Featured image for Local Weather Wants To Create the Next Generation Of Sports Beverages

Local Weather Wants To Create the Next Generation Of Sports Beverages

by Bill McCool on 03/30/2022 | 3 Minute Read

When it comes to sports drinks, there’s Gatorade and, well, everyone else, a blurry mish-mash of colorful liquids typically packaged in harmful plastics.

Local Weather, an innovative nootropic beverage from NFL quarterback Russel Wilson and AJ Vaynerchuk of VaynerMedia, is looking to change the game, creating a mind and body drink for the “next generation of sports and movement.”

And that’s the elevator pitch behind the new beverage in a nutshell—essentially, the brand asks, what if we’re looking at “sports” the wrong way? What if we started to consider things like movement and the mind when it comes to hydration and replacing electrolytes? Which, to these magnificently sculpted and overpriced elven ears, sounds like it could be the official beverage of choice for D&D heads—and, if not, get at me Vayner-boys.

Editorial photograph

"Only 16% of consumers consider themselves 'athletes' today, and 52% of Gen Z2 say they prefer non-traditional sports, which includes literally any movement, e.g., Pickleball, TikTok dancing, roller skating, painting, and gaming," said Jon Alagem, CEO of Local Weather and H+S Labs, in a press release. "That's why we created Local Weather—to support this largely ignored generation of consumers redefining what it means to be active both mentally and physically."

Ditching the commonplace plastic vessel, Local Weather comes in brightly colored aluminum bottles. The design from Boulder agency Interact Brands looks like it was directly ripped from an issue of Bloomberg Businessweek or perhaps a visually vibrant weather app targetting Gen Z kids that want a little more “vibes” with their pictographs of rainclouds and sunshine. Clever and playful noodle-shaped illustrations adorn the cans as they paint, skateboard, and play basketball or tennis. 

But also no dungeon crawls or critical hits? Sorry, fellow nerds.

Editorial photograph
Editorial photograph

“We wanted to throw out the old performance playbook—literally—and craft an entirely new visual language that sets focus in motion,” said Fred Hart, creative director and partner at Interact. “The old tropes of hyper-masculine typography, heavy use of black, and other overly dramatic or energetic elements are out of date with the next generation of movers and shakers.”

“Our consumers are so incredibly varied in their interests,” he added. “Rollerblading, gaming, dancing, painting, swimming. And so our illustration style is as fluid as our fans, effortless shape-shifting and reflecting our consumers' creativity at play.” 

Editorial photograph

Of course, this wouldn’t be a beverage launch without an NFT component, or it’s at least in the works. In the second half of the year, the brand will release a limited number of NFTs for its early fans and adopters. It will also serve as a membership to unlock perks like an exclusive fifth flavor.

Look for Local Weather to launch at some point this summer. 

Editorial photograph