How Innovative Beverage Companies Can Reshape a Category and Pop Culture

It is no secret that the beverage industry plays a massive role in consumer behavior, emotions, and influence. For decades big beverage brands have done just that. The energy drink category is no exception. From 1962 when energy drinks were first invented to now, they have taken the world by storm and have been firmly integrated into ever-evolving pop culture. In fact, it would be strange to think of a world without beverage brands being used in famous songs and tag-lines seamlessly migrating their way into mainstream conversation. 

It has been a personal pursuit of mine to understand the evolving confines that create the bounds of pop culture and product integration. In our modern manufacturing-forward world, I believe there is a significant indicator of which brands leave lasting marks in society versus those that don't. At its core, it’s innovation for the customer. In a world of white-label products, meaningful innovation considers the ever-changing needs of the consumer. And we are not just talking about simply making new flavors and using healthier ingredients (which is still good to do); we are talking about understanding future societal health needs, behavior patterns, cultural norms, nostalgia and cravings. This is a unique slate that provokes motivation, inspiration and drives pop culture in a new direction. I am fascinated with this idea of how brands can shape the conversations we have (only referring to western culture and what I have personally experienced). 

Transforming The Energy Drink Category and Pop Culture

For starters, when the idea for Nexus Energy first manifested (4 years of R&D before the product ever hit the market), the purpose was not to develop just another thing that sits on the shelves. It was never meant to be just another brand that blurs into the crowd as a second option. Instead, I set out to create something inspiring, something with an “epic factor,” something that considers the true needs of customers that consume energy drinks (maybe ones they didn't even know they had), and something that reshapes the negative press in the beverage category. In my personal opinion, as founders of consumables, we have a responsibility to our customers to understand how our product(s) can most positively improve their lives. That is why our core values at Nexus Energy are: be authentic (don’t copy, set the trend instead), create fearlessly (innovate without fear of messing up), make it happen (put in the work), never stop growing (learning is a lifelong pursuit). At Nexus, it is my goal to become a resonating brand that inspires transformation in the category and continuously challenges the status quo in all facets of production.

So, what does it take to make a beverage brand (or any product for that matter) that can reshape pop culture? By now, you know I believe it is innovation, but many of us use this as an umbrella term that contains many different elements. For example, it involves more than just using different ingredients and coming up with a catchy slogan. It includes things like:

• Look Attractive: Get creative and use unique aesthetics that boost the brand values or break the norms of what is expected. As much as we would love to say that looks are not everything, that is not the case in the world of branding and culture-shaping. If you want a transformative product, you have to attract customers in a few seconds.
• Understand Market Trends: For example, society today is more health and wellness-centric than in the past, could this be because cheap and poor quality consumables have made us aware of the need to consume a “better product?” At Nexus we use health-vetted ingredients that people feel safe putting in their bodies and have combined positive effects. Create quality products because you should.
• Instill Futurism Vibes: Demonstrate convenience, newness, freshness, and feeling/looking like something that is just cool. In this modern age, future vibes work wonders at pop culture reformation.
• Appeal to The Masses: Find a happy medium between the different sub-cultures that appeal. From the performance culture, restless culture, freeform culture, to the learn fast culture, the more multi-positioned you can make yourself, the broader your target audience can be. Just make sure you understand who you are targeting from the masses.
• Never Get Complacent: Always be willing to change to meet the changing demands. Become the brand that bridges demand gaps that others tend to lack, and again never stop innovating. Those who may be successful now will not stay that way if they are not willing to remain active in giving their consumers what they crave. 

Conclusion - Take on the Challenge of Innovating for Your Customers

In the end, if you should take anything away from these thoughts, it is that the ones who innovate for the consumer are the ones who win. Start thinking outside the box and build an authentic brand that provokes an emotional response. The opportunities are there, and as long as you are willing to make that kind of impact, you can certainly take the right steps now to make it happen. 

As innovators and company builders, we have an exciting opportunity to engage our customers with products that add value to their lives. Take the necessary risks to cultivate positive change, and don’t underestimate what you are capable of. After all, if we stuck to the status quo, then we would not be where we are today. Take the chance now because who knows, you may just find your own slogan and brand name becoming integrated into everyday life on a global scale. There is something so freaking cool about that and yet so humbling at the same time.