You’ve fooled me once, but I’m not letting that happen again…and y’all start calling me a BUM. So, maybe it’s time we talk about an early upstart energy drink brand. Previously, I've mentioned that about five years ago, I underestimated the eventual growth in mainstream appeal of Mr. Olympia winning bodybuilder Chris Bumstead. I correctly acknowledged that he was a beacon of vulnerability and authenticity, but couldn't get past the fact that bodybuilding was this polarizing niche sport that few individuals have been able to transcend into mainstream cultural significance. People love to see external growth, whether winning championships or having business success, but showing everything from the terrible to amazing and even boring that led to that point…and internally staying true to yourself is what provides real impact. And Chris Bumstead mastered that...leading to an engaged audience of 24 million on Instagram. Athletes should no longer just be competing on the field (or stage in the CBUM example), they must also be harnessing the power of authentic personal branding to better compete within the attention economy. That being said, athletes seem to be quickly learning that collaborations and endorsements are great, but the most lucrative aspect of authentic personal branding is when they can understand how to properly articulate and aestheticize their defining personality traits. This is no different than the trending movement that involves non-sports celebrity talent or creators, and that’s because it’s those rare authentic individuals who can also hold consumer attention that ultimately have the opportunity to become the most sought-after assets in the world and potentially the biggest consumer product brands of tomorrow. Which maybe brings us full circle to Chris Bumstead, and his attempt at becoming a large consumer product brand. CBUM is involved in the functional CPG categories of sports nutrition (e.g. RAW Nutrition) and protein snacking (e.g. Vaughn's Treats), but I'm most interested in the energy drink brand BUM Energy because Chris Bumstead could get his hands on every aspect within the initial ideation and conceptualization phases. Beverages offering more than enjoyment aren’t just a passing fad…instead a reflection of a deeper secular trend towards health-conscious consumption. In fact, it’s my belief that consumers are moving closer towards this four-way intersection of taste, convenience, nutrition, and functionality. But “energy drinks” continue to dominate in terms of market share growth…partly because the category has shown this almost sixth sense ability to evolve, appealing to a wide range of active lifestyle consumers with varied energy needs throughout the day. And this is where BUM Energy enters the conversation…because Chris Bumstead made some very intentional decisions when he created his energy drink brand that launched basically a year ago in July 2023. I'll cover those intentional decisions from the energy drink liquid composition to the brand strategy and finally the eventual transition strategy away from CBUM. Finally, I'll end off the content by exploring how BUM Energy is performing in the marketplace (with Circana retail sales data) and what I think the brand’s outlook is for the future.

FOLLOW ME ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS