Rockstar Energy
Public Relations and Communications Strategy
Timeline: January 2022 - May 2022
Team: Quinn Furniss, Madelyn Burr, Annie Le, and Ariana Wafer
Role: Public Relations Strategist
A special thanks to: Kate Flynn Jacobs, for guiding our team through the entire campaign development process.
USC Annenberg’s public relations program focuses on practical learning through case studies and hands-on projects. As a part of my final capstone, I worked with PepsiCo to consult and advise on an end-to-end communications campaign idea for their Rockstar Energy product, with a specific focus on capturing target market share and consumer loyalty. Below is a summarized version of the report and campaign presentation my team and I put together.
With sales declining year after year, Rockstar Energy has lost its momentum and appeal in the eyes of core customers. PepsiCo’s acquisition of the company in 2020 has introduced not only a new look but also new markets. In its brand reintroduction campaign implemented during the back half of 2022, Rockstar intends to bring its business back to desired growth and position itself as innovative, goal-fueling and culturally relevant in the minds of consumers.
Rockstar’s partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, DoorDash and Rockstar Games ensures that its new “Hustle On” branding will reach and resonate with targeted communities. These strategic activations increase brand awareness among Gen Z and younger millennial consumers as well as untapped audiences, increase media coverage in relevant industry outlets and elevate the brand’s social media presence. This will inevitably increase sales and help capture market share from other leading energy drink brands, restoring Rockstar’s reputation and revenue to its full potential.
Background on Rockstar Energy
Rockstar Energy was founded in 2001 and first gained success due to its vast array of flavors and affordability compared to other brands like Red Bull. Rockstar creates beverages for those who live busy lives, from athletes to musicians to your everyday hustler, and encourages its consumers to follow their dreams.
From 2001 to 2007, Rockstar’s revenue increased by 103% on a yearly basis, reaching $405 million (Rogers). However, Rockstar quickly found itself in a rut that founder Russell Weiner could not seem to escape, with yearly growth dropping to 8% over the past seven years. One of the main reasons for this decreased success was the lack of resources that Weiner provided to the company (Rogers). Since then, Rockstar has ranked in fourth place in the energy drink sector, trailing Red Bull, Bang and Monster Energy. Unfortunately, due to this lack of momentum Rockstar has lost appeal to its core customers. Younger audiences do not perceive Rockstar to be a relevant brand and when these newer generations think of energy drinks, they do not think of Rockstar.
Since acquiring Rockstar, PepsiCo has not only given Rockstar a new push into overseas markets, but has also developed a new visual identity for the brand that emphasizes daring designs, revamping the star emblem with a metallic gold and black color palette across the brand portfolio. Over the next three years, PepsiCo plans to expand the brand’s geographical reach while also “elevat[ing] the brand and mak[ing] it more distinctive and inviting for consumers around the world” (Arthur). In 2022, Rockstar plans to re-attain its initial growth by focusing on the core, winning with Hispanic consumers and leading in innovation. Rockstar will take advantage of high-profile moments and engage in culturally relevant partnerships to break through the clutter and establish its distinct “Hustle On” branding.
The Competitive Analysis
To better understand our client, we conducted a competitive SWOT analysis of the brand in relation to the overall energy drink landscape.
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A Top Four Energy Drink: In this highly saturated market, Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar are among the most well-known brands, with Bang having a recent rise to fame. Red Bull is a privately held corporation and Monster is a publicly traded company that in 2014 established a strategic agreement with Coca-Cola. In 2020, these were the following dollar shares: Red Bull (37.8%), Monster (29.6%), Bang (7.8%), Rockstar (5.5%).
Expansive Portfolio of Flavors: Rockstar has a portfolio of over 30 different flavors. Rockstar’s flavor portfolio consists of four different lines: The Original, Flavor That Hits, Performance and Mellow Energy. The brand also recently added the Unplugged line to the mix. These energy drinks are “fully-charged with B-vitamins and formulated with guarana, taurine, and caffeine to help keep you going and stay focused” (“Rockstar Energy Drink Unveils Rockstar Unplugged”). The selections come in sugar-free, zero carb and pure zero options. A few of the iconic flavors include Hardcore Apple, Raspberry Cucumber, Whipped Strawberry and more.
Numerous Recent Relevant Campaigns: Rockstar has re-energized customers throughout the world with a new design and attitude, as well as the launch of several new campaigns that target hustlers in its target markets. A few of these campaigns include:
‘Life is Your Stage’, which showcased the strength and dedication of those who are putting in long hours at work. This included a delivery driver, an office worker and a bedroom rapper.
Respect the Hustle’, which spotlighted the brand providing a local tamale vendor with a fully-licensed food cart.
‘Turn Up Your Mood’, which includes a partnership and giveaway with MTV.
The brand’s involvement with the music festival, Country Thunder.
Partnerships with Hispanic artists Snow Tha Product and Rosalia.
Rockstar’s social media highlights of different activists, students, entrepreneurs and extreme sports athletes.
Its interactive pop-ups in relevant Los Angeles markets such as Venice.
Partnership with Mexican food restaurant, Mercado.
A Clear and Defined Target Demographic:
Demographics:
Millennials and Gen Z
Employed
Energy drinkers who are not brand-loyal
Multicultural consumers
Heavy-to-medium energy drinkers
Passions:
Action Sports (Skate and Motor)
Gaming
Music (Rock, Hip Hop and Country)
Values:
Hustle is their superpower
They put in the work
Believe success is a process
It is not about fame or power
PepsiCo’s Wide Reach and Reputation: While Rockstar only has a presence in 30 nations, PepsiCo has a global presence in 200 countries. This provides Rockstar with the potential to establish a global footprint and expand its market share. This market penetration method is generally less expensive than starting from scratch in a foreign market. It is evident that Rockstar can expand its brand in locations where it does not yet operate, potentially increasing its market share. According to Nielsen Data, Monster has a 42% market share in the United States, whereas Red Bull has a 35% market share. Rockstar’s market share, on the other hand, has been declining for the past three years. This acquisition enables Rockstar to compete with companies like Red Bull and Monster while also allowing the company to expand geographically. With Rockstar's sales and market share declining year after year, this acquisition provides access to PepsiCo’s financial capital which may be used to develop the company’s business strategy.
Growing Energy Drink Market: In 2020, global energy drink sales were expected to reach $57.4 billion. Between 2020 and 2025, the sector is predicted to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% (Fontinelle). Rising earnings, as well as a rise in sports activities and urbanization, are all contributing to this expansion. The expansion of the distribution network for these beverages, which includes supermarkets, convenience stores and e-commerce sites, is likely to aid sales development in this business.
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Product Placement in Retailers: Rockstar tends to be placed on lower shelves in its retailers. This leads to consumers overlooking or even missing its products and thus, choosing products from its competitors. Working with the channel marketing department to restructure a budget that allows for better product placement could help drive sales and awareness.
Energy Drink Stigma: Energy drinks in general tend to have a bad reputation. They are considered unhealthy and damaging to your overall well-being by non-energy drinkers (Heger). Energy drinks often include a large quantity of sugar, high levels of taurine and excessive caffeine that often surpasses coffee. In addition, some include unknown substances in their ingredient lists. Men with more stereotypically masculine ideas are also more inclined to believe that energy drinks provide them with extraordinary talents, according to a 2015 study (Khazan). As a result, energy drink brands can be intimidating to individuals who are not avid consumers.
Lack of Brand Awareness: According to studies conducted by PepsiCo, consumers are not as familiar with Rockstar as it may be assumed. This may be due to product placement, unsuccessful marketing or just a lack of interest in the energy drink sector.
Energy Drink Brands Share the Same Target Market: Competitors tend to target similar audiences as Rockstar does: Gen Z and millennials, extreme sports, musicians and gamers. This may make it difficult for Rockstar to reach these markets since they are being targeted by several different brands, making it difficult for them to be loyal to one specific drink.
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The Hispanic Community’s Lack of Loyalty to a Specific Energy Drink Brand: Rockstar identified an opportunity to grow among the Hispanic community. Hard work is important to many Hispanic energy drink consumers, but family and community are more important to them than personal accomplishment. They have a strong desire to build their own path and there is an emphasis on the words “powerful” and “in control” for Hispanic energy drinkers. Research found that Hispanic customers choose energy drinks with robust, vibrant flavors and more natural components. Compared to 15% of the overall population, 19% of Hispanic energy drinkers claim they always consume energy management beverages that contain natural or plant-powered energy sources.
Gen Z and Millennials’ Need for Energy: Gen Z and millennials are the future. Millennials, particularly those between the ages of 27 and 37, have emerged as the primary users of energy drinks and shots (“61% Of Millennials Consume Energy Drinks”). As millennials’ sleep habits deteriorated, energy drink companies recognized an opportunity to sell their goods. Today’s teenagers and twenty-somethings represent a generation that is both health-conscious and well-informed, two traits that have a significant impact on purchasing decisions. However, Gen Z’s idea of “health” is not confined to calorie tracking or organic components and they frequently choose high-performance foods and beverages. This trend relates to younger customers' need for practical, results-based products, rather than just broadening the notion of health.
Rockstar’s Move Into the Wellness Space: Rockstar has begun its transition into the wellness space with its release of Rockstar Unplugged. Rockstar Unplugged is a caffeine supplement that focuses on improving positive feelings rather than offering a large rush of energy. It contains nutrients like hemp seed oil and B vitamins to help you get the correct amount of caffeine when you need it. The new sugar-free, calorie-free beverage has 80 mg of caffeine and contains hemp seed oil, B vitamins, spearmint and lemon balm (“Rockstar Energy Drink Unveils Rockstar Unplugged”). Although the brand is not able to discuss the benefits of several of the beverages’ main ingredients, hemp seed oil is said to promote heart health, is an immune system booster, assists in weight loss, is anti-inflammatory, is linked to improved cognitive functioning, enhances digestive health and more (“12 Incredible Uses for Hemp Seed Oil.”).
Gaming Community: Gamers have high spending power and embody characteristics that align with the energy drink industry’s target market. While it is natural to associate video games with children, the truth is that they appeal to people of all ages. People not only play games, but also watch them being played in esports, therefore baring a large audience. Hundreds of millions of people watch game-related material on YouTube and Twitch each day. Gaming content is included on two of the top five YouTube channels in the world. Moreover, as compared to traditional sports, the opportunity for brand exposure is much more prevalent in esports. Gamers generally play for four to six hours at a time and frequently consume food and beverages while doing so. This gives brands an opportunity to show off their energy drinks in these settings and in front of large audiences.
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Red Bull and Monster as Competitors: The Austrian firm Red Bull GmbH owns Red Bull. In 1987, the business launched the drink in Austria, kicking off the worldwide energy drink market. Red Bull is available in 171 countries, with more than 7.9 billion cans sold in 2020, according to the firm (Fontinelle). This is a 5.9% increase in sales in 2019 (Fontinelle). Monster is based in California and was founded in 1985. After failing to produce a drink to compete with Red Bull in 1997, the business began offering Monster Energy drinks in 2002. After Red Bull, Monster is the second largest energy drink business based on market share. Monster’s beverages are available in 36 different flavors across eight brands. Monster drinks are sold in over 100 countries and the company is ranked among the top beverage companies in the world.
Market Saturation from Smaller Companies: To get an idea of how many energy drink companies currently exist, and why the market could be perceived as extremely saturated, the following is a list of companies in the energy drink space: Reign, Celsius, Monster, Rockstar, Red Bull, Bang, Mountain Dew Amp, 5 Hour Energy, G Fuel, V8 Energy, Full Throttle, NOS, Zevia Energy, AMP Energy, Kickstart, C4, Zipfizz, Alani Nu, ZOA, Bucked Up, Ghost, Redline, Amino Energy, Super Fuel, Raze, Coca-Cola Energy, Lifeguard, Cut, Baya Energy, Love Potion, Tenzing Natural Energy, Xs Energy, Zone, Raptor, Amazon Energy, Spike Shotgun and so many more. This gives consumers an overwhelming amount of drink options, benefits and flavors to choose from and therefore makes brand loyalty even more difficult to achieve.
Business & Communication Goals
Focusing on revenue, the ultimate goal for Rockstar is to generate future sales and retain loyal Rockstar drinkers by supporting the “Hustle On” grind and building a connection with key audiences: heavy/medium energy drinkers as well as Gen Z and millennial consumers. Due to the authenticity and relevance of Rockstar’s upcoming campaigns and its support of hard-working individuals, consumers will identify with the brand, leading them to choose Rockstar over its competitors. We summarized Rockstar’s business goal into one overarching statement:
Reach new audiences, generate future sales and create/retain brand loyalty through the “Hustle On” mentality.
Rockstar wants its brand message to reach and resonate with untapped communities in the energy drink market. Throughout this campaign, we will position Rockstar as a leader in its industry through the encouragement of hard-working hustlers. The following messages will be consistent in the campaign and authentically reflected in our strategies and tactics:
Rockstar strives to give back to the diverse Hispanic community, supporting the pursuit of their dreams and passions.
Rockstar cherishes individuals who pave the way with sweat, grit and determination.
Rockstar is the energy drink of choice for gamers.
Key Audiences
For the campaign, we identified four key audiences to include within our campaign development:
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According to a study done by the National Institutes of Health, the demographic that consumes the majority of energy drinks is between the ages of 18 and 34 years old. In order to establish longevity in customer relationships, it is important to connect with consumers while they are young. This sector of Gen Z and millennial regular energy drinkers are typically not yet loyal to a specific brand and therefore, are much more likely to be receptive to and willing to try a new brand.
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As of 2021, Hispanics make up almost 20% of the U.S. population and almost 40% of California’s population (“Hispanic Population by State 2022”). Hispanic consumers are worth over $2.4 billion to the energy drink industry. Despite this population’s reach, no energy drink brand has successfully connected with Hispanic consumers. The Hispanic population has not gravitated toward a specific energy drink brand yet, providing an opportunity for Rockstar to become their go-to drink.
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The gaming industry generated $155 billion in revenue in 2020 and is predicted to generate $260 billion in revenue by 2025. There are over two billion gamers worldwide, accounting for about 26% of the world’s population (Beattie). Many tech companies including Google, Meta and Netflix have already capitalized on the opportunity the gaming industry provides. Resonating with gamers is a key opportunity for Rockstar to reach a high-growth and widespread community.
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Rockstar prioritizes “winning in its backyard” and since its founding in Los Angeles has long focused on the area for its various campaigns and activations. The population of the Greater Los Angeles area exceeds 18 million residents, with over 48% of that being Hispanics (“Hispanics/Latinos in Los Angeles County”), making it a key location for undeniably large brand reach to Rockstar’s targeted communities.
Campaign Objectives
Prior to designing the campaign’s strategies and tactics, my team and I set our sights on the adhering to the following campaign objectives:
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The energy drink industry is rapidly growing and has no signs of slowing down as the world returns to in-person work and other activities. Rockstar generated $163 million in drink sales in 2021, and with Rockstar’s campaign activations and innovative communications strategy, this number can easily reach about $180 million by the end of 2022.
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Rockstar is currently fourth in the energy drink category, with a 5.5% dollar share as of 2020, following behind Bang (7.8% dollar share), Monster (29.6% dollar share) and led by Redbull (37.8% dollar share). Rockstar’s newly renovated brand image and strategically targeted outreach provide an opportunity to pass Bang in the energy drink ratings and capture market share from other leading brands as its sales increase.
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When it comes to media placements, reaching the desired audience is far more meaningful than the number of impressions. We will target outlets based on each of our key audiences, including esports and gaming outlets such as Esports Insider, Kotaku, The Esports Observer (Sports Business Journal) and more. For our Los Angeles audience, we will acquire coverage in the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, LA Weekly and ABC 7 News among others. Many of these outlets are already published in Spanish to reach our Hispanic audience. However, we will be sure to target La Opinión, the largest Spanish news outlet in the United States, which is also based in Los Angeles.
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When targeting younger consumers via social media, there is no better platform than TikTok. There are over 37.3 million Gen Z users on the app daily, making it the most popular social media platform for the generation (Wise). With Rockstar specifically targeting this younger demographic, its TikTok following is sure to grow over time as a result.
Rockstar: From Hustlers to Gamers Campaign Strategies
Strategy 1: Partner with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1975, the HSF works to make college accessible for Hispanic American students across the United States — providing support services and scholarships to help them excel throughout their educational journey. As the nation’s largest nonprofit organization supporting Hispanic American higher education, the HSF has awarded over $470 million in scholarships and serves the community through a range of programs for students, HSF Scholars, alumni and parents (“Hispanic Scholarship Fund”).
Rockstar will partner with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and donate $50,000 to establish the annual Rockstar Scholarship — awarding $10,000 to five undergraduate Hispanic American college students who are native to Los Angeles County and/or attending universities in the Greater Los Angeles area.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement (a 3.0 GPA or higher) and involvement in community service. Additionally, applicants must submit a creative personal statement (e.g., written, video, art, etc.) showing how they embody Rockstar’s “Hustle On” mentality. The partnership and new scholarship fund will be announced during National Hispanic Heritage Month beginning September 15, 2022. To further support the HSF with its mission, 10% of Rockstar drink sales during National Hispanic Heritage Month will be donated to the HSF as a whole.
By partnering with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and supporting its efforts to make college more accessible for Hispanic American students, Rockstar will increase brand awareness and sales among Gen Z and millennial Hispanic consumers, and even the Hispanic community as a whole. Additionally, this initiative further establishes Rockstar as a community champion, specifically in Los Angeles where the brand has its roots.
To promote this partnership and ensure that news of the scholarship reaches college students, Rockstar will work with LA-based universities and pitch to student-run newspaper organizations such as The Daily Trojan (USC), The Daily Bruin (UCLA), University Times (CSULA) and the Daily Sundial (CSU Northridge) to facilitate the announcement. The partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund will also be cross-promoted on both Rockstar’s and the HSF’s social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok).
Strategy 2: Partner with DoorDash to recognize food delivery drivers
DoorDash, Inc. is an online food ordering service and food delivery platform that is based in San Francisco, California. As of 2021, DoorDash and its subsidiaries earned 57% of meal delivery sales — making it the leader in online food delivery in the United States (Perry, Curry).
Today, being a food delivery driver is widely considered a side hustle, especially with the rise of platforms that allow drivers to work according to their own schedule. By partnering with DoorDash, Rockstar has the opportunity to elevate its “Hustle On” brand image and resonate with food delivery drivers — the audience its messaging aims to appeal to. For this partnership, Rockstar will encourage DoorDash users to show their appreciation toward the company’s food delivery drivers.
For the month of January 2023, users will receive a free Rockstar drink with their order (flavors include Rockstar Silver Ice, Rockstar Fruit Punch, Rockstar Watermelon and Rockstar Hardcore Apple) when they tip their Dasher a minimum of 15%. In addition, those who purchase a Rockstar drink at a convenience, grocery and/or big box store will have the chance to win one of ten $50 DoorDash gift cards.
Rockstar’s unique selling proposition is its innovative flavor profile. Therefore, in addition to elevating its “Hustle On” brand image, this strategy aims to put Rockstar drinks in the hands of people who might not be frequent energy drinkers. Once they try the drink through DoorDash, they might enjoy the taste and repurchase. Additionally, this strategy aims to increase sales by giving consumers an incentive to buy a Rockstar drink. As mentioned earlier, DoorDash is a widely-used service in the United States so consumers may be enticed to purchase Rockstar for a chance to win a DoorDash gift card.
To generate awareness for this partnership, both Rockstar and DoorDash will cross-promote via their respective social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok). In addition, targeted online advertising campaigns will be implemented to directly reach Gen Z and millennial consumers—the main users of food delivery apps (Perkins and Moreno).
Strategy 3: Partner with Rockstar Games to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V
Rockstar Games, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in New York City. The company was established in 1998 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and its mission is to create innovative and progressive interactive entertainment. Notable video games published under Rockstar Games include the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption franchises (“Corporate Info”).
Since its release on September 17, 2013, Grand Theft Auto V is Rockstar Games’ most successful publication. Set in the fictional city of Los Santos—which is modeled after the city of Los Angeles—the game exposes players to deranged elements of the criminal underworld, U.S. government and entertainment industry where they must pull off dangerous heists to survive (“Grand Theft Auto V.”). As of August 2020, GTA V sold 135 million copies, making it the bestselling Rockstar videogame as well as the second bestselling videogame of all time only behind Minecraft (Radic, “The Top 50 Best Selling Video Games”).
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar will partner with Rockstar Games to offer fans an unforgettable experience. From September 17, 2023 to October 17, 2023, players who purchase a Rockstar drink will have the chance to redeem highly sought-after in-game rewards including the Oppressor MK II, Armored Kuruma, Declasse Scramjet and Deluxo.
To add an extra level of excitement, there will be an in-game NFT drop where one lucky winner will score a one-of-a-kind Rockstar-branded White Astronaut Suit — worth over $350,000 in GTA V currency (Fries). The NFT will be validated by an external blockchain, providing the owner with a unique digital asset with potential to increase in monetary value. In addition, the NFT is transferable to other players and interoperable between various video games under the Rockstar Games portfolio (Fenion).
By partnering with Rockstar Games for the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar is capitalizing on the nostalgia that many have for this iconic video game to increase brand awareness and sales among gamers — a demographic that is part of Rockstar’s target audience.
To promote this co-branding activation, Rockstar and Rockstar Games will sponsor a ten-hour YouTube stream with popular internet gaming personality Timothy “TimTheTatMan” Betar, who is known for posting GTA V-related content. The stream—in tandem with the 10th-anniversary collaboration—will be announced on Rockstar, Rockstar Games and Betar’s respective social media platforms. Throughout the stream, Betar will play GTA V and periodically advertise the collaboration, walking his audience through the process of redeeming the aforementioned in-game rewards as well as the NFT. He will also drink Rockstar as he is gaming.
TimTheTatMan metrics:
4.45 million subscribers on YouTube
280,000 average viewers per video
3.4 million followers on Instagram
2.7 million followers on Twitter
3.7 million followers on TikTok
Media Coverage
All of the proposed strategies are newsworthy moments that will generate organic media coverage for Rockstar. To raise further awareness for the aforementioned partnerships, a press release for each activation will be published on Rockstar and PepsiCo’s online newsrooms on launch day. Relevant media outlets will also be pitched to ensure that Rockstar’s key messages reach the desired audiences.
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The Los Angeles Times
NBC Los Angeles
La Opinión
Hoy Los Ángeles
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Beverage Industry
Food Business News
Food Dive
BevNet
Beverage Daily
CNBC (food and beverage news division)
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GamesRadar+
Kotaku
PC Gamer
The Esports Observer (Sports Business Journal)
Esports Insider
Timeline
The following timeline will be used for the rollout of the campaign:
September 15, 2022: Partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Rockstar Scholarship is announced and marketed to potential candidates during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
October 15, 2022: National Hispanic Heritage Month ends and applications for the Rockstar Scholarship close.
November 1, 2022: Five undergraduate Hispanic American scholarship recipients are announced through social media and a published press release.
January 1, 2023: Partnership with DoorDash announced and implemented through the app, where users will receive a free Rockstar drink when tipping their driver a minimum of 15%.
February 1, 2023: Rockstar’s deal with DoorDash concludes within the app.
September 17, 2023: The 10th Anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V and launch of both Rockstar in-game rewards and in-game NFT drop. Timothy “TimTheTatMan” Betar to live stream GTA V and advertise the collaboration.
October 17, 2023: In-game rewards from Rockstar in GTA V to conclude.
Evaluation
The success of the Rockstar campaign will be measured through the following KPIs:
Number of Applications to the Rockstar Scholarship: With the launch of the Rockstar Scholarship to support the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the brand’s overarching goal is to make a substantial impact on the lives of students. The campaign will monitor the number of scholarship applicants to evaluate the reach of the scholarship opportunity.
Donations to the HSF During National Hispanic Heritage Month: As 10% of Rockstar drink sales will be donated to the Hispanic Scholarship Fund during September, we will evaluate the total donated proceeds to the nonprofit as the month concludes.
Quantity of Free Rockstar Drinks Distributed via DoorDash: When users tip their Dasher at least 15%, the user will receive a free Rockstar drink of their choice. Directly tracking how many drinks are distributed will measure the reach that the drink has had with Doordash consumers.
Viewers of Timothy “TimTheTatMan” Betar’s Rockstar Collaboration Stream: In Betar’s stream of GTA V along with the collaboration announcement, the campaign will measure the total quantity of viewers who have tuned in to watch the stream in order to analyze the brand’s reach within the gaming community.
Total Sales of Rockstar Drinks: With Rockstar’s business goal focused on increasing sales, the campaign will analyze the percentage increase in sales per year of Rockstar drinks after implementing the strategies and activations mentioned above.
Social Media Followers and Metrics: With the campaign spread through digital channels and social media cross-promotion, we will track the overall follower quantity, impressions and engagement across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
Website Traffic: Website traffic is indicative of online attention and potential consumers of the brand. It provides a direct opportunity to convert viewers into loyal customers. We will track website analytics and conversion rates to see how many people are viewing Rockstar’s content and purchasing drinks via e-commerce.
Media Coverage: News outlets are capable of further communicating Rockstar’s initiatives and partnerships. We will track which media outlets are covering our initiatives, which demographics the media outlets cater toward and their reach.
After months of creative ideation and industry meetings with our clients, we pitched our campaign to the PepsiCo team in Los Angeles. View the full campaign deck below.
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Arthur, Rachel. “Pepsico's Rockstar Unveils 'EmBoldened New Look and Attitude'.” Beveragedaily.com, William Reed Ltd, 27 Apr. 2021, https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2021/04/27/PepsiCo-s-Rockstar-unveils-emboldened-new-look-and-attitude.
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Conti, Robyn, and John Schmidt. “What Is an NFT? Non-Fungible Tokens Explained.” Forbes, 26 Apr. 2022, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/nft-non-fungible-token/.
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Curry, David. “Food Delivery App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2022).” Business of Apps, 14 Apr. 2022, https://www.businessofapps.com/data/food-delivery-app-market/.
Edgson, Jessica, et al. “37 Invigorating Energy Drink Statistics & Facts for 2022.” Supplements 101, 25 Dec. 2021, https://supplements101.net/energy-drink-statistics/.
Fenlon, Wes. “What to Actually Expect from Nfts in Games This Year.” PC Gamer, 24 Jan. 2022, https://www.pcgamer.com/what-to-actually-expect-from-nfts-in-games-this-year/.
Fontinelle, Amy. “The Energy Drinks Industry.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 28 Sept. 2021, https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/022315/energy-drinks-industry.asp.
Fries, Nicholas. “Most Expensive Clothing in GTA V.” Pro Game Guides, 4 Feb. 2021, https://progameguides.com/gta/most-expensive-clothing-in-gta-v/.
“Grand Theft Auto V.” Rockstar Games, https://www.rockstargames.com/gta-v.
Heger, Erin, and Samantha Cassetty. “4 Reasons Why Energy Drinks Are Bad for You - and Healthier Ways To Boost Your Energy.” Insider, Insider, 13 Jan. 2021, https://www.insider.com/are-energy-drinks-bad-for-you.
“Hispanic Population by State 2022.” World Population Review, https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/hispanic-population-by-state.
“Hispanics/Latinos in Los Angeles County by the Numbers.” LA Almanac, http://www.laalmanac.com/population/po722.php.
Khazan, Olga. “Why Bros Love Energy Drinks.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 10 Nov. 2015, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/energy-drink-bro/414876/.
“PepsiCo to Acquire Rockstar, Expanding Presence in Fast-Growing Energy Category.” PepsiCo, Inc. Official Website, 11 Mar. 2020, https://www.pepsico.com/news/press-release/pepsico-to-acquire-rockstar-expanding-presence-in-fast-growing-energy-category03112020.
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