Powerade, continues its ‘Pause is Power’ platform with a new film starring football star Lamine Yamal. Titled The 304 – a reference to the area code of Yamal’s neighbourhood in Rocafonda, Mataró – the spot explores how elite athletes find strength in moments of pause, just before the biggest moments in their sporting careers.
Produced by WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy and supported by EssenceMediacom, Burson, Hogarth, Octagon Brazil and others, the film opens with Yamal seated on a wall beside a bottle of Powerade. In a calm but introspective tone, he asks: “Where do I go in the moment before the moment?” The answer is not a training ground or locker room, but “home. Back to Rocafonda. Mataró. Where it all began.”
Narrated entirely in Spanish, the short film doesn’t show his neighbourhood or family life visually. Instead, it pairs Yamal’s voiceover with minimalist visuals – such as a quiet football pitch with floodlights and an empty train station – to evoke the internal mindset of returning to one’s roots. It ends with Yamal in a dark room surrounded by flashes of light, then sipping Powerade next to the line: Pause is Power.
According to Tiya Fazelbhoy, PMO Global Category – Hydration, Sports & Tea at The Coca-Cola Company, the idea builds on the platform launched in 2022 that aims to “reshape the conversation around what it means to be an athlete.”
“While many sports brands focus solely on winning, we embrace a shift. Since 2022, our Pause is Power platform has evolved from educating the world on the strength of a pause to demonstrating why it matters, to celebrating how it enables athletes to come back physically and mentally stronger,” said Fazelbhoy.
In Yamal’s case, that pause is a moment of emotional grounding – reconnecting with the elements of his early routine that prepared him for the pitch. “To the concrete. My court. To the graffiti that writes our history,” he says in the film. “To the barber who got me on point for game day. To the platform where I waited for the train to Barcelona. Every day.”
The campaign also aims to broaden Powerade’s relevance beyond elite sports to include everyday athletes and their rituals. “In addition to these films, we have also created content that showcases everyday athletes and the personal rituals they use to support their holistic well-being for their biggest moments,” said Fazelbhoy.
Media execution spans digital, social, out-of-home, broadcast and shopper marketing channels. The brand chose this mix “to share these inspiring stories broadly, while still creating meaningful connections at both a global and local level,” she said. “Our approach was designed to reach passionate fans worldwide.”
Powerade will also debut a second film in May, My First Love, featuring Brazilian footballer Rodrygo Goes, further exploring how athletes prepare – mentally and physically – for defining moments.
The campaign rollout coincides with major global sporting events.
“Over the past few years, including during the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Paris Olympics 2024 and Copa America, we have engaged in significant moments with global fans and will continue to for major upcoming moments in global sports with this new iteration,” Fazelbhoy said.
The campaign is expected to run throughout 2025 and beyond. “To achieve our goals, we aim to maintain an ongoing, two-way conversation with our target audience,” she added.
With a massive fanbase of international football across the Middle East, the film’s emotional storytelling and understated visuals aim to resonate across borders – reminding fans and athletes alike that power sometimes lies in reflection, not just performance.
