health
February 25, 2026
The Most Manly Drink, Now for the Girls
Caffeine-boosted soda, once marketed mostly to young men, is showing up in new, more pastel versions.
TL;DR
- Energy drinks were initially marketed to young men using aggressive branding, extreme sports sponsorships, and masculine slogans.
- The energy drink market, now worth $80 billion, originated with Red Bull in the 1980s, followed by Monster and Rockstar in the early 2000s.
- By the 2010s, energy drinks became associated with productivity and efficiency, appealing to a broader demographic.
- The emergence of sugar-free and fitness-oriented brands like Celsius in the 2010s marked a shift towards wellness and personal health.
- Recent years have seen a significant push to market energy drinks to women, with brands like Alani Nu and Bloom using female-coded marketing and influencer partnerships.
- New product launches, such as Monster's FLRT, explicitly target women with features like skin and hair health support and feminine flavors.
- Studies have indicated a link between investment in masculine ideals and energy drink consumption among men, often correlating with poorer sleep.
- The marketing of energy drinks, both historically to men and currently to women, has been criticized for manufacturing inadequacy and selling solutions.
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