“Coming Back Strong Starts with a Pause” — this powerful tagline reflects how Powerade is actively challenging the “win at all costs” mindset so prevalent in the high-pressure world of sport.

The trusted sports drink brand from The Coca-Cola Company launched its ongoing “Power is Pause” campaign around the globe in 2022. This campaign champions prioritising wellbeing over winning by highlighting the often-overlooked regenerative benefits of a pause — taking a moment to enjoy laughter, introspection, community interaction and recovery.

“Power is Pause” is a reflection of the brand's commitment to not only providing athletes and ordinary citizens with hydration and replenishment, but igniting their inner tenacity to overcome obstacles and re-emerge even more motivated and stronger. 

Taking this commitment beyond words, Powerade continually supports local athletic events and provides vital hydration stations during marathons. It's most recent endeavour to highlight how, by taking a step back to refresh you can come back stronger, the brand invested in the revitalisation of Soweto's Orlando West Park.

Unveiled in 2010, the Orlando West Park is a popular meeting place for the community; it features swings, a professional-size football pitch, a 1km running track and a basketball court.

This court was in need of some TLC. So the Powerade team gave it a makeover, transforming it into a modern multipurpose court that can be used for netball and basketball, among other activities.

"Powerade's conviction that 'Coming Back Strong Starts with a Pause' rests on the premise that everyone's personal best emanates from a pause in physical or mental activity, and we wanted to ensure we created a space for this. We invite the community to embrace this new enhanced multipurpose court for tranquillity, meditation and rejuvenation,” says Ramokone Ledwaba, marketing director at Coca-Cola Africa.

“I am thrilled to witness brands such as Powerade embodying the spirit of giving back, recognising the importance of community development through sports, exemplifying the core principles of service delivery and the ‘Batho Pele’ principle,” says Lubabalo Magwentshu, MMC of community development in the City of Johannesburg.

“We encourage more brands to follow suit and partner with the city,” says Magwentshu.

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This article was sponsored by Powerade.