Gatorade debuts new commercial.

As a tribute to an athlete’s passion to compete and will to win, Gatorade’s latest ad spotlights Rolando Cantu, a pioneer for all Hispanic athletes to follow as he became the first player from a Mexican University to play in the NFL. The new spot, called “Chosen”, tells the story of Cantu’s entry into the league and the challenges he faced along the way to the roster of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. The ad debuts nationwide today on Telemundo, Telefutura, Univision, GolTV, and Azteca America networks.

In the spot, Cantu tells his story as he lines up for action on the Cardinals’ practice field. As he prepares for the snap, he recounts how people told him he wasn’t big enough or good enough to play in the NFL and how the game was too complicated for him to succeed. However, as the ball is snapped, those assumptions, along with a Cardinal linebacker, are squashed as Cantu dominates the play.

“We celebrate Rolando Cantu’s remarkable road to the NFL because of his continuing passion and dedication,” said Cindy Alston, vice president, communications and equity development for Gatorade. “Honoring his achievement is a fitting tribute to all athletes who have overcome challenges to play at the highest level of their sport.”

“I am proud to be the star of my very own Gatorade commercial,” said Rolando Cantu. “Hopefully, my story will inspire future generations of athletes, including young Hispanic athletes around the U.S., to pursue their dreams of playing professional sports.”

Cantu’s dream began in 1996 as he watched the NFL’s American Bowl in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. Unable to play football until his teens due to weight restrictions, Cantu didn’t play his first snap until junior high. Despite the late start, Cantu led ITESM Monterrey to the Mexican National Championship in three of his four years. By 2003, Cantu was participating in the National Player Mini Camp in Tampa Bay, Florida and was allocated to the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe. He helped Berlin win the NFL Europe World Bowl that summer and became one of four players allocated to an NFL team as part of the inaugural NFL International Development Practice Squad program. After spending much of 2005 on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad, Cantu was promoted to the team’s active playing roster earlier this year and took the field against the Indianapolis Colts.

The spot is a continuation of Gatorade’s dedicated efforts to connect with its Hispanic consumers and celebrate their passion for sports. The brand has advertised in Spanish for more than 15 years. The new commercial was created by Dieste Harmel & Partners and directed by Josh Taft.