Gatorade has long been an advocate for athletic trainers, seeing the vital role they play in athletes’ health and safety. So, when faced with a lack of public awareness about trainers’ roles, we didn’t just talk about their importance. We told a story that proved how valuable they can be. During her freshman year, volleyball player Dayle Wood suffered sudden cardiac arrest during practice, causing her heart to stop for three minutes. She’s alive today because of the expertise of her athletic trainer, Kevin Parker.

“Three Minutes in September” was shot with four cameras and included interviews and a staged re-enactment. Using real reactions from family and teammates, we painted a clear picture of Kevin’s professionalism under fire. We then supported this film with PR outreach and social media during National Athletic Training Month, reinforcing the importance of athletic trainers and proving that saving lives is more important than saving money.

“Three Minutes in September” quickly became a rallying cry for athletic trainers — with shares and organic impressions that outpaced paid support. The film succinctly captured the importance of the profession and how much it matters to student athletes.

In less than a month and with a budget of only $16,000, “Three Minutes in September” has more than 1 million views total across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. On those same channels, the piece received more than 30,000 engagements from athletic trainers, other sports medicine professionals, administrators, parents and even former athletes. The organic sharing on Facebook was so strong it outperformed paid two to one.