When LeBron James had to stagger off the court last night with a heat-induced leg cramp, one brand seemed all too happy to pour a few hundred milligrams of sodium into the wound.
Gatorade, which mocked James in a series of tweets about how dehydration wouldn't be an issue if he didn't "drink something else," today apologized for the posts.
James is the most high-profile celebrity endorser for Powerade, a fact which Gatorade's Twitter account seemed to relish with vindictive glee after the basketball superstar had to take an early exit from Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
"The person cramping wasn't our client," @Gatorade told a fan who mistakenly called James the brand's No. 1 client. "Our athletes can take the heat."
In another response to a Twitter user praising Gatorade for its topical zingers, the brand wrote: "Thanks, Randy. We've been hydrating all day. We never cramp."
While the tweets remain up, the brand has issued a statement of apology.
"Our apologies for our response to fans' tweets," Gatorade said. "We got caught up in the heat of the battle. As a longtime partner of the Miami Heat, we support the entire team."
Hat tip to AdLand.
@LazyBumDrew we were waiting on the sidelines, but he prefers to drink something else.
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 6, 2014@OfficiallyRandy Thanks, Randy. We've been hydrating all day. We never cramp.
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 6, 2014@AthIeteMotivate Especially during important games.
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 6, 2014@CarmichaelDave This is awkward....We don't sponsor him. #fail
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 6, 2014@ryanbkoo The person cramping wasn't our client. Our athletes can take the heat.
— Gatorade (@Gatorade) June 6, 2014