In the world of social media and influencer marketing, it’s not uncommon for popular personalities to endorse products they believe in.
However, the success of Logan Paul and KSI’s PRIME drink has taken this trend to new heights!
The “Hydration drink” by PRIME Hydration gained significant attention in the UK, with people even fighting in supermarkets to obtain a bottle. The drink was launched in January 2022 by the popular YouTubers. It has since garnered extensive media coverage, with products often selling out across most stores in the UK initially, with some bottles being sold online for exorbitant prices.
Despite lacking prior beverage industry experience, PRIME Hydration managed to amass over $250 million in retail sales in just one year.
So we decided to take a closer look and delve into the key factors behind the success of PRIME drink, and how businesses can apply these principles to their own marketing strategies.
KSI and Logan Paul clearly understood their audience and effectively engaged them through tactics such as bright packaging, partnering with other influencers and brands, creating viral content, and user-generated content.
PRIME drink’s branding is consistent across all platforms, including their website, social media, and packaging. This consistency has helped the brand establish a strong presence and develop a sense of trust among consumers.
Additionally:
With over 50 million online subscribers between them, KSI and Logan Paul were able to leverage their clout through creative events and guerrilla tactics, such as dressing up as a bottle at WrestleMaina 37, being at Olympia Fitness and Performance Expo or the Arnold Sports Festival.
In 2024, they went one step further by being the first ever ring mat sponsor, not just for the WWE, but in wrestling history too.
There's been lots of product placements, as well as new flavours added to the line to keep their audience continuously engaged.
Via their website’s blog, they created content that educates their audience on the importance of hydration and the benefits of their products, publishing articles on topics such as the benefits of hydration, the science behind their products, and the role of hydration in fitness.
This content is not only informative but also helps to establish the brand as an authority in the hydration industry.
PRIME drink’s marketing strategy on social is another key factor in its success. The brand has leveraged social media platforms to create a buzz around the product, creating excitement among its target audience. It regularly posts engaging content, such as behind-the-scenes footage of KSI and Logan Paul’s training and exclusive offers, to keep fans engaged and interested.
The brand also has a hashtag, #DrinkPRIME, which their followers use when sharing their experiences with the products.
This effective marketing strategy helped the brand gain massive popularity in a short period, making it one of the most successful influencer-branded products in recent years.
As we already know, the two YouTubers have millions of followers on various social media platforms and are highly influential among their fanbase. Even just by endorsing PRIME drink themselves, they’ve provided social proof to their followers, convincing them of the drink’s quality and benefits.
But they also got their drinks into the hands of other influential YouTubers, TikTokers, and Instagrammers, partnering with the likes of fitness influencers such as Adam Bornstein, a fitness and nutrition expert, as well as Kristen Bellamy, another fitness coach, among others, which generated awareness, engagement, and desire for the brand through authentic recommendations and storytelling.
The success of this influencer marketing campaign is a testament to the power of social proof and how it can influence consumer behaviour.
Your business may not have “fans”, but you will have customers that know and like you.
Another crucial aspect of PRIME drink’s success was and still is its focus on fan engagement. KSI and Logan Paul regularly interact with their followers, responding to comments and messages, and creating engaging content that resonates with their fanbase.
This interaction has created a loyal customer base for PRIME drink, with fans feeling a personal connection to the brand. They also built strong partnerships with reputable sports brands such as Arsenal FC and UFC, tapping into their loyal supporters to gaining access to millions of viewers worldwide on a regular basis.
Most recently, in 2024 they have signed an exclusive deal with Catalan giants Barcelona and Turin football giants Juventus.
This loyalty has translated into increased sales and brand awareness, demonstrating the importance of fan engagement in building a successful brand. It just shows that the more you can resonate with your target audience with what you offer and how you continue to look after them / engage with them will help build a loyal customer base.
This was a huge factor and very under the radar!
By limiting the supply of the product, Logan Paul and KSI knew they would create a rush to obtain it, which, in turn, increased the demand.
When you tap into loss aversion, you capitalise on a consumers’ fear of missing out. Think about the psychology behind it for a second. People always want what they can’t have.
A brand like Prime using scarcity tactics for their product intentionally limit the supply or time frame people can buy a product, which will help make the product in short supply more desirable, attractive, and costly.
The success of PRIME drink offers several valuable lessons for businesses looking to improve their marketing strategies.
Branding is essential in establishing a strong brand presence and developing a sense of trust among consumers. Businesses should focus on creating a unique and consistent brand identity that stands out in a crowded market.
Influencer marketing can be an effective way to reach new customers and build trust among them. Working with popular influencers can provide social proof to your target audience and convince them of your product’s quality.
Finally, fan engagement is critical in building a loyal customer base that will support your brand in the long term. You need to try to create engaging content and interact with your followers to create a personal connection with your audience.
Through these marketing strategies, PRIME Hydration has managed to create an engaged community of brand lovers, generating massive retail sales and surpassing even big players in the sports drink industry such as Coca-Cola, Gatorade, and Powerade.
The success of PRIME drink is a testament to the power of branding, influencer marketing, and fan engagement in building a successful brand. The brand has leveraged these principles to create a loyal customer base and gain massive popularity in a short period of time.
By applying these principles, you can improve your marketing strategies and build a successful brand that resonates with your target audience too.
If social media is something you struggle with, take a look around the rest of our blog section to see if there's any insights that could help you out.
Would rather someone do it for you. Let's have a chat and see whether it's something we can work together on.
