Prime’s collapse a cautionary tale of social media hype

SOUTH AFRICA – The fizz has gone out of the energy drink Prime, developed by US YouTuber Logan Paul and his British counterpart KSI (real name Olajide Olatunji) – social media “influencers” who have more than 40 million followers between them on the Google-owned video platform.

Needless to say, when they launched Prime Hydration in January 2022 it was an immediate success with Gen-Z followers desperate to be seen with a neon-coloured bottle in their hands.

South African fans were keenly aware of the social media frenzy surrounding its launch in the US and UK, and took no time to jump on the bandwagon. There was a frenzy to be seen with the sugary drink. Now the popular sports drink Prime Hydration, which sold for up to R800 for a 500ml bottle last year, has had a significant price drop and is selling for R10 at some supermarkets.