Yesterday Valerie Bauerlein at the WSJ.com posted this article about Gatorade’s social media listening and engagement efforts. According to the article, Gatorade is attempting to regain market share it has lost in recent years to products such as Coca-Cola Co’s Powerade. One way they are attempting to gain a foothold with their customers is in the social landscape, utilizing Twitter and Facebook as well as other social media platforms.

Interestingly, Gatorade is owned by Pepsi Co. who gained tons of press and social media credibility with their Pepsi Refresh Project which launched during the 2010 Super Bowl. Clearly Pepsi Co. learned some important lessons about the value and reach of social media, so much so that they are willing to fund a social media team whose sole purpose is to support a single product within their family of products. They see the importance of individual brands, and the importance of treating them differently. They even go so far as to state that this approach may act as a model for other brands within the Pepsi Co. family.

It makes perfect sense. Different marketing for different products; therefore, different social strategies for different products. Think of it this way; there is a reason that Johnson & Johnson doesn’t try to feature Tylenol, Splenda and Visine in one TV spot.

How does this relate to your business? Do you have different brands that should perhaps be monitored and promoted as single entities as opposed to pieces of a whole? Would it be easier for you? Better question: Would it be easier for your customers? If it’s easier for your customers, doesn’t that automatically make it better for your business?

Update: This year Pepsi will be back during the Super Bowl sponsoring a user-generated advertising contest featuring Doritis and Pepsi Max. The the top finalists’ spots will run during the Super Bowl.