The market for sports/energy drinks has been buoyant despite the effects of the recession – the market is worth just over £1 billion in the UK.

Brands are shrugging off their specialist image and are being increasingly positioned as suitable for everyday use, i.e. for hydration, boosting mental alertness, snack replacement and/or boosting general health.

This shift in positioning has been a deliberate move by brand owners to gain wider acceptance in strong markets such as Europe to mirror the success witnessed in the US over recent years. Health, convenience and premium positioning are the three leading trends driving the market forward.

We think there are some fascinating communications campaigns being created by some of the market leaders – particularly Red Bull, Monster and Relentless.

Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to take a look at these three brands and assess what they are doing to differentiate themselves. Starting this week with Relentless – check out our blog