Energy drink Kill Cliff announced it is expanding its partnership with celebrity podcaster Joe Rogan and adding endurance sport and bowhunting influencer Cameron Hanes as a new collaborator on an exclusive CBD beverage, Elk Blood Spicy Cherry.
Elk Blood (it does not contain any actual animal blood, the company swears) will be part of Kill Cliff’s caffeinated CBD line Octane, launched in 2021. The line currently offers two permanent flavors: Laser Lemons and Killer Cliffsicle, containing 125mg of caffeine, B vitamins, 25mg of broad spectrum CBD and electrolytes for hydration. Elk Blood will be available initially only through Kill Cliff’s website in 12 oz. cans for $58 per 12-pack.
“I look at this Elk Blood as an anchor for that product line,” CEO John Timar told BevNET this week. “It’s bringing the athletes and usage occasions front and center. It will drive a lot of trial and a lot of adoption.”
The partnership marks the third Kill Cliff product with Rogan on the can. Rogan first teamed with Kill Cliff to release the Flaming Joe Spicy Pineapple drink (available in the CBD-free Ignite and Octane versions) in December 2020, quickly becoming one of the brand’s top selling products, Timar said.
Rogan’s outspoken personality and sometimes off-color comments on social issues may be polarizing for audiences yet for Kill Cliff the “enduring partnership” has allowed Kill Cliff to reach a “wide spectrum of people,” Timar said.
Launched in 2011, Kill Cliff was founded by a former Navy SEAL and has maintained its connection to active military and veterans through its branding and its philanthropic partner the Navy SEAL Foundation. The brand initially built its consumer base around the fitness community targeting Crossfit athletes but has tried a variety of product iterations and packaging styles as it faces increased competition in the fitness energy category.
Kill Cliff intends to lean into Rogan’s and Hanes’ connection to extreme sports, mixed martial arts and the hunting community by promoting Elk Blood Octane as an energy drink that provides focus and recovery benefits.
“Hunters and endurance athletes require constant mental focus as well as physical stamina, which is exactly what CBD- and caffeine-infused Elk Blood is designed to deliver,” Hanes said in a statement.
Though less known than Rogan, Hanes has developed his own brand, Keep Hammering Collective, around his connection to outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and endurance and professional sports athletes. He maintains a robust social media presence with 1.4 million Instagram followers and over 360,000 Youtube subscribers.
While category leaders like Red Bull and Monster have raised prices over the past year, Kill Cliff has been absorbing some of the short term costs of producing a CBD beverage in order to keep its price per can below $5. The idea is to reach more consumers who are starting to experiment with CBD energy drinks while also undercutting competition in the increasingly competitive set.
“We really want consumers to have it and we’re going to take in the short term margin to make sure we can provide it at the right price point for consumers,” he said. “The idea of having a really, really tasty CBD-infused, functional energy drink is going to be really appealing; especially when you can get it for under five bucks a can.”