Celsius Energy went from being an underdog to the No. 3 energy drink in the US with a simple formula: broaden the base. Rather than competing for the traditional male energy drink consumer through testosterone-fueled marketing, Celsius Energy built its brand around flavor and a wellness-oriented identity that gave women and professionals who had never bought an energy drink permission to enter the category. Now, with the acquisition of Rockstar Energy from PepsiCo last year, parent company Celsius Holdings is tapping back into the category's roots to access the adrenaline and attitude that built the energy drink sector. “We’ve always been an in-your-face brand,” Celsius Holdings CMO Rishi Daing said of Rockstar, for which he is spearheading a marketing reset. “But we became a little too polished in recent years, maybe a little too sophisticated. Our consumers probably weren't finding that as relevant anymore.” Last month, Celsius Holdings launched a new “Live Loud” brand identity and marketing campaign, playing off Celsius Energy’s “Live. Fit. Go” brand positioning. The new Rockstar positioning comes with an aggressive push into music, action sports, and motorsports. Daing said...
Korean food companies Paldo and Hy have launched Arih, a Western-Korean fusion food and beverage brand developed with the Korean pop (K-pop) boy band BTS. The brand was launched exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide and on walmart.com, the companies announced on April 24. The beverage lineup includes Arih Postbiotic Energy Drink in seven fruit-based flavors packed in 12-oz slim cans. The drink is made with natural caffeine, four fermented traditional ingredients, and no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners, the companies said. A second drink is called Arih Dual Biotic Soda in seven flavors combining prebiotics and postbiotics with 3,000mg of dietary fiber. Both beverages are zero or low sugar. The brand also includes single-serve noodles. Members of BTS had input on the brand name, flavors, and packaging throughout product development, the companies said. US distribution is handled by HYH, a joint venture created to support Paldo and Hy's global expansion. In 2018, BTS became the first K-pop group to...
The last time PepsiCo overhauled its Gatorade strategy, Indra Nooyi was chairman and CEO. Back in 2009, amid the Great Recession, Nooyi attributed a slump in Gatorade sales to the fact that couch potato consumers, who “didn’t really have a right to exist in the Gatorade world,” had turned to other beverages, including tap water. The brand’s solution at the time was...
