Some brands have grown exponentially since their inception. Monster Energy is one of them. How did they manage it? What did they do to increase their customer base? What did they do to keep their consumers coming back? We think Monster Energy’s Marketing Strategy played a significant part in all this, especially its digital marketing strategy. This article analyses a few digital marketing strategies used by the company to give you an insight into what they have been doing.
About Monster Energy
Monster, an energy drink, is really popular among the youth. Its slogan “Unleash the Beast” which means to set free, to release the beast (in you) also justifies the brand name.
Originally founded with the name Hansen’s in 1935 in Corona, California and later renamed itself Monster Beverage Corporation in 2012. Monster Beverage Corporation is one of the well-known manufacturers of non-energy and energy drinks which starts by producing natural soda and goes to the production of energy drinks and many more.
After getting popular in the market with its Monster products, it started producing drinks under different brand names. Later in 2015, Hansen sold a 19.3% stake and ownership of juices, sodas and other non-energy drinks brands that were under Monster Beverage Corporation to the Coca-Cola company, keeping its product Monster ownership among itself. Currently, Monster Beverage is a leading brand in the FMCG sector.
Now that we are discussing Monster Energy, let’s take a look at their marketing strategy too.
What’s new with Monster Energy?
Here’s what was buzzing around Monster Energy recently:
- Food Safety of Authority(FSAI) revoked four monster energy drinks as a result of their high levels of additives.
These drinks include;
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- 500ml, Ripper juiced monster energy and juice
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- 500ml, Lewis Hamilton monster drink
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- 250ml, Espresso monster vanilla, and Triple shot espresso
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- 250ml, Espresso monster salted caramel triple shot
The company revoked all the batches of these four monster drinks. Even though these drinks will not cause fatal consequences, FSAI still advises the public to return all the sets they purchase to the store.
- Energy drinks maker Monster Beverage Corp is discussing a merger with international beverage alcohol company Constellation Brands Inc, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday.
- The structure of a potential deal involving the companies, which have a combined market value of nearly $92 billion, was not immediately known.
- The company spent the early weeks of 2023 rolling out a line of alcoholic beverages. Called The Beast Unleashed, the drinks are made with malt alcohol and contain 6% alcohol by volume, though no caffeine or energy-inducing ingredients.
- In January 2022, Monster paid $330 million in cash to acquire CANarchy, a collective that owns several breweries including Oskar Blues and Deep Ellum Brewing Company. The acquisition was Monster’s first foray into alcoholic beverages
Let’s now understand the target audience of Monster Energy better with the help of a buyer persona.
Buyer Persona of Monster Energy
A buyer persona generally refers to the detailed information of an ideal customer of a company. When it comes to Monster Energy, people from India use it the most. This buyer persona will help you understand the attributes of regular a Monster Energy user.
Buyer’s Persona
Name:
Vijay Sharma
Place:
New Delhi
Age:
27 years
Profession:
Software engineer
Motivation
- Fond of Drinks.
- Ordering in a few clicks.
- Huge variety to choose from.
- Quality Drinks.
Interest & Hobbies
- Reading
- Playing Soccer
- Playing Guitar
- Surfing Quora
- Shopping
- Trekking
Pain Points
- Inconsistent information on social media channels.
- Slow website and checkout process.
- Poor UI/UX of the website.
- Stock Availability.
Social Media Presence
- Tinder
- Youtube
- Quora
Want to know about the current challenges of Monster Energy? Read a detailed SWOT Analysis of the brand before moving on with marketing strategies.
Monster Energy Marketing Strategies
1. Search Engine Optimisation
Monster Energy has put a lot of effort into SEO.
As per Ubersuggest data, it ranks in India for 109,961 keywords as of August 2023. Its organic traffic is 3,441,205 sessions per month. The stats are high compared to their SEO performance in April 2023.
Here are some of their Search Engine Optimisation techniques :
Backlinks
Monster Energy gets backlinks from 10,681,064 unique domains. All this increases the Domain Authority of Monster Energy’s domain and helps it rank higher.
2. Social Media Marketing
Monster Energy is active on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. As of August 2023, it has 8.5 million followers on Instagram, 25million followers on Facebook, 3.16 million subscribers on youtube and 3 million followers on Twitter.
Let’s analyze how their posts are:
A core part of its marketing strategies involves using trait positioning so that it can promote the benefits of its products to a particular target audience. This is evident in its social media and the engaging content it creates that suits certain habits of its customer base.
- Engaging Content Creation: Monster Energy shares visually appealing content, from extreme sports videos to creative product shots. Their content aligns with the lifestyle and interests of their target audience.
- Collaborations and Sponsorships:The brand partners with extreme sports athletes, musicians, and influencers who embody the Monster Energy spirit. This not only expands their reach but also enhances authenticity.
- User-Generated Content: Encouraging consumers to share their Monster Energy experiences through hashtags and challenges creates a sense of community and boosts brand loyalty.
- Consistent Posting Schedule: They maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep their audience engaged and informed about upcoming events, promotions, and new products.
3. Paid Advertising
- Event Sponsorships: Monster Energy sponsors major sporting events and music festivals, ensuring their logo and brand presence are prominently displayed at these events.
- Television Commercials: They create high-energy TV commercials featuring adrenaline-pumping footage that sticks in viewers’ minds.
“Monster Energy’s Conor McGregor Commercial: Fueling High-Energy Brand Image”
- Online Display Ads: Targeted display ads on various websites and search engines help reach potential customers actively searching for energy drinks.
- Influencer Partnerships: Paid collaborations with popular influencers extend their reach to new audiences through sponsored content and endorsements.
4. Traditional marketing
In 2003, Hansen’s Beverage Company launched their energy drink, Monster Energy, and target 16-25-year-olds with a focus on non-traditional marketing strategies. SWAT Marketing identified key markets and recruited influential individuals from the top 50 universities nationwide as ambassadors.
The campaign involved simple training events, providing promotional products like hats, t-shirts, stickers, and more to the ambassadors, who were then instructed to sponsor various events on and off-campus, generating a wealth of visual and written content.
The first year saw tremendous success, leading to an expansion to the top 100 universities in year two and reaching 150 schools in year three. The campaign’s climax involved the ambassadors hosting or sponsoring spring and fall break trips.
The results were remarkable, with Monster Energy’s sales soaring from an estimated 30 million to approximately 200 million during the three-year partnership with SWAT Marketing. The strategic use of influential ambassadors, the distribution of promotional products, and active event sponsorship were key factors contributing to the brand’s impressive growth and market penetration.
5. Mobile App
Monster is a popular energy drink company that offers a wide range of products to help people stay energised and focused. The company also has a mobile app that allows users to access a variety of wallpapers that can be used to customise their phones.
The app is free to download and offers a wide range of designs to choose from. Whether you’re a fan of the company’s products or just looking for a new wallpaper for your phone, the Monster Wallpaper app is worth checking out.
Marketing and Advertising Campaign Examples
Here are some of the unique and successful advertising campaigns of Monster Energy:
- “Rehab” Campaign: This campaign highlighted Monster’s “Rehab” line of drinks in 2012, positioning them as a recovery option after intense physical activities.
- “Redefine the Game”(2014-15): This campaign focused on showcasing the brand’s association with extreme sports and encouraging individuals to push their limits.
- “Mean Joe” (2015) Greene Campaign: Monster Energy featured NFL legend “Mean” Joe Greene in a campaign that paid homage to the classic Coca-Cola commercial from the 1970s.
- One for the fans, #ComeWithUs takes viewers behind the scenes with Monster Energy’s world-class athlete roster to look at their lives, stories and experiences in a campaign created and produced by Cut Media.
Failed Campaigns of Monster Energy
Monster Energy more than often grabs attention with its unique marketing. But, there have been a few times when the campaign failed to connect with the audiences and gained backlash.
Here are a few examples of failed campaigns of Monster Energy:
Although the FSSAI does not even have standards with regard to energy drinks (via Food and Beverage News of India (FBN)), it nevertheless decided to ban Monster energy drinks in 2015.
In a letter dated May 8, 2015, it took issue with the fact that Monster used a combination of ginseng and caffeine, which it deemed “irrational” because ginseng and caffeine “have opposing effects on the human body.” In addition, it took issue with the high levels of vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12, which were deemed to be in excess of the recommended daily intake. This was the reason it was banned in India.
Nevertheless, the ban did not stick. By 2019, Monster officially became available in India with the release of “Monster Ultra” (aka the “White Monster”), a zero-sugar, citrus-flavoured drink containing the “full load” of Monster’s energy blend, according to Monster. Monster energy drinks are widely available in India today.
Top Competitors of Monster Energy
Here’s the list of top competitors of Monster Energy:
- Rockstar Energy
- Eastroc Beverage Group Co., Ltd.
- Zevia
What’s Unique in Monster Marketing?
The marketing strategy of Monster has been highly effective in terms of both branding and sales. The company has managed to create a strong and recognizable brand that is associated with quality and innovation. In terms of sales, Monster has consistently outperformed its competitors, thanks to its aggressive marketing campaigns and effective distribution channels.
The company has outperformed its competitors, and the main reason for this is the company’s outstanding marketing efforts in highlighting the brand to its customers. Marketing is one of the most important foundations of every organisation, and it is now undergoing a fast transformation. With the growing importance of digital marketing, becoming knowledgeable about the subject is a crucial first step.
Today digital marketing is gaining popularity and has become an important part of any company’s marketing strategy. The industries are booming and brands are looking for digital marketers who have hands-on experience and can help them grow faster in the digital sector.
With this growing demand, it’s essential for one to upskill themselves with new skills and gain practical experience. If you would like to learn more and wish to gain some practical experience, do checkout IIDE’s 4 Month Digital Marketing Course for more information.
If you would like to learn more and develop skills, check out Alternatively, you can enrol in one of our free online masterclasses led by IIDE’s CEO, Karan Shah, to gain insight into the field of digital marketing.
We hope this blog on the marketing strategy of Monster has given you a good insight into the company’s marketing strategies.
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Very helpful for my essay.