Energy drinks account for only 2% of the larger $60 billion carbonated soft drink market, yet this niche does have potential. Only 11% of the adult population consumes energy drinks, but perhaps the most telling statistic is the number of teens with a taste for the beverages. According to the Fall 2002 Simmons (New York) Teens survey, 18% of teenagers consume energy drinks.
Mintel defines energy drinks as beverages bearing a specific claim to boost energy or stimulation. Marketing efforts emphasize the drinks' energizing benefits; among their active ingredients are glucose, caffeine and taurine, though other health-oriented ingredients, vitamins and minerals also may be included. For the most part, grassroots marketing is the preferred method of promotion, including sampling and event sponsorship, but the maturing category is expected to turn to traditional forms of advertising (i.e., print and other media) as larger manufacturers entering the market bring their expertise—and advertising budgets. For that matter, television ads have begun appearing for Red Bull (Pacific Palisades, Calif.), one of the category's old-timers, in the U.S. market since the late 1990s.