Gatorade Crossover Tumbler
Expanding into the lifestyle category
Gatorade
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ClientGatorade
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IndustryConsumer Goods
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ServicesDesign strategy, Consumer research, Industrial Design, Product innovation, Technical Development, Design for Manufacture
Harmonizing heritage, performance, and lifestyle
Smart Design tackled the challenge of creating Gatorade’s new tumbler by bridging the gap between the brand’s performance-driven heritage and the expectations of today’s lifestyle consumers. Drawing from in-depth user research, the team identified opportunities to elevate hydration into a more intentional, on-the-go ritual. The resulting design integrates thoughtful, athletic-grade features like the fill port and flip up straw into a product that feels at home in both the gym and everyday life.
Integrated handle
Fully integrated open handle that provides soft-touch comfort, versatility and impact protection.
Flip-up straw
Centered position allows for ambidextrous use, while the flip-down design provides sanitary benefits.
Fill port
Locking door simplifies refills by eliminating the need to unscrew a lid with an attached straw.
Leading with actionable research insights
User research played a foundational role in shaping the tumbler’s industrial design. Through ethnographic interviews and observation, the team uncovered key moments in consumers’ hydration rituals before, during, and after physical activity. These insights directly informed features such as the intuitive flip-up straw, sweat-proof grip, and the quick-access fill port. Every detail was evaluated not only for its performance but for how seamlessly it would fit into dynamic, real-world use like being tossed into a gym bag or carried through a daily commute.
Strategy
Foundational research and diary studies generates opportunity areas to fuel ideation.
User research
We tested concept architectures across various cohorts to evaluate functions and features.
Insight-driven form and function
As Gatorade’s lead innovation partner, Smart Design led a multifaceted consumer research approach to identify breakthrough innovations in a crowded category. Consumer interviews allowed us to witness current behaviors, and in-person testing allowed us to test feature-packed sacrificial prototypes. These qualitative research exercises, along with our own desk and competitive research, laid our foundation and recommendations for the Gatorade team.
Crafting a product that’s built to last
The tumbler’s seemingly simple silhouette concealed several engineering challenges, including sealing mechanisms, sleeve and handle construction, and the integration of the fill port and flip-up straw. These features required inventive mechanical solutions that balanced usability, durability, and cost. Smart Design’s engineering team worked in real time to develop and refine custom component interfaces, ensuring smooth actuation, watertight performance, and long-term reliability. Each problem was an opportunity to reinforce quality without sacrificing manufacturability.
Elevating the entire Gatorade product portfolio at retail
As the first Gatorade product to launch across all DICK’S Sporting Goods locations, the Crossover Tumbler brings striking shelf presence through unique design and intuitive feature differentiation. The Crossover Tumbler is designed for versatility, mobility, and convenience with features like the open handle, fill port, and flip-up straw. Positioned alongside the full Gatorade lineup, not only does it expand the brand’s reach but also strengthens its foothold in the competitive retail landscape.