Sometime between the Y2K craze and the national chad fetish, the "new economy" overdosed on silicon and joined the Newton Pad and Commodore 64 in cyber heaven. Despite the seemingly endless layoffs, budget cuts and wars that have followed the implosion, economists can take heart; the global energy drink market is booming.
Considering the unit cost of these drinks, the explosion of the energy drink market should come as no surprise. The 8.2 ounce can has become the industry standard, and per can prices in the United States range from $1.50 to $5, depending on where you buy and what you buy.
Energy drinks are basically a mixture of caffeine, sugar, and vitamin B. Contrary to popular myth, these drinks do not contain extract of bull testicles or abnormal levels of caffeine. Their primary effects are to temporarily increase metabolism and provide a slight pick-up.
In the beginning, Dietrich Mateschitz created Red Bull. Since that Austrian product hit store shelves in 1987, the global energy drink market has grown exponentially.
While Red Bull's distribution network quickly extended into over 50 countries, it created a lucrative market in which it was the only significant player. Then came the knockoffs.
As Mateschitz's new Austrian empire wages global warfare, over 70 competitors have emerged to challenge it. Some products, like American Bull and Blue Ox, are virtual Red Bull clones. Others, like the Sobe Energy Drink, have attempted to set themselves apart from Red Bull by offering innovative vitamin content.
Established beverage giants are making their bids for caffeinated glory. The last two years have seen the Coca Cola Company, Anheuser Busch and Pepsi launch assaults on Red Bull's market hegemony. The companies have launched slick advertising efforts complete with web sites, television ads and full lines of branded merchandise.
In a few cases, energy drink companies have resorted to downright bizarre tactics in order to unseat Red Bull. Red Devil Energy drink and Vamp Energy Drink are hoping that Satan sells. Red Devil's can features a detailed image of-- you guessed it " Lucifer, and their web site animation suggests that their product arrives straight from his lair. Not to be outdone, Vamp claims to contain "the maximum caffeine allowed by law."
Sum Poosie Energy Drink poses a different kind of Pagan challenge to Red Bull. Their web site asks "would you rather have the same old bull...or would you like 'Sum Poosie.'"
What's more, each container features a picture of a cat and a scantily clad "poosie girl." Don't tell your mom. On a related note, cans of the German-made Billy Bob Energy Drink include one condom. Don't tell John Ashcroft.
Although Red Bull is still number one in Hanover, N.H., there is no shortage of pretenders to the throne. The Dartmouth sampled every energy drink available in Hanover in order to determine whether the newcomers stand a chance against the Bull or whether they're simply full of it.
KMX Energy Drink: C+ (orange) B (berry)
Coke's response to Red Bull is rather mediocre. Although it is available in two flavors, both variants of this concoction create a burning aftertaste that lingers in the back of your throat. When combined with the "orange" flavor, this aftertaste becomes genuinely unpleasant. Perhaps orange is intended to be the mixer of the KMX line, but you definitely don't want to drink it straight. The "berry" flavored KMX is the better of the two flavors. Both flavors of KMX have a significantly lower vitamin B content than Red Bull.
AMP Energy Drink From Mountain Dew: B+
Pepsi's energy entry is being marketed as an extension of the Mountain Dew brand. Most energy drinks have a similar taste that is hard to compare to any familiar beverage, but this one tastes much like Mountain Dew. It is far superior to both KMX flavors. Think of this drink as Mountain Dew with more caffeine, more sugar and smaller servings of Vitamin B.
Starbucks doubleshot Espresso & Cream: B-
This coffee product is packaged and positioned to compete with energy drinks, so it makes the list. The doubleshot can contains only 6.9 ounces, and its only nutrition value is its small serving of calcium. However, the drink seems to have the same potency as Red Bull.
The flavor is unremarkable, but it isn't as painful to drink as orange KMX. Although doubleshot has a lower sugar content than any other drink in this comparison, its significant fat content means that it's not a diet option. Call it the coffee drinker's energy drink.
Sobe Adrenaline Rush: A-
The South Beach Beverage Company has created an excellent energy drink. Sobe's passion fruit flavor tastes genuinely refreshing. Most energy drinks are merely endured in order to get a perk-up, but Sobe can be enjoyed as well.
This drink also sets itself apart from the Red Bull clones by offering an unrivaled vitamin content. For instance, Sobe contains 100 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement. Sobe offers a complete package.
180 Energy Drink: A
Anheuser Busch's energy drink is the finest sold in Hanover. This citrus beverage tastes so good that it could be enjoyed even without the "energy enhancing" ingredients. The tangerine-orange flavor is mild, refreshing and rarely seen in this category. 180 tastes like the drink that KMX orange should have been, and Coke should take note.
Like the Sobe product, 180 contains a full day's dose of vitamin C. Although 180 lacks some of Sobe's other supplements, the 180 taste is too great an advantage for South Beach to overcome.
Red Bull: Original: B+, Sugar Free: B
The Bull is still charging, but not as hard as it used to. The market leader's taste is as distinctive and indescribable as ever. It smells like bubble gum, and it tastes like nothing that occurs in nature.
In addition to creating this segment, Red Bull created a new taste. Red Bull tastes like Red Bull. It's a flavor that people either love or hate. Like the style of the Pontiac Aztec and everything about Michael Jackson, there is no middle ground on this issue.
Red Bull Original's bite certainly wakes you up, and it mercifully avoids a KMX-like throat burn, but 8.3 ounces of the stuff is about as much as you would want to drink.Sugar Free Red Bull is to Red Bull what diet Coke is to Coke. It's 100 calories less satisfying and slightly more medicinal in flavor. With Topside and Shell Gas displays that dwarf all of its rivals combined, Red Bull is still king, but the throne is under attack.
