According to reports, rapper Flo Rida was awarded $82 million in court on Wednesday in his lawsuit against Celsius Energy Drink.
Flo Rida sued the company over money and stock options that were never paid as part of his endorsement deal. Per Forbes, “over $27 million of the damages represent 250,000 shares in Celsius the rapper said he was owed by the company.” What’s more, the jury found that Celsius not only breached their 2014 contract with Flo Rida, but also took action to fraudulently conceal the breach.
“He’s entitled to 500,000 shares of stock via the contract, and entitled to 250,000 shares of stock if certain things happen—one of those yardsticks is that a certain number of units of products need to be sold, but unfortunately the contract doesn’t specify which type of unit—is it a box, is it a drink? And there’s no timeframe or deadline,” Flo Rida’s lawyer John Uustal told Insider.
These sneakers aren’t just made for walking — they have actual beer in them, and even come with a bottle opener.
Heineken Silver, the brand’s latest easy-to-drink brew, is launching a pair of sneakers that are kitted out with statement-making features.
Known as Heinekicks, these sneakers have discreetly built into the tongue a cool removable metal bottle opener. Yup, it’ll come in handy when you urgently need to crack open a bottle of beer, and don’t want to keep a spare bottle opener in, say, your pocket or your bag.
The Heinekicks’ most unique feature, though, is a see-through cushioned sole that has been injected with Heineken Silver beer, touted as the first of its kind in the world. After all, why walk on terra firma when you can walk on beer?
You may not be able to drink the beer from your shoes (obviously), but according to Heineken, “the soles provide the wearer with an unexpectedly smooth and unique sensation when on the go”.
To find out if that really is the case, you’ll need to be one of the lucky few in Singapore to get your paws on these sneakers. But it won’t be an easy feet, sorry, we mean, feat. There are only 32 pairs of Heinekicks in the world, and only seven will be made available in Singapore in the fourth quarter of the year.
Coca-Cola has another new flavor. This time, it got some help.
The latest product out of Coca-Cola Creations — Coke’s innovation platform, which brought us starlight and pixel-flavored sodas — is a collaboration with Marshmello, a masked DJ and electronic music producer.
If you think the artist worked with Coke to develop a marshmallow-flavored beverage, you’re wrong. Instead, the new flavor has notes of strawberry and watermelon, Marshmello’s favorites.
“For our third Coca-Cola Creations drop, we sought to add an unexpected remix of flavors to a great Coca-Cola taste,” said Oana Vlad, senior director of global strategy at the company, in a statement announcing the collaboration Wednesday.
“We created a vibey blend of my favorite flavors in this all-new mix,” Marshmello said in a statement. “I think it tastes amazing and I hope fans love it too.”
The new flavor, which also comes in a zero-sugar variety, will be available for purchase starting on July 11 in the United States for a limited time. It will be offered in other countries later this summer.
It’s vital for Coca-Cola (KO), which has discontinued beloved but outdated drinks like Tab, Odwalla and Honest Tea, to get young consumers excited about its core product, Coke. Coca-Cola Creations, which launches digital experiences along with the limited-edition flavors, is designed to help do that.
So far, the flavors have been … abstract.
Starlight was “inspired by space,” the company said in February, describing it as having “notes reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire, as well as a cooling sensation that evokes the feeling of a cold journey to space.”
Byte, the second flavor, “makes the intangible taste of the pixel tangible,” said Vlad when it launched in April.
Compared to space and pixels, strawberry and watermelon are perfectly mundane. And the idea of partnering with artists on products featuring their favorite flavors is not new, at least in the fast food world.
McDonald’s (MCD) has had success with its celebrity meals, versions of artists’ preferred orders that are available for a limited time. The burger chain has teamed up with Travis Scott, BTS and Saweetie, among others. Burger King has followed with its own celebrity deals.
For Coca-Cola, this is the first time a beverage has been created with an artist, the company said.
For the first time ever, Coca-Cola will be launching a unified, global advertising campaign for Sprite, with the new logo slated to be rolled out across all 200 markets, alongside its new brand identity ‘Heat Happens’ slogan.
The marketing initiative will first debut in the US and India this month, just in time for the summer, so you’re always reminded that when it gets too hot out, it’s time to crack open a refreshing can of the lemon and lime soft drink.
Sprite’s cans and bottles will don a more minimalist logo with upright typography, making it more legible. The surrounding starburst has also been burst.
Additionally, the brand has a new focus on sustainability and will be phasing out its iconic green bottles to be replaced with clear ones, which are reportedly easier to recycle. These bottles will also feature a “recycle me” reminder.
Coca-Cola has been in the beverage game since 1886. In that long, storied history, Coca-Cola has not only sold a lot of soda worldwide but spawned a thriving ecosystem full of sought-after, licensed memorabilia. The cola king’s signature red, Spencerian script wordmark, ribbon, and contour bottles add value and desirability to everything from vintage appliances, vending machines, and promotional displays to clothing, toys, and personalized cans and bottles.
Now, the brand is bringing a retail IRL experience to the UK with a pop-up store in London’s Covent Garden. Running now through September, Coca-Cola’s retail shop features a beverage bar serving classic Coke products, including mocktails, exclusive merchandise, and clothing collaborations with Alma de Ace, BAPE, BE@RBRICK, Herschel, Soho Grit, and Staple. Additionally, the Coca-Cola store will offer limited-edition merchandise for Pride this upcoming June.
While brands are racing to launch NFTs and meta everything, Coca-Cola seems to be opting for IRL experiences with pop-up stores. Not only that, but they released high-concept sodas like Starlight and Pixel, which flips the script on Web3, bringing digital to the real world instead of the other way around.
Guess it’s nice to be able to physically hold your creations, huh?
Pepsi has teamed up with breakfast giant IHOP to create an all-new soda designed for the early mornings. On Thursday, the cola maker announced plans for a maple syrup-inspired beverage that boasts the same classic refreshment of a Pepsi but with a definitively IHOP twist.
So if you’ve ever sucked down a Pepsi right alongside your brunch pancakes and thought, “Now this is a combo,” you’re in luck! On March 24, Pepsi kicked off the sweepstakes on social media, giving fans the chance to win their own six-pack. While Pepsi Maple Syrup will not be joining retailers (yet, at least—you can never say never), you can post a photo or video of your stacks online alongside the hashtag #ShowUsYourStack, #PepsiSweepstakes, and @IHOP. Then, 2,000 winners will have a chance to try the first-of-its-kind flavor.
“There is truly nothing quite like the indulgent taste of Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola—sweet maple syrup blended with the refreshing taste of Pepsi cola. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with IHOP on this special initiative, as it isn’t often we get to bring together two iconic brands to satisfy the cravings of pancake and Pepsi lovers alike,” Chief Marketing Officer for Pepsi Todd Kaplan said in a press release. “We can’t wait to celebrate those who have an unapologetic love of pancakes by giving the limited-edition cans to 2,000 fans who #ShowUsYourStack online.”
Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola—which we can only assume tastes exactly how it sounds—follows similar innovations from the drink manufacturer, including a Peeps-inspired Pepsi, Pepsi Apple Pie, and Pepsi x Cracker Jack.
“At IHOP we celebrate our history of bringing folks together and providing a sense of togetherness, belonging and joy when they dine with us,” chief marketing officer for IHOP Kieran Donahue added in the release. “We are thrilled to partner with Pepsi to have some fun and create a moment for our guests to bring home an additional source of happiness with this limited-edition Pepsi Maple Syrup Cola.”
You’ll never go hungry in the metaverse. After McDonald’s applied for trademarks to open a virtual restaurant, another fast-food chain is winging its chances in the digital sphere, in which it has expressed an interest in setting up camp.
As reported byInsider and outlined by trade attorney Mike Kondoudis, on February 25, Wingstop submitted a trademark application for “downloadable virtual goods,” including non-fungible tokens, digital art, “virtual food and drink,” and loyalty and reward cards. The filing was made with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
From the application, it also seems like Wingstop is looking at opening an NFT platform for chicken wing-loving cryptocurrency holders to buy, sell, and trade related virtual assets.
Publicly, Wingstop remains tight-lipped about its metaverse plans, but tells Insider it hopes to “serve the world flavor in a virtual space.”
PepsiCo’s latest drink from Rockstar Energy wants to help consumers chill out.
Infused with hemp seed oil, spearmint, lemon balm and only about 80 milligrams of caffeine, Pepsi is hoping to attract younger, female consumers with the drink. Men between the ages of 18 and 34 years consume the most energy drinks, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
“It’s a combination of herbals that can help us to relax, but not to sleep,” said Fabiola Torres, PepsiCo general manager and chief marketing officer of its energy business.
Other iterations of Rockstar drinks contain anywhere from 160 milligrams to 300 milligrams of caffeine.
Rockstar Unplugged will be available in slimmer 12-ounce cans in three flavors: blueberry, passion fruit and raspberry cucumber. Beginning Tuesday, the beverage will be available nationwide, starting at $1.99 per can.
This isn’t Rockstar’s first foray into hemp. In April, the brand launched Rockstar Energy + Hemp in Germany. PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta told analysts that month that the German test was specific to that country, which has a sizable hemp market. Torres said Rockstar Unplugged’s formula is quite different, using half the amount of caffeine than the German beverage.
While many consumers may think of hemp seed as synonymous with CBD, there are some differences. Both come from hemp plants, but hemp seed has little to no CBD. It also has much less dramatic effects when consumed.
″[Hemp seed] doesn’t have any functionality, it comes from an herb,” Torres said. “Imagine you’re drinking an herbal tea, with caffeine. That’s it.”
It’s currently illegal for companies to sell CBD-infused food and beverages across state lines, keeping large players like Pepsi and its rival Coca-Cola out of the fray. A number of smaller players with less to lose have introduced their own CBD drinks, but the category remains tiny. Only 1.8% of Americans purchased a CBD drink in the last three months of 2021, according to Brightfield Group.
Hemp seed-infused food and drinks have no such ban in the U.S., but they have failed to catch on like in Germany or other markets.
“This is new territory, so we’re trying to test and learn and really have fun with it,” Torres said.
Perkins Coie served as an advisor to PepsiCo on legal compliance for its use of hemp seed oil.
Shares of Pepsi have climbed 26% over the last 12 months, giving it a market value of $239 billion.
N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the #DrinkChamps. In this episode, we chop it up with the one and only #KrayzieBone!
A member of the legendary group #BoneThugsnHarmony, the immortal thugs have sold over 50 million albums worldwide and is the only group to have worked with Eazy-E, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Big Pun while they were still alive.
Krayzie shares the origin story of Bone Thugs, talks growing up in Cleveland, working with Eazy-E and Mariah Carey, Mo Thugs, the Illuminati and much, much more!
Pepsi is bringing back its Pepsi Mango. The drink was previously a limited-time offering during spring, but it will now be available as a permanent fixture — the first time Pepsi made a permanent fixture in five years.
As its name suggests, the drink is a sweet concoction of mango fruit and Pepsi, mixing tropical flavors with crisp cola fizz. Customers will have the option of getting the beverage in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans or 20-ounce bottles. To kick off the drink, Pepsi will be launching a matchmaking social media series for singles. The campaign will host singles with bio descriptions and contact information to encourage introductions. Vice President of Marketing at Pepsi, Todd Kaplan, expressed excitement for the new flavor: “Mango is one of the most popular fruits in the world, and it serves as the perfect complement to Pepsi, creating an irresistible combination that our fans can enjoy everywhere throughout the year.”
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