Lionel Messi and Gatorade Partner to Offer Communities Around the World Words of Encouragement, Hope and Perseverance

LONDON, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Messi Handwrites Ten Letters to Inspire and Remind That if You "Don't Go Down…Life Has More in Store if You Just Stay Up" As Seen in Recent Global Creative Campaign  

Today, Lionel Messi and Gatorade publicly released the first of 10 handwritten letters from the FC Barcelona superstar and five-time World Player of the Year that offer words of hope, encouragement and perseverance to communities across the world. For ten consecutive weeks, Messi will send a "Don't Go Down" themed letter to an unsuspecting organization in select cities, with Barcelona being the first.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160505/364142 )

The letter writing campaign was born out of the positive response and fan feedback following Gatorade's recent "Don't Go Down" video launch in February. The video highlighted Messi's unique style, in which he refuses to dive, flop or give in during adverse situations, on and off the pitch. Messi's message, according to the campaign and emphasized in his letters is "Don't Go Down…life has more in store for you, if you just stay up."

"I was very touched by the incredibly positive response to the 'Don't Go Down' video and Gatorade's willingness to support my efforts to spread this important message across the globe," said Messi. "I model my actions on the field by the way I live my life, to keep moving forward through good times and adversity."

"When Messi came to us with this letter writing idea we felt it was the perfect way to extend our campaign and the important message of hope, resiliency and perseverance," said Anuj Bhasin, Head of Gatorade Global Marketing. "We're extremely proud to be aligned with a star like Messi and help spread his inspirational message of toughness and resilience."

Letters from Messi and Gatorade will be distributed around the world to five continents, including North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Communities that will receive handwritten letters will be revealed in the comings weeks.

About Gatorade
The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), provides sports fueling innovations designed to meet the needs of athletes at all competitive levels and across a broad range of sports. Backed by a 50 year history of studying the best athletes in the world and grounded in years of hydration and sports nutrition research at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Gatorade provides scientifically formulated products to meet the sports fueling needs of athletes in all phases of athletic activity. For more information and a full list of products, please visit http://www.gatorade.com