Prime time over? Why the Prime Hydration frenzy fizzled out...
About a year ago, Prime Hydration drinks created a frenzy.
Lester Kiewit speaks to Brandon de Kock, Director of Storytelling at BrandMapp, about why the price of the once very popular and exclusive Prime Hydration has dropped almost a year after its launch at Checkers.
The highly anticipated, exclusive and viral Prime Hydration drink first sold for about R600 to R800 per bottle at specialist importer shops when it first hit Cape Town.
A large part of Prime Hydration sales were driven by young consumers who wanted to try the 'limited supply' internationally renowned drink, marketed by influencers and YouTube Creators, Logan Paul and KSI.
A few months later, the then still novel drink hit shelves at Checkers stores with a significant price drop, selling for R40 a bottle.
Fast forward one year later, Prime Hydration is currently widely available at Checkers stores and its price, like the initial frenzy around the popular drink, has dropped to just R6.99 per bottle at some stores.
Checkers are also offering a 'special' deal where consumers can buy five bottles of Prime for R50.
Why has the price dropped so much in just a year after Prime Hydration's launch?
De Kock says it's basic economics and comes down to 'product cycle'.
"In simple terms, it's product cycle. Two of the world's biggest influencers launched fairly nasty tasting sugar water and created massive demand and leaked it out with limited supply. So this is just supply and demand not meeting".
- Brandon de Kock, Director - Storytelling at BrandMapp
"In order to make money, they have to supply normal amounts. So, now they're just up against every other drinks brand in the world".
- Brandon de Kock, Director - Storytelling at BrandMapp
De Kock says it also comes down to brilliant marketing.
"Consumers can be gullible. We like things that are exclusive which is all the brand leveraged at the time".
- Brandon de Kock, Director - Storytelling at BrandMapp
"This was a clever launch campaign using modern media with modern media stars with modern media audience power... it's clever and now Prime is in the market... now they're just up against every other drinks brand in the world".
- Brandon de Kock, Director - Storytelling at BrandMapp
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.