As college students focus more on their health, energy drink brands Bubbl’r and Bloom have expanded their marketing efforts to Miami University. From free beverage handouts in front of Maple Street Commons to building brand recognition within a new niche, a new target audience on campus has emerged: health-conscious women.
Bubbl’r sent out a truck full of free energy drinks to Central Quad, home to most sophomore sorority women. Twelve pack by 12 pack, the beverages disappeared. Anna Drone, a first-year strategic communication and political science double major, grabbed two packs and made her way home to share her new energy boosters with friends.
“[The] marketing is more out of the box,” Drone said. “Not many companies choose to be out and about on campuses.”
Drone said she noticed that when she got her 24 cans of Bubbl’r, she almost exclusively saw women lining up in groups.
“Not the traditional energy drink buyers,” she added.
Drone said she is a strong proponent of area-specific marketing efforts, but she also had commentary on the design of the Bubbl’r cans themselves, attributing the popularity and success of the brand to visual appeal.
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“In this day in age, people are drinking things more for the aesthetic of drinking it, not because of the drink itself,” she said.
For many Miami students, the aesthetics largely influence their purchases. However, the contents of the drink do matter to others.
Sophia Lach, a first-year student, said she enjoys the flavor profile and transparency of Bloom’s ingredients.
“The taste is pretty vibrant, but not too sweet,” she said. “You can’t taste the artificial sugar.”
Lach, a biology major, occasionally enjoys energy drinks, but she added that she’s also very health-conscious, which is one of many factors Lach considers when shopping.
For her, there should be no guessing of what an energy drink brand is or is not hiding from the consumer. Lach described Bloom as “open and honest about their ingredients,” which she said makes her decision more straightforward.
However, presentation still plays a role, even for her. She called Bloom’s can subtle and “prettier” than other alternatives.
“I’ll fall for something that looks prettier,” she said.
Zhiyong Yang, chair of Miami’s Department of Marketing, said Bloom's gender-targeted marketing is obvious.
“The color theme is more of a gender theme, which is quite frankly a little risky,” he said.
He noted the Bloom marketing seen on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram often features young women as brand ambassadors.
“It’s very consistent with the younger generation, which is a little bit more bold in terms of suggesting this gender theme,” he said. “Social media picks up in that way.”
Lach agreed and said Bloom’s marketing is intentionally more feminine.
“There is 100% a gender component,” she said. “When you see a Ghost energy drink and gym guys, that’s what they are going to drink, but a pilates girl is going to have a Bloom in hand.”
She noted that many Bloom products are sold at Pilates and yoga studios, not in places that stock brands like Monster or Redbull.
“The ideal audience is [girls and young women], probably 15 to 25,” Lach said.
Yang also analyzed the branding of Bubbl’r, saying the design choices seen on the cans communicate health and energy.
“Fruit suggests health,” he said. “The color reflects an energized mood, and the low-calorie, zero-sugar attributes reinforce that.”
He said the Bubbl’r font is strange, but he praised the company’s overall campaign, adding that green leaves suggest something more natural.
“It’s a really great design,” Yang said. “I actually prefer [the] look [of Bubbl’r].”
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