'Not just a drink': How influencers, marketing and collectible culture fuel Prime's popularity in Singapore

SINGAPORE: The glass doors of candy and confectionary store SGFR in Wisteria Mall constantly revolve with a steady stream of customers.

Most are in school uniform, and there are excited whispers as they browse a bountiful selection of imported candy, cookies and chips. But it is the fridge at SGFR's newly-opened fifth outlet which sees the most action.

Here, the colourful bottles of the Prime Hydration drink are the main draw. They come in a variety of options such as Blue Raspberry, Metamoon and Lemon Lime and student prices for some flavours start from S$7.50 per bottle.

But SGFR have competition on their hands.

In a widely shared Facebook post earlier this week, supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice announced it was selling several flavours of Prime Hydration at selected FairPrice Finest outlets. 

"We are dedicated to staying ahead of consumer trends by sourcing products from the US and Europe," a spokesperson told CNA.

Created by social media influencers and YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI in 2022, Prime has skyrocketed in popularity since. 

The brand's first offering was Hydration, a sports drink which is caffeine-free and contains coconut water and electrolytes. It eventually rolled out its Energy line which is sold in cans and has been known to have high caffeine content.

THE CELEBRITY FACTOR

One reason behind Prime's rise is the "significant promotion" from influencers, said Dr Dianna Chang, a senior lecturer of marketing at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

These individuals wield influence over today's consumers, particularly the young, she added.

And with huge global fan bases adding up to nearly 50 million subscriptions, Briton KSI and American Paul have the perfect launchpad for a viral product, said Ms Sau Yee Leung, a senior lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic's school of business.

"They also have a foot in various areas teenagers are passionate about, from boxing, gaming to music and more," she explained.

"Everyone wants to be part of the conversation around Prime to be seen as the in' crowd. Influencers and celebrities sharing their own content when they get their hands on Prime drinks create further virality."

Dr Samer Elhajjar, a senior lecturer of marketing from the National University of Singapore's Business School, noted that Prime's marketing strategy has thrived on viral content from daring stunts to collaborations with notable athletes.

Prime has signed deals with footballer Erling Haaland, American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes and mixed martial arts champion Israel Adesanya among others. It has also partnered with big football clubs like Arsenal and Barcelona.

"For some kids, Prime is not just a drink – it is a connection to their favourite influencers, a way to feel part of a cool group, and a chance to show off their style. That special feeling makes them willing to pay a bit more for it," said Dr Elhajjar.

"Prime also builds a community through active engagement with fans by KSI and Logan Paul to foster loyalty, while the occasional controversy and negative feedback generate additional attention, contributing to Prime's hype."

Teenagers who spoke to CNA said it was not uncommon to see their peers bringing Prime Hydration bottles to school.

"I have a friend ... he would do anything just to get one Prime bottle,"  said Cyrus Daryoush. "He was willing to pay someone S$20 for an empty bottle."

Cyrus was first introduced to Prime by a neighbour. After trying a few flavours, he too became a fan.

"Last year I bought them and I still have some bottles in my fridge right now ... (I am) savouring it, every last drop," added the 11-year-old, who saves pocket money to buy the drink.

EXCLUSIVITY, COLLECTABILITY

SGFR started out as an online fishing store called SGFishingRigz. But in December 2022, Mr Mohammed Haikkel and his other co-founders started bringing in cartons of Prime Hydration.

"It was a trendy item in the USA. We were not sure if it would sell as it was quite expensive for us to acquire. We were hoping that the drink will attract more people to SGFishingRigz so that they could purchase my fishing items," he told CNA.

After Mr Haikkel and his team made a TikTok video announcing they would carry the drink, all the bottles were sold the next day.

That was the catalyst for SGFR pivoting its business model to selling international snacks, said Mr Haikkel, who is 21.

At SGFR's Wisteria Mall shop, a 13-year-old who bought a few flavours of Prime Hydration said that he had saved up part of his monthly allowance to do so. The plan was to add the new bottles to the existing collection displayed in his room.

Mr Haikkel noted that the collectability of Prime Hydration is another key draw for consumers as the bottles have different "rarities".

For instance, a bottle of Prime Hydration Lemonade Venice Beach Exclusive Edition, which contains an image of Logan Paul and KSI, was made in limited quantities and distributed at a pop-up event at the Los Angeles location. It costs S$350.

"The deliberate scarcity and limited availability of Prime also contributed to a sense of exclusivity, fostering a hunt for the product and amplifying its popularity through word of-mouth and social media," said Dr Elhajjar from NUS.

Creators of the drink have also added features to certain flavours, with the "Glowberry" bottle for example said to glow in the dark.

All of which make Prime drinks "fun and unique for consumers", said Mr Haikkel.

"It makes them look forward to the next flavour as KSI and Logan Paul are always introducing new features. Overall, Prime Hydration is very different from a typical beverage drink."

Some, like Cyrus and a 29-year-old who only wanted to be known as Shah, said some flavours of the drink taste good.

Shah added he liked that the drink was different from other sports drinks like Gatorade, and that he liked to choose from new options.

But there are also former fans who are now moving on from Prime.

"I used to like it, but now I don't really like it," 11-year-old Deen told CNA. "Because it is very expensive, and sometimes it doesn't taste nice, (and) tastes like medicine."

THE FAIRPRICE EFFECT

Will Prime's appeal and apparent cool factor be dampened by its availability at a mainstream retailer like FairPrice? Experts said it remains to be seen.

"This depends on how widely the drink is stocked among FairPrice outlets. There is some control to restrict availability. (It) also depends on if the brand can sustain interest and purchase intent among its customers," said Dr Boey Yew Tung, a senior lecturer at Nanyang Technological University's business school.

NUS' Dr Elhajjar said FairPrice's involvement has the potential to further fuel the hype around Prime.

"With its extensive network of stores across Singapore, FairPrice could significantly expand the reach of Prime, exposing it to a wider audience that might not have previously been aware of the product," he added.

But given that some of the high price tags associated with Prime are partly a result of its limited availability, the standard retail price offerings at FairPrice might also diminish the drink's value or "mystique", making it seem less special, said Dr Elhajjar.

"If FairPrice regularly stocks Prime, it may become easily accessible to a broader audience, diluting the sense of exclusivity and reducing its allure."

Ms Sau from SP said: "If FairPrice does not bring in the product, another supermarket chain might. Given the hype around the Prime brand, FairPrice would definitely benefit as one of the first retailers to bring in the product."

When CNA visited Wisteria Mall's FairPrice Finest, a display of Prime Hydration took centre stage at the supermarket's entrance, with a crowd of youngsters eyeing the drinks.

SUSS' Dr Chang said a traditional supermarket like FairPrice offering a "trendy product" could revitalise the NTUC brand's image and attract a younger audience to the store.

"However, it also comes with certain risks, particularly because the brand has a controversial reputation. This controversy primarily revolves around caffeinated products, which may not be suitable for children. While FairPrice exclusively sells non-caffeinated variants, there's a concern that the brand's association with the controversial product may negatively impact the supermarket's overall image," she said.

Replying to queries from CNA, FairPrice said response to the Prime drink at its Finest stores has been "overwhelmingly positive, resulting in outstanding sales".

"There are plans to introduce new flavours for our valued customers while we monitor demand," a spokesperson said.

"We remain committed to sourcing these trendy products and beverages from reputable suppliers to ensure that prices are competitive and reasonable."

Mr Haikkel said SGFR was "not very concerned" about FairPrice selling Prime and that this competition was something they had anticipated from the start. Retailer Mustafa also sells Prime Hydration.

"I think it is great that NTUC brought in Prime. There’s so many flavours of Prime. NTUC is allowing them to try the six basic flavours. It gives people in Singapore more access to the drink," he said.

He added that SGFR's student prices for Prime's four basic flavours is "not far off" from NTUC's pricing of S$7.40 for the six basic flavours it currently sells. SGFR's non-student prices for Prime start from S$10.

"We are committed to avoiding price wars and focusing on being pioneers in introducing new international products," said Mr Haikkel, adding that SGFR would also continue to explore "new concepts" and "innovative offerings". 

SGFR's regulars said they would continue to patronise the shop, even if they do purchase Prime from FairPrice Finest.

"If I'm not mistaken, NTUC only has common ones," said Shah, the 29-year-old. 

"(These ones) are like a bit more 'atas' (high class)."