A Bundle of Energy Drinks

Celebrities—especially those known primarily as social media influencers—are increasingly hitting the energy drinks, both in their personal lives and through licensing deals, or other forms of partnership, with energy drink companies. Most of the collaborative products tend to be limited-edition, co-branded flavors rather than long-term lines. And some of the pairings take the form of brand ambassadorships, which are longer in duration but have no signature products in the mix, at least not to date.

Here are some of the deals that have come to light since the beginning of 2022:

• Kim Kardashian partnered with Alani Nu in July 2023 for a collaboration called Alani by Kim K, which includes a limited-edition energy drink called Kimade, with a flavor that is a take on strawberry lemonade. The vegan and gluten-free drink, positioned as a better-for-you option, contains B vitamins, Biotin, no sugar, and 10 calories, as well as 200 milligrams of caffeine in a 12-ounce can. A range of Alani by Kim K merchandise is available on Alani Nu’s website.

• Alix Earle partnered in March 2023 with RSP Nutrition’s AminoLean brand for a limited-edition energy drink flavor called Berry Alixir. A workout powder in the same flavor was also available. This was the first co-branded collaboration for Earle, a now-just-graduated college student who gained fame through her “get ready with me” videos and other content. She is known for her high engagement levels and ability to drive sales among her fans for products she endorses. The collaborative drink contains 200 milligrams of natural caffeine derived from green tea leaves and organic matcha, with added amino acids.

• Rapper Vanilla Ice launched a flavor with Joyburst, another offering with a better-for-you positioning, in June 2022, along with an alcoholic seltzer. The collaboration coincided with the launch of the new plant-based, naturally caffeinated Joyburst brand, which is gluten-free, no-calorie, and keto-friendly, in the U.S. market. The Vanilla Ice flavor joins a portfolio of five other, mostly fruit-based, options. The rapper created a song, Joyburst, which was released on Spotify, iTunes, and other platforms, as part of the agreement.

• In January 2022, influencer and WWE personality Logan Paul and British rapper and YouTube star KSI founded Prime, which includes two products: Prime Hydration, a sports drink, and Prime Energy, a caffeinated energy drink. The latter has attracted attention and a request for an F.D.A. investigation from Senator Chuck Schumer for its high caffeine content—200 milligrams per 12-ounce can, as compared to 114 milligrams for Red Bull. This is consistent with the caffeine levels of many of its competitors. The difference is that Paul has a large number of fans under 18, and critics point out that so much caffeine is unhealthy for children.

• TikToker Addison Rae and her family collaborated, also in January 2022, with Alani Nu for a limited-edition Berry Pop flavor of its energy drink, with the same better-for-you characteristics as Kardashian’s version. The deal also included a limited-edition Cookie Dough-flavored protein bar and an exclusive collection of Addison Rae-branded products.

These are not the first celebrities to join the energy drink category, of course. Athletes have been particularly active, both as brand ambassadors and for collaborative products, with Lewis Hamilton and Monster, Shaun White and Celsius, and Justin Fields and C4 being just a few examples.

But the number of celebrities, particularly influencers, has been on the upswing in the last couple of years, as they try to secure a small piece of an industry that Circana estimates has seen sales rise from $12 billion to $19 billion (a jump of more than 58%) in the past five years. In most cases, the celebrities are also regular users of their partner’s brand before they forge the deal.

A heads-up that Raugust Communications’ monthly e-newsletter goes out tomorrow, Tuesday, August 15, 2023. The Licensing Topic of the Month takes a look at the recent growth in marketplaces intended to streamline the process of bringing together licensees and licensors, while the Datapoint research spotlight examines the licensed collectibles business. If you are not yet a subscriber to this free publication, you can sign up here.