Rockstar Rebrand

The new look maintained the ‘iconic star logo’ but had been simplified, Rockstar Energy said

Rockstar has unveiled a second rebrand in little over three years in a bitto halt freefalling sales. 

The “new and distinctive visual identity” for Rockstar comes with volumes of the brand having tanked 22.5% last year, set against a dynamic sports and energy drink category where volumes were up by 6.4% [NIQ 52 w/e 9 September].

In a bid to “resonate with a broader audience of energy drink consumers” Rockstar’s look and feel had been tweaked in favour of a more “flavour forward” approach, the brand said.

The new look maintained the brand’s “iconic star logo” but had been simplified and “infused with a burst of bold colours and flavours”, it added.

The updated design – which will extend across all Rockstar Energy flavours sold internationally – has begun to roll out in the UK, Poland and Germany.

It formed part of a new ‘Press Play’ marketing platform for Rockstar, geared around “urging Rockstar enthusiasts to embrace new experiences and press play on the things they love”, according to Marie-Therese Cassidy, VP of design at PepsiCo Europe.

“Through our newly crafted visual identity system for Rockstar, we’ve infused the brand with confidence and distinctiveness,” Cassidy said. “By seamlessly merging our iconic gold star with the refreshed Rockstar wordmark, we’ve made a lasting impact both on and off the shelf.

“Additionally, our team has introduced a vibrant repeating star shape, providing a visual gateway into Rockstar’s diverse world of flavours and experiences.”

Rockstar was acquired by PepsiCo for $3.85bn (£3bn) in March 2020, and last underwent a rebrand later that year.

At the time, the deal was hailed by CEO Ramon Laguarta as a “highly strategic” move to “capitalise on rising demand in the functional beverage space”.

Rockstar’s sales have been in freefall in recent years, however, and it is now worth just £17.3m in UK retail, down from £32.1m in 2021 [NIQ].