A beverage trend that emerged in the early 2000s, and has remained popular is the mixing of energy drinks and alcohol. An alcoholic energy drink is a mixture of energy drinks, such as Red Bull, with spirits such as vodka, whiskey or Jagermeister. As this trend gained popularity, companies also began producing and marketing premixed alcoholic energy drinks, such as Rockstar 21, Sparks, and Tilt. Most of the premixed alcoholic energy drinks are no longer available in the US market; however, that does not stop people from mixing up their own alcoholic energy drinks and fueling this trend.
Misconceptions about Alcoholic Energy Drinks
There is a widespread belief that alcoholic energy drinks “counteract” the depressant of alcohol and make you more aware and energetic; this is one of the most alarming aspects of this trend. According to the 2008 report "Drinks with a Boost: Alcoholic Energy Drinks," published by the European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing (EUCAM), the energy drinks mask the effects of the alcohol; they do not, however, counteract them. This masking effect causes people ignore signs of intoxication and can cause already intoxicated drinkers to continue drinking to the point of obliteration. The combination of a depressant and a stimulant also sends mixed signals to the body. According to a Wake Forest University School of Medicine study performed in May 2007 and outlined in the 2008 EUCAM report, this effect on the body can cause people to engage dangerous behaviors and puts them at higher risk for injury.
The Marketing of Alcoholic Energy Drinks
Another major concern of this beverage-mixing trend is the target market for alcoholic energy drinks. According to Marc Ransford, Communications Manager at Ball State University, in the article “Combining Energy Drinks with Alcohol Potentially Dangerous” published in the Ball State Drug Update, this trend is immensely popular with people under the age of 30, especially college-aged students. According to the EUCAM report, “Drinks with a Boost: Alcoholic Energy Drinks,” marketing campaigns gave the impression that companies targeted this younger age market and often give the perception that these drinks offer the ability to party all night.
The marketing practices of manufacturers of premixed energy cocktails are the reason the majority of these premixed products are no longer on the market. Attorney Generals pursued these companies for misleading advertising, often targeted to consumers under the age of 21. According to the European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in August 2007, the Attorneys General from 28 states said that Sparks and other alcoholic energy drinks “were sold with misleading claims.”
Upon receiving poor media attention and pressure from various organizations, manufacturers of alcoholic energy drinks voluntarily discontinued the production of their alcoholic energy products. Furthermore, the packaging of premixed alcoholic energy drinks was difficult to differentiate from nonalcoholic energy drinks, often creating confusion and resulting in the sale of alcoholic energy drinks to minors. This is the primary reason Rockstar 21 received bad press and media attention and pulled their product from the US market in November of 2007, according to EUCAM.
Sources:
- EUCAM. “Drinks with a Boost: Alcoholic Energy Drinks.” EUCAM Report 2008. 4 August 2009.
- Ransford, Marc. “Combining Energy Drinks with Alcohol Potentially Dangerous.” 8 April 2003. 4 August 2009.
Angela Koepfer - Angela Koepfer is devoted to the hospitality industry. She grew up behind the scenes of a large scale catering operation in New Jersey, ...
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