Spec Copy Contract for 5-Hour Energy. 2-person group project focused on improving the overall copy of current 5-Hour energy ad campaign.

1. 5-hour ENERGY®
Copy Contract for 5-hour ENERGY® shots
March 23, 2011
KEY FACT
When people need energy, they want it immediately and without the side-effect commonly referred to
as a “crash”.
ADVERTISING CHALLENGE
To expand the current targeted audience of 5-hour ENERGY shots in a market where other prominent
alternatives, such as competing energy drinks and coffee, have a strong presence.
ADVERTISING OBJECTIVE
To persuade consumers that 5-hour ENERGY is their best choice for quick, crash-free energy based on
its immediate effectiveness, concentration of natural chemicals, lack of sugar, and low calorie content.
CREATIVE STRATEGY
Prospect Definition and Profile
Busy Americans determined to stay on-the-go who don’t have the time to drink an entire energy
beverage but need immediate and lasting effective energy without negative consequences.
Demographics (Based on industry research**)
• Working adults (Male & Female)
• 20-45 median age range
• College-educated
• Health & Nutrition conscious
Principal Competition
• Red Bull
• Monster
• Coffee
• Caffeinated Sodas (Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew)
Promise
5-hour ENERGY delivers crash-free energy.
Support*
5-hour ENERGY has no sugar, the biggest factor in the “crash” after consuming an energy beverage.
5-hour ENERGY’s unique blend of vitamins, folic acid, and amino acids mimic natural body-producing
chemicals, which also contribute to its crash-free nature.
5-hour ENERGY has the same amount of caffeine as one small cup of premium coffee.
5-hour ENERGY’s tiny bottle makes it portable and accessible at all times.
5-hour ENERGY contains only 4 calories.
5-hour ENERGY contains your daily-recommended dose of Vitamin B.
MANDATORIES AND POLICY LIMITATIONS
Advertising materials must avoid mentioning that 5-hour ENERGY is not FDA approved.
COMPANY BRAND CREATIVE DIRECTOR
CLIENT MARKETING MANAGER DATE 5-HOUR ENERGY ACCT EXEC
(*, **) See attached: Additional Information

2. Additional Information
*Ingredients in 5-hour ENERGY:
http://www.5hourenergy.com/QandA.asp
Vitamin B
• Vitamin B6: contains protein amino acids  protein building blocks, DNA creation and repair, cell creation
• Vitamin B12: processes carbohydrates into usable energy
• Vitamin B13 (Niacin): converts fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and starches into usable energy
• Folic Acid: found in Vitamin B. essential to producing and maintaining cell health
Chemicals
• Citicoline: improves memory and focus
• Tyrosine: amino acid found in high protein food products. Increases nerve impulses to brain, elevates mood,
improves memory and alertness
• Phenylalanine: essential amino acid that enhances alertness
• Taurine: organic acid that acts as an antioxidant. Naturally occurs in meat, fish, and dairy products. Aids
movement of potassium, sodium and calcium in the cell, which has the effects of a diuretic. Aids digestion,
possible anti-anxiety effects. Maintains cell membranes
• Malic Acid: Organic compound found in fruit. Converts carbs into energy.
• Glucuronolactone: Natural metabolite produced by the metabolization of glucose in the liver. Shown to
reduce sleepiness. Important structural component of all connective tissues.
**Relevant Case Studies
Silverstein, B. “5-Hour Energy: Powered Up”. 2010, Jan. 13. Brand Channel.
http://www.brandchannel.com/features_profile.asp?pr_id=472.
Zmuda, N. “5 Hour Energy: an America's Hottest Brand Case Study”. 2009, Nov. 16. AdAge.
http://adage.com/article/special-report-americas-hottest-brands-2009/5-hour-energy-america-s-hottest-brands-
case-study/140458/.

3. 2. Current campaign for 5-hour ENERGY:
Finding the energy for work and family responsibilities is hard enough. Throw in a
second job, go back to school, or simply have a sleepless night, and you’re bound to
hit the wall. So what do you do? Run for the coffee? Grab a soda? But how long does
that last before you need more? Try this instead – take one 5-hour ENERGY® shot.
It’s quick, simple, and made to help hard working people.
(http://www.5hourenergy.com/index.asp )
Current advertising is limited to TV spots of low production value. Using the antiquated
customer testimonial, by what looks to be untrained professionals, is not terribly exciting. “Do you know
what 2:30 in the afternoon feels like?” is the current campaign's tag which works, but lacks the punch it
needs to convince us to try the product. Simply put, the current campaign is boring. There is no
challenge being presented to consumers. Instead, we're looking to move the campaign into far more
aggressive territory. In fact, it could probably use a dose of its own product. We aim to put some vitality
and aggression into this campaign: after all, we are selling energy!
Current advertising examples:
- Informational handout - Commercial screenshot
- Wholesaler promotional ad - Commercial screenshot
Currently, 5-hour ENERGY targets the anonymous cubicle-worker, the tired soccer mom, and
the accountant who hates his job. Nobody wants to think of himself as the average overworked
American Joe-Schmo and by doing so, 5-hour ENERGY is missing out on the market segment that
competitors like Mountain Dew, Red Bull, and Monster already target. It doesn’t matter if you are a
NASCAR racer or insurance salesman, we want to expand 5-hour ENERGY’s audience to include all
people on-the-go. In other words, we want energy seekers who lead an active lifestyle. Our customer is a
smart, driven, working American who knows what he/she wants: energy now, energy that lasts, and
energy that is crash-free.

4. Instead of focusing on the hassle-free aspect of the product as the current campaign does, what
we found to be the crux of the product’s appeal is the backbone of our promise statement:
5-hour ENERGY delivers crash-free energy.
Using this tightly worded promise statement, we shift the consumers' focus to a desired result.
One that few competitors dare to approach. The immediate connotation of “crash-free” is sugar-free. Our
promise, therefore, allows us to expand on that idea while highlighting our product's benefits:
1. Sugar-free means lower calories →
Our product contains only 4 calories
2. Natural chemicals and vitamins contribute to the steady stream of energy →
Natural energy for the nutrition conscious consumer
3. “Crash” is oftentimes associated with energy dissipating and leaving a harmful side-effect →
Our product’s organic amino acids, cell-preservers, and DNA repairing qualities
position our product as a safe and healthy choice
By using this promise statement, we hope to highlight a broader scope of our product's assets in
our campaign. Focusing on 5-hour ENERGY's crash-free promise, we drive home our consumers'
desires for a boost of energy without having to suffer through the harmful side-effects of a sugar-induced
crash.

5. 4. Our campaign:
Our campaign is focused on 5-hour ENERGY's most distinguishing product asset – its ability to
deliver energy without the unwanted side-effect of a “crash” typical of most caffeinated alternatives. As
discussed in our critique of the current campaign, we feel that with this new approach 5-hour ENERGY
now has a clearer focus and a promise to deliver its consumers. We are upping the ante by asking new
consumers to try us out because we are so confident in our product's ability to deliver. Our ads are meant
to be aggressive, smart, and challenge the consumer to give us a shot.
All three ads are selling consumers on 5-hour ENERGY's crash-free benefit, either by explicitly
stating it in the headline or by constructing a visual story that plays off of common connotations and
prejudices found in the consumer. Each ad's body copy further elaborates on the product's benefits for
the discerning consumer. Our tag completes the idea of challenging consumers to take a chance and buy
our product, while at the same time playing off its literal size. Here are our ads:
Ad #1 illustrates how 5-hour ENERGY has been so good, it has literally put crash dummies out of work.
Theme: Freedom from the crash.
A crash dummy's job is to crash, but with no “crash” testing expected, they've got to look elsewhere for
work. Crashing into the literal and proverbial wall is not likely to happen so our dummy is ready to
move on to the next phase in his life. Our headline “Leave crashing to the dummies” drives that point
home. It speaks to our product's effectiveness in deliver energy without the crash and with the visual, we
challenge and applaud the consumer who chooses 5-hour ENERGY over the alternatives. Our body copy
is even better, tying it all together. Crash-test dummies were born to crash, so what happens when
they've got nothing to test?
Ad #2 illustrates how 5-hour ENERGY works and how you can count on it to keep you prepared.
Theme: Driven and determined, no room for failure.
By having a businesswoman, working adults being our largest demographic, parachuting into her board
meeting looking confident plays up the idea that crashing is the last thing on her mind. Our headline also
plays off the idea of the spectacular “crash and burn” idiom – a very real fear for many presenters, but
by promising them there's no crash they'll land safely and hit the ground at full-speed, ready to tackle
that presentation. Momentum is on her side and without having to fear a spectacular crash, she'll be able
to jump right in.
Ad #3 illustrates how 5-hour ENERGY is literally crash-free.
Theme: Everything you need but the crash.
A word bubble made up of the product's ingredients are funneled into the iconic bottle. With heavily
health-conscious wording like “amino acids”, “vitamin”, “protein”, “organic”, our ad conveys how 5-
hour ENERGY is made with only healthy, natural ingredients. Our headline then brings up the fact that
there is no crash to be found. Go ahead and check, you won't find it in 5-hour ENERGY.