health break without risking their sponsorship.

“The Athletes Code is a safety provision,” Powerade president Matrona Filippou tells The Drum. “It ensures athletes can prioritize their mental well-being without fearing repercussions.”

The new provision arrives at a time when mental health in sports is receiving significant attention. High-profile athletes such as Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka have spotlighted the immense pressures they face, fueling a broader cultural shift toward valuing mental health alongside physical performance. By formalizing this support through contractual guarantees, Powerade aims to lead an industry-wide change.

The campaign builds on Powerade’s ‘Pause is Power’ platform, which challenges the traditional win-at-all-costs mindset by emphasizing the importance of rest.

“Athletes, through their own experiences, often face mental health issues and sometimes aren’t able to come forward and speak about them,” adds Filippou. “Here’s a platform where we, as a brand, are taking a stand and making a statement.”

To bring The Athletes Code to life, the campaign leverages the voices of its athlete partners. Through long-form videos and social media snippets, athletes share powerful personal stories about navigating the pressures of competition while managing their mental health needs.

South African footballer Linda Motlhalo reflected: “In order to perform, you need to be fully fit, both physically and mentally. Knowing that my sponsor stands by me no matter what makes all the difference.”

The campaign was created in partnership with Ogilvy. “It was our ambition to build an initiative that captures the holistic athlete mindset – not just the moments of glory, but the everyday grind,” says Guillermo Vega, global creative network lead at Ogilvy. “Interacting with athletes when and where they need it most: outside of the cameras and the frame, supporting them every day when they train and endure the physical, and when they face mental challenges to perform at their maximum level.”

Powerade’s commitment to mental health extends beyond individual sponsorships. During the Paris Olympics, the brand collaborated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to create Mind Zone, a dedicated space for athletes to recharge mentally amid the intensity of competition.

“It wasn’t anything that we advertised,” Filippou recounts of the Mind Zone. “We didn’t put it out there. We just told the athletes, ‘There’s an opportunity here for you to take a bit of time out and enjoy yourselves.’”

Unlike traditional marketing campaigns, The Athletes Code prioritizes long-term cultural impact over immediate performance metrics. By centering mental wellbeing in its partnerships, Powerade challenges the sports industry to evolve.

“This isn’t about analytics, it’s about doing the right thing,” adds Jessica Chase, a Powerade representative. “If this inspires other industry partners to adopt similar measures, that will be our true measure of success.”

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