Pocari Sweat facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Introduced | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Markets | East Asia Southeast Asia Middle East Mexico United States |
| Website | pocarisweat.jp |
Pocari Sweat (Japanese: ポカリスエット, Pokari Suetto) is a popular Japanese sports drink. It is made by a company called Otsuka Pharmaceutical. This drink first came out in 1980. It is well-known in many parts of Asia and the Middle East. You can also find it in places like Australia, Mexico, and the United States.
Pocari Sweat tastes mild and a bit sweet. It is not fizzy like soda. It is often called an "ion supply drink." This means it helps put back important salts and minerals (called electrolytes) that your body loses when you sweat. It has a light grapefruit flavor. The main ingredients include sugar, fruit juice, and salt. It also has things like potassium, calcium, and magnesium. You can buy Pocari Sweat in aluminium cans, PET bottles, or as a powder you mix with water. There is also a version with less sugar called Pocari Sweat Ion Water (ポカリスエット イオンウォーター, Pokari Suetto Ion Wōtā).
How Pocari Sweat Started
Pocari Sweat was created in 1980 in Japan. The idea came from an employee at Otsuka Pharmaceutical named Rokuro Harima. He got the idea after a business trip to Mexico. He became sick with diarrhea and had to go to the hospital. There, he saw a doctor drinking an IV solution to rehydrate. This made Harima wonder if a drink could give people both water and the nutrients they needed to feel better.
The company wanted Pocari Sweat to be popular in Asia and the Middle East. They did not want to compete directly with another sports drink called Gatorade in the United States. So, in 1982, Pocari Sweat was first sent to Hong Kong and Taiwan. The next year, it went to Singapore, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. By the mid-1990s, Pocari Sweat became the first Japanese non-alcoholic drink to sell over $1 billion worth of product.
Why is it Called "Sweat"?
The name "Pocari Sweat" might sound a bit strange to some English speakers. However, the company chose this name for a good reason. They wanted to show that the drink helps replace what your body loses when you sweat. When you exercise or it's hot, your body sweats. This helps you cool down. But you also lose water and important minerals. Pocari Sweat is designed to give those back to you. The first part of the name, Pocari, was chosen because it sounds light and bright. It does not have a special meaning.
How Pocari Sweat is Advertised
Pocari Sweat has always used the same blue and white colors since it started in 1980. It was first sold in a small can. Since 1990, it has mostly been sold in bottles.
The company has also done some interesting advertising. In 2010, they started a special campaign in Indonesia. This was after many people got dengue fever. They promoted the drink to help prevent dehydration, which is a common problem with the illness.
Pocari Sweat even tried to send a "dream capsule" to the Moon! This happened on May 15, 2014. The capsule looked like a Pocari Sweat can and was filled with the drink's powder. The idea was for it to be the first commercial product advertised on the Moon. It was supposed to launch in 2015. However, the lander carrying it, called Peregrine, failed to reach the Moon in January 2024. It burned up in Earth's atmosphere instead.
The company has also used anime to advertise. The technical director for the famous anime film Your Name helped make an anime-style ad for Pocari Sweat in 2019. In January 2021, Pocari Sweat released a special episode of the anime Cells at Work!. This episode promoted the drink as a way to prevent heat stroke.
See also
In Spanish: Pocari Sweat para niños
- Aquarius (a similar drink made by The Coca-Cola Company)
- Calpis
- Oronamin C Drink
- Lipovitan
- Foreign branding
- 100plus
- Super Supau
