Relentless (drink)

Relentless
Type Energy drink
Manufacturer The Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin United Kingdom
Introduced 2006
Variants Origin (Original), Orange, Tropical Juiced (Tropical Juice), Cherry, Sugar Free, Apple and Kiwi (Apple Juice and Kiwi Juice) Lemon Ice (Lemon Juice)
Related products Red Bull
Website http://www.relentlessenergy.com/

Relentless is the brand name of an energy drink created in February 2006 by The Coca-Cola Company. It has been compared to energy drinks such as Red Bull. The drink has also been the subject of court proceedings for breach of trademark by Relentless Records.[1] In the year ending 2010, sales of the product in the UK increased by 28 percent.[1]

Relentless

Relentless is sold in 500-ml cans and is marketed as being produced for "those with need of strong stimulation". The product's label includes a caution stating that Relentless is not suitable for children, pregnant women or those sensitive to caffeine.[2] The can has a distinctive dark brown colouring, showing the muscles of a human's neck/head/shoulder area, and is marketed to provide continuing energy with the slogan of "No Half Measures" (a reference to the can size, which is twice that of a standard 250-ml can of Red Bull) but The Coca-Cola Company implies it refers to an encouragement not to settle for less than one's best. "Suffer for your art" is used on cans and continues to be included in advertising.

With the gradual release of new flavours, the original flavour was renamed "Origin".

Relentless was introduced to the New Zealand market in May 2008 by Coca-Cola Amatil. It is only available in a 440-ml can. In April 2009, CCA replaced the Relentless drink range with the Mother Energy Drink range with Inferno included, which is imported from Australia.

Each can used to contain an extract of poetry, taken from the works of poets including John Milton, Lord Byron, William Wordsworth, Edgar Allan Poe, William Ernest Henley, Albrecht Dürer and Percy Shelley.

Artwork and Packaging

The Relentless logo and original packaging was designed by Rebecca Wright.

The Relentless brand magazine This Is the Order (commissioned by Erasmus Partners in 2008) was created and designed by Rebecca Wright in collaboration with The Church of London Publishing

Film making

Relentless Energy have produced two feature length documentary films which focus on the area of extreme sports. The First which was released in May 2009 called "Powers Of Three", which is a surf documentary set in Ireland and was available to watch for free on the Relentless Website. The follow-up film, "Lives of the Artists" is due to be released in October 2009.

In 2012 Relentless produced a commercial[3] associating car vandalism with drinking the product, with the assistance of the rapper Professor Green, who walked over cars to the anger of their drivers.

Nutritional information

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Taurine (0.4%), Glucuronolactone (0.24%), Acidity Regulator (E331), Colour (Caramel E150d), Flavourings, Preservative (E202), Caffeine, Inositol, Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B3, B6, B12), Guarana.

Relentless contains 32 mg of Caffeine per 100 mL, in a standard can size of 500 mL (16.9 US fl oz), or about 160 mg of Caffeine in total. It also contains sugar, carbonated water, inositol, taurine (0.4% volume), citric acid, guarana, colours (caramel E150d, and E104) glucoronolactone (0.24% volume), acidity regulator (E331), preservatives (E202, E211), vitamins (niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, and B12).[2][4] The 'Relentless Juiced' flavours used to contain 50% concentrated fruit juice; as of 2012, this has been reduced to 20%.

Varieties

Orange

In August 2007, Coca Cola announced a new variety – "Relentless Inferno". This contains the same amount of energy and caffeine as the original Relentless, but it has a mixed orange flavour to it, giving a similar taste to other orange soda/soft drinks on the market.

In the UK Relentless Inferno was introduced for free in the Relentless Tents at the Leeds and Reading Festivals in 2007, upon entry to the tent everyone received one free can of the new flavour Relentless.

With the release of Apple & Kiwi, Inferno has been renamed "Orange". In August 2013 it was renamed "Orange Crush" stating a new refreshing flavour. However, many people complained about the new flavour. [5]

Tropical Juiced

In February 2008 a new variety of relentless was released – it was called "Relentless Juiced Energy". It's the same as the original relentless but it is made with 50% juice (mostly orange, but 7% tropical fruit pulp). It contains the same amount of taurine and caffeine as the other versions. The drink has a noticeable green can with a jungle design, it is also available in a bottle.[6]

In 2011, with the rebanding at the time, it was renamed Immortus. With the release of Apple & Kiwi, Immortus has been renamed "Tropical Juiced". The recipe has also changed, giving it a "new refreshing flavour", but also reducing the juice content to 20%.

Berry Juiced

In the first quarter of 2009, the second flavour was added to the Juiced Energy series, with the new addition being named Juiced: Berry. Contrary to the yellow colour of Juiced: Tropical, Juiced: Berry has a dark red/purple colour, and its can is the same colour. The flavour consists of strawberry, raspberry and blackcurrant, and again features the "50% juice 100% energy" slogan and contains the same amount of taurine and caffeine as all other the versions. Upon the release of the cherry flavour this one is no longer being manufactured.

The slogan behind the Berry flavour is "Relentless Berry, Brave each new dawn."

Marketing for these versions are targeted towards the drinker using the drink to wake up; it was introduced as a market response to a survey in which 97% of people responded that they need energy, but that only 30% buy energy drinks.

In 2011, with the rebanding at the time, it was renamed Devotion. With the release of Apple & Kiwi, Devotion has been renamed "Berry Juiced". This Drink is no longer available and has been replaced by Cherry.

Sugar Free

January 2011 saw the release of a sugar-free version of the drink that was sold alongside the other five varieties already available, to target consumers who desire energy without the sugar content. It is sold in a blue can and has a similar taste to the original version of Relentless, although it still has the same amount of caffeine and B vitamins.

In its initial release, it was named Libertus. With the release of Apple & Kiwi, Libertus has been renamed "Sugar Free". This Drink is no longer available and has been replaced by Origin Ultra.

Apple & Kiwi

May 2012 saw the new Apple & Kiwi flavour of Relentless Energy Drink released to the UK market. The first of the new flavour range to be released in the new can livery (with all the previous names except for Origin dropped), Apple & Kiwi distribution is currently rolling out across the UK

Lemon Ice

In February 2013, the brand was once again revived with the release of Lemon Ice. The drinks became price marked for £1 each, the can design and flavours remained, expanding the range to seven.

Relentless Suzuki Bikes, ridden by Bruce Anstey
Emma Selway driving her Relentless sponsored car in the Formula Palmer Audi championship 2008

Cherry

Early 2014 saw the release of the new cherry flavour, the packaging is orange despite the drink being red. This drink upon release has replaced the "Berry Juiced".

Origin Ultra

In early 2014, Coca-Cola released a new variety called "Origin Ultra". It is a sugar free that tastes a lot more like the Original flavour. Due to its release the previous sugar free Relentless is no longer being manufactured. A mango-flavoured variant, "Mango Ultra", was released in 2015

Sponsorship

Relentless sponsor various teams and athletes from the core sports in the UK.

In October 2006, Relentless teamed up with Motorcross Team Rob Hooper's Suzuki to create "Relentless Suzuki." Lewis Gregory, Jamie Law and Alex Snow are the riders for the team, which will compete in all the major UK and European MX2 events.

Relentless also teamed up with TAS Suzuki, a Northern Ireland-based motorcycle road racing team, and the team is now known as "Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing". The team fields bikes in the British Superbike Championship, with riders Michael Laverty in the Superbike class and Ian Lowry in the Supersport class (which was won by Laverty in 2007 on the Relentless Suzuki). Cameron Donald and Guy Martin race at International road racing events, such as the Isle of Man TT, North West 200, and Ulster Grand Prix, for the team. Donald and Anstey recorded a 1 – 2 for the team in the first race of the 2008 TT, the Dainese Superbike Race. Relentless was the title sponsor of Faithless frontman Maxi Jazz in 2006 during his Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain campaign.

Also in 2008, Relentless sponsored Formula Palmer Audi driver Emma Selway

Mike & Andrew Jordan also had Relentless sponsorship on their British Touring Car Championship Honda Integras.

Relentless was a main sponsor of the Reading and Leeds festivals in 2007. There were large stalls shaped like giant Relentless cans solely dedicated to selling the drink. There were also copious flags and signs dotted around the festival sites.

Relentless has renewed the sponsorship of the Leeds and Reading festivals for 2008 after Carling discontinued their sponsorship of the music festival.

In January 2009 Relentless began sponsoring the annual Kerrang! Tour put together by British music magazine Kerrang!.

In July 2008 Relentless was seen to be drunk by the UK's conservative leader David Cameron, who used the Relentless slogan to attack the Labour Government, telling them to wake up.

In 2009 Relentless was the principal sponsor of the Newquay Boardmasters festival[7]

Relentless is the primary sponsor of Uniwake, the UK's national organisation for inter University wakeboarding events. The sponsorship began in May 2009 and continues to present day. This includes the BUCS Student Wakeboarding Championships held in June each year at Sheffield Cable Waterski in Sheffield.[8]

In 2010 Relentless was the title sponsor of Team Bath Racing the Formula Student Team from Bath University [9]

Relentless was the principal sponsor of the Wakestock music and wakeboarding festival in Abersoch, North Wales, with the festival therefore being branded Relentless Wakestock.[10] but has now lost the event contract. Now no Relentless branding appears on the wakestock website

Relentless is also sponsor of the "Bundesligaachter Mülheim an der Ruhr" a German rowing eight competing in the "1. Ruder Bundesliga", and it's one sponsor of the Strakka Racing since 2009 in Endurance Racing.

Since July 18th 2013, Relentless is the main sponsor of the FC St.Pauli professional men football team in Hamburg, Germany.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sherwin, Adam (16 May 2011). "Pop label tries to halt Coca-Cola's Relentless march". The Independent (London). Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Coca-Cola launches rival to Red Bull". Manchester Online. 2006-02-09. Archived from the original on 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2007-03-28.
  3. ↑ Considine, Clare (1 September 2012). "The Hard Sell: Relentless". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  4. ↑ "Relentless". The AlcoPedia. Retrieved 2007-03-28.
  5. ↑ http://www.relentlessenergy.com/products/orange.html
  6. ↑ "Coca-Cola to launch new Relentless Juiced Energy". talkingretail.com. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  7. ↑ http://www.relentlessboardmasters.com/
  8. ↑ http://www.uniwake.co.uk/
  9. ↑ http://teambathracing.com/
  10. ↑ http://www.wakestock.co.uk/

External links