“They said it was empowerment. We saw a mockery” – Gatorade and the WNBA under FIRE as tone-deaf billboard campaign sparks outrage over SEXIST visuals that fans say reduce elite athletes to outdated stereotypes – now the backlash is spreading faster than they can pull the ads

What started as a glossy ad roll-out has quickly turned into a marketing NIGHTMARE. Fans and players alike are tearing into a new Gatorade-WNBA collaboration that’s now accused of being more insulting than inspiring. Billboards showcasing female athletes in poses and slogans deemed “cringeworthy” and “infantilizing” have ignited a fierce backlash. How did no one at either company catch this before launch? And who signed off on messaging that now has even longtime supporters questioning the league’s leadership?

See the campaign and judge for yourself – the photos and reactions are going viral for all the wrong reasons.

Paige Bueckers (Photo via Twitter/X)
The WNBA & Gatorade are taking heat because of a slogan hatched by the latter this month.

The sports drink brand launched its “Let Her Cook” campaign ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend to celebrate legends such as Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker, along with the league’s current stars.

Fans reckon the entities did not think the slogan through, given that it literally reads as something women have been trying to distance themselves from for decades.

“Let Her Cook” is basically saying “Allow her to thrive.” However, some see it as a way to encourage people who claim that women should remain in the kitchen.

“I don’t think Gatorade & the WNBA fully thought this marketing campaign through😆,” Jon Root wrote as the caption to photos displaying bits from the campaign.

“They want women to make men sandwiches and shut up,” one fan commented.

“What are the odds that Gatorade’s ‘Let Her Cook’ campaign was led, overseen, and executed by a woman? I’ve got a hunch!” another wrote.

Gatorade Also Taking Heat For Caitlin Clark/A’ja Wilson Decision

 
A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark (Photos via USA Today Images)

There’s also some contention over Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson sharing screen time in the Gatorade ad. It’s thought that there is some tension between the two stars, and some fans see the campaign as representative of the discord in the WNBA.

It launched in the wake of Clark receiving a record-breaking number of All-Star votes. The Indiana Fever guard also got a historic deal with Nike before arriving in the league, while Wilson had until last December to get one.

She didn’t hide her feelings about the delay.

“It doesn’t matter what we do as Black women,” she said, “we’re still swept underneath the rug.”

While Gatorade is a leading brand in American sports, its recent campaign has left some fans skeptical as they wonder whether the slogan is genuine encouragement or a branding venture covering up very real issues.