On January 2, Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field after a tackle during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals. The 25-year-old safety had suffered cardiac arrest, and it was only through the quick action of on-field medical staff that he survived, becoming a national inspiration in the process.
Now, as Hamlin prepares to suit up and return to the field for the upcoming NFL season, he’s bringing that “don’t quit” attitude to, well, Don’t Quit! The protein and energy drink brand announced today that Hamlin has officially joined the company as an equity partner, marking the athlete’s first official beverage brand partnership.
Launched in 2020 by fitness icon Jake Steinfeld (of Body By Jake fame) in partnership with L.A. Libations and Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), Don’t Quit! produces a line of clean label performance drinks aimed at “everyday athletes.” Initially positioned as a disruptor in the adult nutrition category, targeting brands like Ensure and Premier Protein, the brand underwent a merger with energy brand X2 in March, updating its product portfolio to emphasize “Clean Sports” protein and energy drinks and bringing in X2 CEO Mark French to helm the brand’s day-to-day operations.
“I’ve been very careful with the Don’t Quit! brand about who stands up for it, who represents it and who lives it,” Steinfeld told BevNET in a call this week. “This athlete, this incredible human, Damar Hamlin, embodies everything that Don’t Quit! is about.”
With Hamlin’s involvement, French said the brand will be able to better communicate its message around perseverance and overcoming adversity. The star’s near-death experience and recovery resonated far outside of the NFL fan base, he suggested, capturing the notice of even the most fairweather sports follower.
“Damar’s story of perseverance is beyond inspiring and has really impacted the nation if not the world,” French said.
That story will help the brand to build around a motivational message for that “everyday athlete” consumer, whether they’re hardcore marathon runners or simple morning joggers.
“‘Don’t Quit!’ is not the trainer barking at you, we’re your teammate that’s there to reach out a hand to help you get up when you’ve been knocked down,” he noted.
According to French, Hamlin will be integrated into “everything” the brand does in terms of marketing, from in-store activations to promotional videos. One particular video campaign – beginning in September at the start of the NFL season – will feature a series of discussions where Hamlin interviews average people who have come back from personal crises or setbacks to perform. For example, French said one video involves Hamlin speaking with a woman who was told by doctors she would never walk again after a car crash, only to eventually make a full recovery and run a 5K.
“My focus every day is making a positive impact on the world,” Hamlin said in a statement. “Don’t Quit!’s mission, to help everyone persevere through life’s peaks and valleys, and to never give up, is aligned with who I am and what I stand for and exactly what I want to be a part of. I have always been very particular with what I put in my body. Don’t Quit! has the cleanest and healthiest products available and I am so excited to help bring Don’t Quit! to the world.”
As Hamlin steps into his role as a brand ambassador, Don’t Quit! is working to grow its nationwide presence as well. In March, the company announced the first half of a $10 million financing round led by Madison Square Garden, Sweetwater Private Equity and L Catterton.
L.A. Libations CEO and Don’t Quit! co-founder Danny Stepper said the company has been “very strategically” deploying that capital since then, expanding the team to support KDP – which distributes the brand – and to increase retailer adoption. The products are currently available in chains such as Walmart, Ralphs, VONS, 7-Eleven, Albertsons and Pavilions, among others.
Stepper said that in certain stores, naming Ralphs as one example, Don’t Quit! is now approaching a 30% share of the protein drink category.
While Don’t Quit! initially sought to disrupt the meal replacement and adult nutrition category, Stepper suggested the brand’s original 2020 launch was more of a “false start” but with its new positioning as a sports focused brand the company is finding its groove. However, Don’t Quit! hasn’t forgotten its roots as the company is preparing to launch a refreshed adult nutrition line around Q1 of next year, he added.
“Momentum is a cherished thing in this bloodsport of a game we’re playing in emerging beverages, and it’s very rare to feel the momentum that we’re feeling right now,” Stepper said.