Prime (drink)
Prime (stylized as PRIME) is a range of sports drinks, drink mixes, and energy drinks created and marketed by Prime Hydration, LLC. The range is promoted by YouTubers and internet personalities Logan Paul and KSI. The announcement and the release of the product in 2022 was followed by a social media hype associated with these social media personalities, who have tens of millions of followers combined. It was also promoted through mainstream sports sponsorship deals. Prime Hydration produces a variety of energy drinks, sports drinks, and drink mixes containing varying levels of caffeine, electrolytes, and added micronutrients. Prime energy drinks have generated controversy due to their marketing campaign, which has been criticized for targeting children and adolescents, in conjunction with their high concentration of caffeine. Several countries, jurisdictions, and primary and secondary schools have banned or restricted the drink due to its caffeine content exceeding legal limits, or otherwise being deemed unsafe for children to consume. Products Prime Hydration, LLC is affiliated with Congo Brands, co-owned by American businessmen Max Clemons and Trey Steiger. In the United Kingdom, where the product was launched in June 2022, it was originally shipped from the United States, and is now manufactured by Refresco. The Prime labeling is used on energy drinks, sports drinks, and drink mixes. The sports drinks, described by the manufacturer as "hydration drinks", are made up of 10 percent coconut water and contain electrolytes, B vitamins and BCAAs. The manufacturers state that this version of the product contains no added sugar, is caffeine-free, and has around 20 calories per bottle. It is sweetened with acesulfame potassium and sucralose, like many other sugar-free drinks. Sports drink flavors are Blue Raspberry, Glowberry, Grape, Ice Pop, Lemonade, Lemon Lime, Meta Moon, Orange, Strawberry Watermelon, Tropical Punch, and a now discontinued limited-edition UK-exclusive "KSI" flavor, which is Orange and Mango flavored. The energy drink, which was launched in 2023, contains 200 mg of caffeine. Prime Energy shares several flavors with its sports drink counterpart. Prime Energy flavors include Blue Raspberry, Ice Pop, Lemon Lime, Orange Mango, Strawberry Watermelon, Original and Tropical Punch. Advertising Social media promotion On January 4, 2022, YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI—with collectively more than 40 million YouTube subscribers and millions of followers on other platforms—announced on a live Instagram feed that they had founded a new drinks company known as Prime Hydration. Their involvement led to a social media hype around the product, which was followed by demand from school-age children, particularly teenage boys. According to the Evening Standard, the surge in demand caused high prices among online resellers, including an eBay listing offering twelve bottles for £400. Sky News reported that the release of the drink sparked "chaotic scenes" at Asda and Aldi supermarkets in the United Kingdom. A Financial Times article conveyed a London teacher's account of how children who only possessed used Prime bottles, filled with water, were "catapulted to higher status among their peers". Sponsorships Prime was the sponsor for Timmy Hill's number 13 car for