In an age when Americans will drive the extra mile if it means they’ll spend less on gas, there is a booming new energy drink category that costs 20 times as much per ounce as Coca Cola – energy shots.
A growing number of Americans are turning their backs to $3 coffee, and instead purchasing $3 2 ounce shots of solid caffeine – and most of them taste disgusting.
The market for energy shots is expected to increase by 100% this year, to 700 million 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.
The Mr. Energy 8 Hour Energy Shot, though it sounds similar, has raised the bar for the industry. Aside from caffeine, it includes Acai, Gogi, and Tahitian Noni – three popular berries known for their dietary and energizing properties. Usually, these berries can only be attained by purchasing a $40 bottle of juice.
On top of everything, 8 Hour Energy 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 10 health and fitness trainers 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. Other groups were given samples of the Mr Energy 8 Hour Energy shot, and returned with overwhelmingly positive 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,” laughed Troy Smith, a senior majoring in Finance.
“8 Hour Energy shots are amazing. I stayed energized and focused, and totally aced my final. It’s like time in a bottle,” said Stephanie Wilcox, a grad student in the UF School of Dentistry.
Despite the massive 60 million dollar advertising budget of 5 Hour Energy, Bhelliom Enterprises, the developer of 8 Hour Energy, believes their superior product needs only word-of-mouth to prevail. “The ingredients speak for themselves,” says Casey McCarthy, CEO of Bhelliom Enterprises.
