Pedialyte has long been the drink of babies who can’t stop pooping and adults recovering from stomach bugs. But now, the makers of the drink want you to use it when you’re hung-over (or to prevent a hangover in the first place). After they noticed people using it that way on social media, the company has launched a campaign, “See the Lyte,” that calls a spade a spade. According to the ads, a Pedialyte drinker could include a clammy bro in boxers stumbling to the fridge at 3 a.m., a cowboy-hat-wearing festivalgoer, or a wine-drinking mom.
The company will also introduce new flavors like strawberry lemonade and orange, but there are no plans to adjust the packaging to be more adult-friendly. That means the labels on its bottles and powder packs still say things like “Kid-Approved Taste” and “#1 Pediatrician Recommended Brand.”
As a hangover remedy, the drink is surprisingly worth its salt: One bottle of Pedialyte (33.8 ounces) has 1,035 milligrams of sodium and 780 milligrams of potassium, all for 100 calories. (Drinking alcohol makes you pee more, which can cause dehydration. Sodium and potassium are key electrolytes that help your body absorb fluids, meaning you’ll no longer wish you were dead.) Gatorade is another beverage touted for its hangover healing powers, but it actually does the job less efficiently. (A 32-ounce bottle has 240 calories and only 420 milligrams of sodium and 140 milligrams of potassium.)
As part of the new campaign, Pedialyte will market directly to partiers by giving out free samples at nearly 150 music festivals and sporting events this year, and by tweeting about alcohol-fueled events like Cinco de Mayo. Now which company is going to make diapers cool?