Res: A Sports Drink For The Gamer Athlete
Res is a protein drink targeting gamers, streamers, and creators, positioning protein as a cognitive enhancer rather than a muscle-building supplement. Res differentiates itself by connecting protein to focus and using design as a cultural element.
The Setup
Res is a drink concept that jumps on the ongoing trend of putting protein in just about everything. Each can packs 8 grams of drinkable protein with the goal of providing a mental lift. It is built to keep you locked in, not wired out.
The packaging leans into retro gaming culture with pixel graphics, acid colors, and 8-bit nostalgia. It's a playful and intentional design. The goal is to blend focus, culture, and clarity into one can. Eight grams of protein equals 8-bit creative direction. I’m hoping that means they’re keeping the door open to add 8 grams of creatine. Then we can look forward to 16-bit creative direction for that drink.
Res is seeking to change the perception of protein drinks as hyper-masculine, performance-obsessed, and wrapped in clichés that scream muscle over mind. The message is protein as fuel for focus, not just recovery. Seeing that we live in an age where dog food with added protein exists, is this move really that radical?
The name “Res,” short for “resurrect,” comes from gaming slang, a nod to the moment you respawn with full energy and a clear head. It’s designed for gamers, streamers, creators, and coders who train their reflexes, not their reps. An audience they’re calling the “new athlete.”
The Breakdown
Thirst
Brand Positioning and Identity
Res positions itself as fuel for a new kind of athlete: the digital one. It redefines protein from a performance and muscle-building supplement into a cognitive and creative enhancer for gamers, streamers, and creators. The brand’s identity blends wellness and pop culture, using speculative design to show that functionality can be cultural, not clinical. It sits at the intersection of focus, play, and energy, positioning itself as a smarter, more intentional alternative to energy drinks.
Target Segment and Audience
Res targets the digital-native generation, including gamers, coders, streamers, designers, and creative professionals who spend hours locked in mental flow rather than physical exertion. This audience is fluent in gaming culture and visual language, skeptical of corporate fitness branding, and drawn to authenticity, humor, and aesthetic credibility. They want performance without the macho intensity or sterile health branding that dominates the category.
Messaging and Storytelling
The storytelling flips the old narrative of protein drinks from physical recovery to mental stamina. “Res” comes from gaming slang for “resurrect,” turning the act of recharging into a metaphor for creative revival. The story positions protein as the new fuel for cognitive endurance, reframing the drink as something that keeps you locked in, not wired out. It speaks in the language of the culture through energy, nostalgia, and play, instead of traditional health jargon.
Experience and Journey
Res invites the customer to experience performance reimagined. From can design to flavor to tone, it transforms what could have been a functional drink into a cultural object. The journey is about discovering that energy can come from calm, focus, and creativity rather than adrenaline or overload. It meets the user mid-scroll, not mid-workout, offering a sense of confidence, composure, and belonging in a world built around digital flow.
Community and Culture Insight
The brand understands that gaming and creator culture is not escapism. It is work, competition, and social connection. The audience already sees themselves as athletes of focus. The product taps into that mindset while celebrating the irony, color, and playfulness that define internet culture. It speaks with cultural fluency rather than borrowing it, showing a deep respect for gaming’s aesthetics, slang, and self-awareness.
Differentiation and Unique Selling Point
Res differentiates by connecting protein to focus rather than muscle growth, and by using design as culture-building rather than decoration. Its eight grams of protein are functional, but its real edge is its conceptual positioning: a drink that bridges mental and physical performance. It replaces hyper-stimulation with sustained focus, making it an antidote to the burnout energy drinks create.
Design Language
The design language borrows from retro gaming aesthetics such as pixelated typography, bright color palettes, and playful iconography, but it is executed with modern precision and restraint. The result feels nostalgic and credible without crossing into parody. Each element reinforces the idea of “energy with byte,” a collision of digital and physical worlds. The wordmark creates rhythm and motion, the color coding ties flavor to emotion, and the overall visual system bridges gamer culture with fashion packaging.
The Marketing Pitch
Res is protein reloaded for the digital age. It is not about lifting weights, it is about lifting focus. Designed for creators, coders, and gamers who live in flow, it is a fruit punch with brains: nostalgic design, real function, and cultural intent. Res does not just refuel your body, it resurrects your energy and creativity.
Is It A Winning Pitch?
Do you think this product offers the typically non-health-conscious gamer enough to move away from Monster, Red Bull, Mountain Dew, or G Fuel?
