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Hell Energy has launched its latest promotional campaign titled ‘Win With Hell’ in India, the Hungarian brand’s biggest market outside of its home country. The IPL-special campaign gives its consumers an opportunity to win daily prizes, such as branded backpacks and sneakers, as well as weekly prizes, including stylish sippers, trolley bags, and even an iPhone 16.
The biggest prize offered by the contest is a luxury car, but dinner with Hell Energy’s brand ambassador, Italian actor and singer Michele Morrone, at Taj Palace in Mumbai is a close second.
The Hungarian energy drink brand, which is considered premium, generated approximately Rs 462.27 crore in revenue for the fiscal year 2023-24 and competes with brands such as Red Bull, Monster, and Sting in the Rs 6,600 crore Indian energy drink market, according to Mordor Intelligence.
Its marketing director, Adrienn Popovics, shares with us her favourite anecdote about the brand. Before the energy drink even made its debut, company owners and early employees tasted the samples and described the concoction as “hellishly good”, which gave the brand its name.
Popovics says that India has been fuelling Hell Energy’s gains in the global market after making its debut in 2019 and creating a space for itself among the popular energy drinks in the country. She attributes the success of her brand to being premium yet affordable. A 250 ml can of Hell Energy Classic costs Rs 60 in India, whereas a 250 ml Red Bull can costs double at Rs 120. Monster (350 ml) also sells at Rs 125. However, a 250 ml bottle of Sting, the non-premium alternative, costs only Rs 20.
“Our high-contrast black and red design also allows consumers to effortlessly find the drink on supermarket shelves,” she adds.
Hell Energy has a global presence, with its red and black cans occupying supermarket shelves in over 60 countries. Popovics explains that her “excellent export management team and dedicated local teams” allow the brand to tackle any logistical or regulatory challenges, even in far-flung markets. “By working together, we can overcome any obstacles,” she adds.
Globally, the brand aims to make itself popular within the Millennial (1981-1996) and the Gen Z (1997-2012) cohorts. “India has a particularly large population within this demographic, and their strong digital presence makes them a key target for us,” says Popovics.
Aligning with its target audience, Hell Energy’s media plan for the year 2025 also focuses primarily on digital media, leveraging influencers and PR. Hinting at something exciting in the future, she adds, “We also have some surprises planned for the autumn season for our consumers.”
With zero-sugar beverages gaining substantial popularity among the Indian youth, does Hell Energy plan to enter this market? Popovics says yes, “The zero-sugar variant is part of our global health portfolio. We have Zero Classic, Zero White Peach, and Zero Berry flavours.” While these are currently not available in India, the brand is analysing the market demand for such drinks to start tasting trials.
“Before any product launch, we conduct extensive taste testing to ensure success. We are also prepared to adapt our flavours based on local preferences in the Indian market. We don’t simply import products from our global portfolio,” she explains.
Popovics outlines the brand’s marketing approach in India by saying, “While India’s size and diversity initially seemed challenging, we have gathered extensive market data through our strong local partnerships. These partners provide us with up-to-date information, presentations, and insights, allowing us to easily adapt our marketing strategies for the Indian market.”
Examples of the brand’s localised marketing initiatives include aligning itself with the Indian festive calendar, creating customised local content, and collaborating with Indian influencers.
The brand has also been sampling its inventory at Arijit Singh concerts, leading to repeat purchases later. However, Hell Energy’s ‘Win With Hell’ campaign with IPL, India’s biggest sporting event, tops the chart.
“Our current Win With Hell promotion is proving to be a major success. We are running it in ten countries, and India is the first Asian country to participate,” says Popovics.
As part of this campaign, the brand has extensive visibility in the IPL, on OTT platforms, with influencers, and through on-ground activations.
On the subject of competitors, such as Red Bull, Monster, and Sting, the marketing director is very clear about her brand’s messaging.
“We aim to convey that we are everyday partners consumers can rely on to overcome challenges. It’s less about explicit differentiation (from competitors) and more about consistently reinforcing our brand identity.”, she clarifies.
She believes that if consumers identify and connect with her brand, they will become loyal customers.
Since Hell Energy drink is an impulse-driven product, quick-commerce platforms are driving up sales in volumes for the brand, not just in major metros but also in tier-one and tier-two cities.
“Someone watching an IPL match might decide they want an energy drink and can have it delivered instantly,” adds Pritee Tamhankar, senior marketing manager of Hell Energy, India.
She, however, maintains that “we still see general (store) trade as a significant contributor to our sales due to our focus on widespread physical availability”.
However, the energy drink brand still considers quick-commerce apps as a potential advertising avenue, given Gen Z’s substantial user base there. “Visibility within these apps can lead to brand recognition and potentially induce trial,” says Tamhankar. Hell Energy is currently investing in quick-commerce platforms to assess returns.
Despite competition from other premium as well as affordable energy drinks in the country, the company has already made India its second-largest market, prompting speculations from its team that India may even be taking over Hungary in the sales metrics soon.
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