This is what Prime Hydration drink is, the drink that has sparked in stores across the UK after being promoted by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul.
It’s been a huge hit on the internet since its release, with its limited UK availability creating quite a stir.
KSI claims that it is not convinced that limiting the consumption of its drink was a marketing strategy, but the effect of keeping it in short supply is…. predetermined.
In the month of June, Aldi offered Prime for a limited time.
Customers were caught trying to get their hands on drinks in video clips that showed long lines and chaos as staff attempted to control the crowds.
With restocks selling out as soon as they arrive, a black market of sellers selling bottles at exorbitant prices on the internet has emerged.
It’s marketed as a sports drink, and it’s the result of a collaboration between boxer Logan Paul and KSI – whose real name is Olajide William Olatunji.
The duo, who have over 40 million YouTube subscribers between them, claim that their various flavours aid in hydration.
In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, KSI said the “crazy” response to Prime has been “unbelievable” and that he and Logan “honestly didn’t expect it”.
However, marketing expert Eddie Hammerman believes it was an effective promotion, despite the unexpected level of success.
“A buzz doesn’t happen overnight, and neither does demand. It takes months, and they have spent months on this. And it’s been extremely wise “BBC Newsbeat quotes the journalist.
KSI admitted that the Prime founding members are “very good at marketing,” and that spreading the word isn’t a problem thanks to their massive media profiles.
What they’ve struggled with in getting the drink into the hands of willing buyers.
Marketing of Prime Hydration drink
According to Eddie, the director of operations for The 10 Group, a marketing agency that works with companies such as Visa, Red Bull, and Costa Coffee, demand and supply are the most important factors.
“Limit supply first, and then create demand,” he says.
“This is known as scarcity marketing. It’s a technique used to entice customers to buy before the discount expires or before there’s a perceived scarcity.”
For the consumer, it all comes down to FOMO, or the fear of missing out.
“When something says ‘only three of these [items] left,’ this taps into a phenomenon known as loss aversion… we don’t want to miss out on a product we believe is in short supply,” Eddie explains.
“We’ve seen it on Black Friday with people [fighting] over TVs in supermarkets.”
When demand is high but supply is limited, scalpers will take advantage of the situation to make money.
In an interview with Deborah Meaden from Dragon’s Den on BBC’s The One Show, KSI stated that limiting supply of his products was not part of his marketing strategy.
“We tried to increase supply as much as we could, but it’s just not enough,” the man says, adding that it was much more accessible in the US than in the UK.
KSI has been vocal about scalpers, even criticising the popular TikToker Wakey Wines in a graphic video.
The Wakefield store owner is the one who frequently uploads videos of customers claiming to have paid up to PS100 for a single can of Prime.
KSI said to Newsbeat the news outlet that he “genuinely hates” the resale market and believes they’re “taking advantage of people because of the hype”.
“It irritates me. I want Prime to be affordable to everyone. And it’s not right. People will obviously say it’s business, but I think it’s unfair.”
Eddie claims that the shortages of pasta and toilet paper in stores during the initial Covid lockdown demonstrate how consumer behaviour changes when people are convinced that they will run out of something.
“Because it moves so quickly and because so many people want it. All it takes is for the supermarket to announce that “we are limiting the product.” “Eddie says.
Eddie claims that the rise in popularity of Prime is due to a combination of non-traditional and traditional advertising tactics.
It is the Arsenal football club’s primary watering partner that means that they are able to have “access to talent and footballers which they do leverage in some of their marketing”.
However, due to their massive online presence, KSI and Logan Paul are not entirely reliant on large brands for success, according to Eddie.
“They’re brilliant content creators, so they know what their [young] audience wants and when they want it,” he continues.
Can you take advantage of Prime drink?
Dr. Linia Patel is a sports nutritionist and dietitian. Drinks are made with any and all ingredients you can think of.
It’s got coconut water which is sugar-free, but not the same amount like “traditional sports drinks”.
Prime also contains electrolytes, which are minerals that can be absorbed through sweating.
“If you’re working out really hard, absolutely [there’s a place for it]. However, I believe that the majority of us do not require a special drink such as this one “Patel, Dr.
The drink is frequently marketed as superior to competitors. Is there any evidence to back up this claim?
“I don’t think this drink is any better than others,” Dr. Patel says.
The most recent Prime offering is a caffeine-infused energy drink, which the company claims is not appropriate for those under the age of 18, and Linia advises against by children.
