In a time where Americans will go out of their way if it means they’ll spend less on gas, there is a booming new energy drink category that goes for 20 times more per-oz than Coke – energy shots.
More and more people are turning away from $3 coffee, in favor of $3 2 ounce shots of solid caffeine – and most of them taste repulsive.
The demand for energy shots is expected to double this year, reaching $700 mil in sales – and it’s dominated by Living Essentials’ 5 Hour Energy shot, as they were the first on the market.
Many companies are attempting to capture the energy shot market – energy shots such as 6 Hour Power, Fuel 7 Hour, and 8 Hour Energy are all attempting to tap into this new industry.
8 Hour Energy, though the name is similar, has taken the industry a few steps further. While the others merely contain caffeine, it includes Acai, Gogi, and Tahitian Noni – three incredibly popular berries, each known for their natural energizing and dietary benefits. Currently, the only other way to get a serving of Acai berry is to purchase a $40 bottle.
Aside from the health-benefits, The 8 Hour shot contains no calories or carbs, and it tastes great!
“I’ve seen the 5 Hour ads plastered all over the media. But if people read the labels before they buy, I think they’ll go for 8 Hour Energy. It’s just a better quality product,” says Darin Steen, one of the top ranked health and fitness instructors in the world.
In a blind taste test of college students at the University of Florida, 9 out of 10 preferred the taste of 8 Hour over any other energy shot. Another study gave out samples of the Mr Energy 8 Hour shot during finals week, and students returned with rave reviews.
“Wow… after taking the 8 Hour Energy, not only was I able to stay up to study for finals, I picked up a basketball game after! Without it, I probably wouldn’t have managed to do either,” said Troy Smith – a Finance major.
“The 8 Hour Energy shot is amazing. I stayed energized and focused, and totally aced my final. It’s like time in a bottle,” said Stephanie Wilcox – a grad student at the Dentistry school.
Despite the massive 60 million dollar advertising budget of 5 Hour Energy, Bhelliom Enterprises, 8 Hour Energy’s developer, believes their superior product needs only word-of-mouth to prevail. “The ingredients speak for themselves,” says Bhelliom Enterprises’ CEO, Casey McCarthy.
