Sophie McKay is a writer and journalist. She writes about issues including tech, social and political issues and the arts. She’s written for publications including iD and Novara Media.

People want insider status that's community-driven

Inside Track

Shelling out £100 for a bottle of energy drink might seem absurd to some – but fans of Prime are willingly paying such vastly inflated sums in a bid to participate in the potent cult trend. 

Leicestershire Live

 Prime Drinks was launched in December 2022 and founded by YouTube icons Logan Paul and KSI. Formerly online rivals, the pair ended their conflict when they partnered to become the faces of the brand – a range of drinks boasting electrolyte replenishment, low calories, and a sugar-free recipe.

The clout of its founders has contributed to Prime becoming a massive hit in the UK, particularly among Gen Z netizens. Fans are travelling long distances across the country to get their hands on a bottle, visiting multiple stores in the process, while the drink has been listed on eBay for as much as £3,000. 

 As a viral sensation, stores and outlets have been vying to secure roles as stockists and purveyors, with 

 signalling a desire to stock the product.

Prime comes in a variety of flavours – from Tropical Punch to Meta Moon – with the bottles sporting luminous colours. But the huge success of the brand largely depends on the way its developers have tapped into the language, emotions, and aesthetics of young social media users. By coupling hype and exclusivity with the personalities of leading influencers, has Prime discovered the magic marketing formula for pitching to Gen Z?

Brands are increasingly choosing to ‘lease’ out products to online influencers, adopting a ‘headless’ marketing model rather than marketing products by themselves. While KSI and Logan Paul are the founding faces of Prime, they’re only partial owners – the ownership and management of the company sit with Kentucky-based Congo Brands. However, thanks to the ubiquity of the influencers in the brand’s marketing they’ve reached a vast and dedicated audience of Gen Zers. “This is why the government used influencers in their handwashing campaign during the pandemic because young people just weren’t watching mainstream adverts,” says Gordon Glenister, an expert in influencer marketing. 

Interview with Gordon Glenister conducted by the author

 However, with 19% of Britons reporting that they would not purchase from a brand if they don’t trust its associated influencers, the careful curation of representatives is key to drumming up community engagement. 

Decision Marketing

Scarcity and creating hype are key strategies when it comes to marketing on social media – particularly for Gen Zers who are deeply engaged with 

. With demand quite drastically outstripping supply, Prime’s UK launch was chaotic and unruly. Fans were queuing up for shops to open and stockers like Aldi in Crawley sold out of the drink just

 after opening, with many of the bottles going on to be sold at extortionate rates. 

Independent

 Fans then took to social media to post about their experiences shopping for the drink, creating grassroots hype which further perpetuated demand for the product. User-generated content of this sort is becoming one of the most powerful means of advertising for brands, with 73% of Britons reporting that it has directly influenced their online purchase decisions. 

Advanced Television

 “Brands are realising that fan consumers’ engagement rate is far higher,” says Glenister. “We trust people we know so much more than advertisers.” 

Tapping into dedicated consumer communities

With Gen Zers turning to one another for advice through online communities, brands and creators are looking to tap into these connections to generate organic relationships. “People feel comfortable in their tribes”, says Glenister. “They want to be connected to people like them.” 

 KSI and Logan Paul’s helming of the Prime brand is a case in point – combining their shared mega influence to reach a hyper-engaged cohort of consumers. Elsewhere, TikTok star

 has launched her own affordable beauty brand, while YouTuber

 – known for always drinking coffee in her vlogs – has developed her own coffee line. With 77% of creators reporting that they worry about an over-dependency on social media platforms for their earnings, many are launching their own businesses to cut out the middleman and connect directly with their fan communities. 

Nonfiction Research/Bodacious

Offer accessible and affordable indulgence

At a time when many people in the UK are tightening their purse strings and struggling to meet living costs, the definition of indulgence has taken on a new meaning. Rather than shelling out significant amounts of cash, people are looking to responsibly indulge – granting a sense of retail therapy without breaking the bank. While Prime has been resold for exorbitant amounts, it’s largely available at more affordable prices across the UK in major supermarkets, and 

 sells 12 bottles for £24.99. While often sold out, the drink’s scarcity further reinforces a sense of treating oneself – imbuing the purchase with meaning through a sense of exclusivity. This is also reflected in TikTok trends like 

 extra-decadent line of spreadable cheese is also catering to those who are looking to treat themselves during inflationary times.

Provide a sense of exclusivity and insider status

The scarcity and hype around Prime successfully tapped into Gen Z desires for exclusivity and insider status. The perceived exclusivity of the product saw buyers take to their social channels to share their participation in the cult drinks trend. Among Gen Zers, 83% agree that brands should allow fans to use their IP for content creation – and the influence of stars like KSI and Logan Paul has the potential to generate similar participatory consumption – enabling brand awareness to spread through user-generated content and a sense of exclusive community. 

Marketing Tech

 “Things like early access and exclusive access to events are important,” says Glenister. “Making sure you get the Instagram post before the event, during the event, and after the event, so you get lots more content that is user-generated rather than from the brand.” 

 has capitalised on a model of insider status – encouraging a sense of community by handing over the brand’s creative IP to members and generating hype through its exclusive range of digital art and celebrity endorses.

Prime’s success stems from a careful consideration of its target consumers and demonstrating how to speak their language. Brands that make meaningful connections through relatability and fluency in online communication can maximise their reach, encouraging engaged consumers to recommend the brand within their own network. “Brands are realising fan consumers – individuals who are buying their products – will have their own smaller audience,” says Glenister. “It may only be a few hundred people but their engagement rate is far higher.” 

 of Britons report that they would not purchase from a brand if they don’t trust its associated influencers

of Britons report that user-generated content has directly influenced their online purchase decisions

 of Gen Zers agree that brands should allow fans to use their IP for content creation

Founded by influencer icons KSI and Logan Paul, Prime energy drinks have acquired cult status among Gen Zers via a model of hype and scarcity

The cult status of the drinks has seen buyers take to social media to share their purchases, creating grassroots hype which has further perpetuated demand for the product

Rather than shelling out significant amounts of cash amid a cost of living crisis, Britons are looking to responsibly indulge in more affordable treats

Gordon Glenister is a marketing strategist, an expert in influencer marketing, and the author of 

. He’s also the host of the Influence Global Podcast.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

Eating and Drinking

Advertising

Prime energy drinks have made headlines in the UK for their cult-like popularity and extortionate resale prices. With bottles flying off the shelves and consistently selling out, the influencer-founded brand has auspiciously tapped into Gen Z desires for hype culture and exclusivity.

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Olivia Yallop on the influence economy