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...

Coca-Cola has unveiled a limited-edition America250 packaging collection tied to the US 250th anniversary, including custom bottles and the brand's first-ever America250 collectible mini-cans. Each mini-can features a design unique to one of the 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., with artwork taken from local symbols and culture. Additional Coca-Cola brands including BodyArmor, Gold Peak, Vitaminwater, and Smartwater will also release commemorative packaging as part of a broader yearlong initiative.

PepsiCo's Mountain Dew has launched American Dew, a limited-edition summer redesign on 12-oz cans and 20-oz bottles nationwide. The packages honor the brand's 1948 Tennessee origins and the US 250th anniversary. A companion digital ad spot, "Hoedown | Mountain Dew: An American Original," traces the brand's Tennessee roots...

McDonald’s plans to use Red Bull as a base for a new specialty blended beverage to debut across US locations in August. The chain will introduce Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer as part of a new specialty drink menu in the US this year.

Coca-Cola recently launched the company’s first-ever national food service campaign in the US called "And a Coke." The campaign is organized around the idea that “nothing completes a meal like a Coke,” according to the company. The campaign is unique for...

GATORADE INNOVATION. NEW PRODUCT TEASED. At the Expo West show earlier this month, PepsiCo teased a new product called ...