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Worth some money through the right channels, the energy drink phenomenon also adds weight to recycling trolleys.
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Energy drinks provide a quick, refreshing way to get through the midday slump or an all-nighter. An energy drink costs approximately the same as a local taxi trip and remains cheaper than most non-caffeinated beverages displayed in the same fridges. Caffeinated beverages dominate the global soft drink market – even though their overconsumption carries significant health risks.
Energy drinks feature in popular culture and media, and they’ve become one of the first things you’ll see in most stores. When did energy drinks get this popular, and how far does their cultural impact stretch? Here’s a look at the curious cultural impact of the energy drink, and why we’re energising the beloved country.
The curious cultural impact of the energy drink
Energy drinks have made a significant impact on modern popular culture – from the idea that Red Bull gives you wings, to the creative and psychedelic designs you’ll see from brands like Switch. If given the chance, artist Andy Warhol might have progressed past visualising Campbell’s Soup and portraits of Marilyn Monroe, and included energy drinks in his art.
Energy drink designs have become recognisable enough to transcend language barriers. Much like the Coca-Cola logo, there’s no chance of missing the majority of designs on the shelf. Somewhere there’s a conspiracy theory that claims Monster’s logo to be a subtle tribute to the devil, the same way that the Coca-Cola logo was believed to have shown horns.
One of my favourite gifts and art pieces is a Dragon tin that’s been steadied, reinforced and immortalised as a mug. The artist makes a statement about current times, but also delivers accurate commentary on what it takes to meet deadlines. Art speaks – and in this case, I think many creatives, editors, students and staff can appreciate the crossover that’s been made between an ancient drinking vessel and a modern energy drink.
The energy drink appears to be as instrumental in modern times as coffee was in powering several revolutions. Energy drink references can also be found throughout films and shows, not just because of a marketing push, but because they’ve become culturally relevant. Like most things, caffeinated drinks can be a double-edged sword, having associated health benefits and risks. Caffeine blocks the body’s sleep hormones and increases circulation, though it might also cause heart palpitations. However, the cultural impact of energy drinks becomes impossible to ignore when they’ve turned into art and moved into pop culture.
Creating a monster
The largest energy drink brands, including Monster and Red Bull, have been featured in multiple movies, shows and video games. Monster Energy Supercross is a video game series powered by the Monster brand. And you’ll find references to energy drinks in everything from Family guy to A nightmare on Elm Street.
Red Bull was first launched in South Africa during 1997, giving its catchphrase wings with late-night television advertising and catchy puns.
Monster is an international brand, though with South African roots. Rodney Sacks and Hilton Schlosberg, two University of the Witwatersrand students, founded the familiar energy drink giant. Switch is also a South African company, founded in 2014 and one of the most recognisable brands you can track down in most stores. Reboost is a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company, who themselves branched out into Coca-Cola Energy in 2019.
That’s not an exhaustive list of available brands by any means, and the list can also be expanded to include MoFaya, Predator, Score and the notorious Prime. First Choice’s Kick was launched in 2020 as a dairy-based energy drink to provide milk with, well, a kick to it. If you also want to include other caffeinated products, the list includes Bioplus, Turbovite and Rapid Energy. These are available as liquids, powders or candies that should be consumed responsibly – overconsumption is dangerous, and the best-case scenario is that you’ll spend most of the night awake, realising that the label actually did mean that amount of caffeine per candy.
In case you didn’t know this, pre-workout supplements also contain caffeine, and there are many candy bars on the average store shelf that could surprise you with their dosage if you don’t read the label. Caffeine is safe for the majority of people to consume in small amounts, although one has to keep in mind that many non-obvious products – from candy bars to painkillers – contain it. Energy drinks can be safe when consumed responsibly, with the same criteria any responsible adult would use to decide how much cheese or cabbage would be safe at once, versus how much of their desired product would instantly kill them.
Energise the beloved country
As I’m writing this, Switch launches 275 ml glass bottles in a partnership with Halewood South Africa. If this proves anything, it is that the attempt to appeal to different markets speaks volumes about the overall popularity of energy drinks. An energy drink holds the same appeal for a security guard working night shift, as it might for a student who is planning an all-nighter of studying. The same can be said for a freelancer with a deadline, or a grandmother who has to walk for another hour to reach the taxi rank from the shop.
Energy drinks are popular because they’re affordable and accessible. However, they’re also popular because a large part of the world’s population could use the energy at some point in their day. In countries where basic foods are fortified with added minerals to curb serious deficiencies, affordable energy drinks also provide more than just a simple caffeine boost. Labels can tell you that the majority of brands also contain B vitamins, specifically folate, which can be linked to serious nutritional deficiencies and connective tissue disorders.
Energy drinks are a worldwide cultural phenomenon, but also a sign of the times. If you’re awake early (or late) enough, you might notice can collectors around, collecting for recycling. Worth some money through the right channels, the energy drink phenomenon also adds weight to recycling trolleys.
We’re energising the beloved country, and everyone grabbing an energy drink is a testament to the fact that we could, almost universally, use an extra hour in the day or a boost until tomorrow. Energy drinks are more than bubbles and sugar; they might also be selling consumers a little bit of hope.
See also:
The illustrated South African multiverse: Graphic novels and comic books
