5 consumer insights to give energy drink brands a boost
Streetbees spoke to over 4,700 people about what they think of energy drinks — and what that might mean for brands
Feeling a little sluggish today? Don’t worry: we asked over 4,700 people around the world — in the UK, US, India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the Philippines — what they thought of energy drinks.
1. Sweet 16–18
Over half of people across all demographics (58%) have tried an energy drink once, but younger people are much likelier to drink them regularly. Over one-third (37%) of under-25s are regular consumers, against 24% of over-35s.
The most popular age for our bees across all regions to try energy drinks was when they were 16: over 1 in 10 (11%) had their first then, while over a quarter (28%) tried one for the first time when they were aged 16–18.
2. Play hard, work harder
Although energy drinks are often billed as sports drinks, the most popular time for people to consume them is actually at work.
Almost twice as many people say they drink energy drinks when at work (30%) than before, during or after exercise (18%) — while 1 in 5 (21%) say they drink them when partying — either as a mixer or for a boost.
Men are more on board with the idea of energy drinks as work-fuel, too — over half of men (57%) say that they help them get into the right mindset for working, compared to 43% of women.
3. “I just like the taste, okay?”
Of those who drink energy drinks, the majority (66%) say they do it for the energy boost.
However, 4 in 10 (42%) say that flavour is a key reason, while nearly 3 in 10 (29%) consume them to help them focus or concentrate better.
Younger bees are more likely to be swayed by the taste of an energy drink than older demographics. Among under-25s, almost half (44%) said they enjoyed the flavours, second only to the energy boost they get. By age 45 and onward, that drops to under one-third (31%).
4. Creatures of habit
The majority of consumers like what they like — over half of them stick to just one brand of energy drink (55%). This is especially true of the older generations; above age 35, that number creeps up to almost two-thirds (63%).
Differences in consumer habits do start to emerge when looking across regional divides, though. In the Philippines, people are the most loyal to one brand of drink — 61% overall say they only drink their favourite, and don’t tend to branch out.
On the other hand, bees in some African nations are less convinced — in Nigeria and Kenya, only 38% have a preferred drink that they stick to.
5. Mind the gender gap
Women are more skeptical of the health benefits that energy drinks might provide — two-thirds are convinced that energy drinks feel both unhealthy and unnatural, compared to just 45% of men.
And it’s not just dubious healthiness that worry women — 60% of our female bees reckon that energy drinks ultimately do more harm than good, against 41% of men.
Indeed, women are more likely (36%) to reach for the coffee pot instead of an energy drink (28%) when they feel they need a quick energy boost.
For men, this tendency is reversed — over 4 in 10 (43%) say that energy drinks are their go to, and just 22% say they’d go for a coffee.
What does this mean for brands?
For brands looking to capitalise on the popularity of energy drinks, they should first look at the positions of strengths and weakness within the market: while the majority of consumers say that they have bought and consumed an energy drink at some point, regular customers at present are far more likely to be younger and male.
With the late teens being a key starting point for consumers to try energy drinks, and over half of consumers tending to stick to just one trusted brand, energy drink businesses should be looking to convert as many of those entry-level consumers to customers loyal to their brand as possible.
With that in mind, and looking at when and why people are drinking them, the way forward for brands is clear — the most common time for consumers across age groups to opt for an energy drink is at work, not during exercise, and almost half are looking for a good flavour.
Focusing on the benefits that products will provide for productivity and mental alertness in the workplace, coupled with a strong taste factor, will likely result in rewards for brands. Indeed, market leader Red Bull’s successful ‘give you wings’ campaigns focus exactly on this strategy.
Since females are less convinced by the benefits of energy drinks than males, there is also the potential opportunity for brands to focus on improving the perception of their product there. An increased focus on minimising any negative health connotations and improving general well-being may well lead to a re-energised female consumer-base — and stronger sales.
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A quick word on our methodology: The figures in the article are taken from global Streetbees community members, carried out in July 2018. All of the data was collected by mobile and web surveys, and is accurate to within 5 percentage points 9 times out of 10.
