By Roman Wolfe
Hip-Hop mogul Steve Rifkind is entering the energy drink business and continues to extend the Loud brand, with the formation of the Loud Beverage Corp., which will produce Loud Energy Drinks.
Rifkind, who's Loud label has broken influential acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Three 6 Mafia, Big Pun, Fat Joe and numerous others, formed his latest venture with veteran executive Ron Urban.
According to Rifkind, he plans on introducing Loud Energy Drinks in the same fashion that he has broken numerous records over the past 20-years.
"In addition to traditional beverage marketing, we utilize radio, DJs, mix tapes, club nights and promotions with nontraditional entertainment and lifestyle accounts," Rifkind told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "This company's rich musical history has its roots in marketing, and that's the same approach we are taking with Loud Energy Drinks."
Loud Energy drunks are currently available in two flavors, Classic Mix and Sitrus Stunner. Grapple Sauce and the sugar free drink Pomberry Zero are currently being developed and taste tested.
According to Urban, the key strengths of Loud Energy Drinks are taste, packaging and marketing.
"We're linking this product with music and the Loud culture to create something a lot more compelling for our target audience," Urban stated.
The cans feature the Loud logo on a 12 ounce can and in December, the company will come in stylized four and six-packs that resemble a woofer from a speaker and an old-school boom box as a branding and promotional tool.
Fans will be further introduced to the brand during the six-month Loud Energy 2008 Tour, which kicks off in January and will visit 26 major markets in the United States.
"The brand has been well-received everywhere," says Rifkind. "The ability to break the product through marketing is actually running ahead of distribution."
The company is also developing a co-branded artist launch of four organic vitamin waters in 2008 along with "Loud Sex shots."