Whether we want to admit it or not, we live in a world that’s oversaturated with social media, a world in which prominent content creators, the so-called influencers, do manage to influence us in various ways, directly or indirectly. Lately, ever since platforms like YouTube have become stingier in sharing ad revenue with these influencers, there has been a trend towards more aggressive marketing and sales through alternative products, with the aim of turning profit that resembles past lucrative monthly earnings from the golden days of social media.
Making money is a must and some of the prominent YouTubers have launched their own brand in the world of drinks, targeting the sports industry. We are, of course, talking about the American Logan Paul (who currently has 23.6 million subscribers) and the British Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji, nicknamed KSI (24.1 million subscribers). In 2022, these two created the Prime brand.
Considering the scope of followers that Logan and KSI have amassed, it is no surprise to see how quickly this drink spread out and became the popular drink of choice mostly among teenagers and minors. In its first year, the Prime brand achieved global sales of over 250 million dollars. The price of the drink varies on average from 2 to 30 euros, depending on its availability and popularity in the market.
According to our sources, the product can be found in some stores in the Balkans, but for a steep price that goes up to 30 USD per bottle. If you have a precise info about the countries from the region, let us know.
Getting to know Logan Paul and KSI
Logan Paul (28) – YouTuber, actor, boxer – initially gained fame through the Vine platform. Transitioning to YouTube, his videos were met with success and counted among the most viewed ones. Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji (30), nicknamed KSI is a YouTuber, rapper and boxer who rose to fame through gaming related videos on YouTube. As few of the highest paid YouTubers on the planet, they are seen as idols by many teenagers and young children. As is the case, however, popularity and scandals go hand in hand, so these two YouTubers also had their part to play. In addition to millions of views and impressive earnings, they also had a handful of controversial videos.
Family business
Interestingly, both Logan and KSI have brothers who are in the same business – Deji (26) and Jake Paul (26). Both of them, following in the footsteps of their older brothers, are also some of the most famous influencers and boxers.
Together, Deji and Jake Paul add an additional 30+ million followers to the pool of 45+ million, bringing Prime Hydration’s initial audience to a whopping 70+ million followers (mostly teenagers). This is only from the primary channels where the product is advertised.
As you’re well aware, we are capable of doing many things for the sake of fame and money, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise that they faced off in a head on boxing match in 2019. Not wanting to be left out, the brothers also followed suit and were quick to organize their own duel at the same time.
Chasing money and fame, Logan Paul also faced the undisputed boxer Floyd Mayweather in 2021 and even though he lost the match, Logan still managed to net himself several millions bucks. The matches were hyped and presented as real spectacles and herded in millions of views through 49.99 US dollars pay-per-view models.
What is Prime Hydration?
Prime are sports drinks that combine coconut water with electrolytes, without sugar or caffeine. It is consumed during various sports activities.
The sports drink Prime Hydration was the first drink that was introduced to the consumers:
…and then came the energy drink Prime Energy that was the cause for much controversy:
Why is Prime Energy controversial?
Thanks to the numerous followers, Prime was an instant hit and profits skyrocketed. Soon, Prime became an official sponsor of the UFC, football clubs Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and car driver Timmy Hill. Not everything was rainbows and roses and Prime also faced many bans so you can’t really find it in New Zealand, the Netherlands and in some schools in Australia, USA, Canada, Denmark, Great Britain and South Africa.
In short, Prime Energy is a sugar-free, vegan energy drink, available in several flavors, but it also contains a lot of caffeine… like a lot, lot!
The main reason for the controversy is that one bottle of Prime Energy (330ml) contains a whooping 200mg of caffeine. For comparison’s sake, a bottle of the same size Coca Cola contains 34mg of caffeine, and a can of Red Bull contains 116mg of caffeine, which is half the amount of caffeine found in Prime Energy. This was a reason enough for the US Food and Drug Administration to be called in to investigate this drink.
The influence of YouTubers on the young audience
Our everyday life is unimaginable without social networks – it brings us numerous benefits but when it comes to children surely the negative consequences prevail. Kids follow YouTubers every day and love to do the things they see the influencers do in their videos. YouTubers are the ones who try every day to come up with a new, more interesting and spectacular video than the previous one, and so the circle goes on and on… things get worse when there’s no serious parental supervision.
When the audience is tens of millions, and the majority are teenagers, it is neither strange nor unexpected for the product to quickly become a viral thing of desire. The ads clearly state that the drink is for adults, but if the drink is backed by two well-known global YouTubers, whose audience is primarily teenagers, minors will do almost anything to get their hands on the drink, especially when it comes to taking a selfie with the drink and try to gain some kind of social status among the peers.
When a trend prevails on social networks such as TikTok and YouTube, common sense and logic are instantly out of the door. Nowadays, parents need to be more vigilant – especially when e-diseases are on the rise and knocking on everyone’s door. Access to all kinds of content has never been more accessible and it is undeniable that influencers hold great power when it comes to moving products.
Health risks
The maximum amount for caffeine intake on a daily basis is 400mg for adults and 100mg for children. The amount of caffeine in one bottle is 200mg, so it is clear that this drink is not intended for people under the age of 18.
Increased caffeine intake leads to:
- anxiety,
- insomnia,
- digestive problems,
- rapid pulse,
- increased blood pressure. You can find more info, here.
Statistics from multiple sources indicate that the majority of the social media followers of Logan and KSI are YouTubers under the age of 24. The same is true of Prime’s Instagram account.
The evidence suggests that parents need to take control over the content their children are exposed to online and how the children should use their pocket money. The parents should also properly familiarize the kids with the risks that influencers might bring to the table and, more importantly, how to recognize and avoid unhealthy products.
P.S. We tried Prime Hydration, and we agree with Gordon Ramsay. The drink tastes like perfumed water and deserves a 0 out of 10.
