Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi has added another string to his bow by launching his own energy drink company called Mas+. The new drink was unveiled on June 4th, 2024 alongside several flavours including Miami Punch and Orange d’Or.
However, fans were quick to notice striking similarities between Mas+ and the popular energy drink Prime, created by YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul. On social media, side-by-side images of the Mas+ and Prime bottles were being shared that showed near-identical designs, with both featuring similar angular geometric patterns in complementing blue and orange colour schemes.
The comparisons didn’t stop there. Twitter account KSI News pointed out the resemblance, posting the photo comparison and questioning whether Messi’s new drink looked “exactly like Prime”. Others commented that Prime’s success in the market seemed to have directly inspired Messi’s new company.
“Prime Hydration is so popular, people want to ride its coattails and make rip-offs because of its success,” wrote one user. There was even speculation that KSI and Logan Paul could take legal action, with one responding “they can and probably will sue them, cause it’s a direct reference.”
While the nutritional profiles of the two drinks differ slightly according to company websites, with Mas+ containing 10 calories compared to Prime’s 20-25, the similarities in branding and presentation style left some fans accusing Messi of copying the established Prime brand.
“Nah man Messi is the goat but wtf is he doing,” questioned one disappointed supporter, referencing Messi’s status as ‘greatest of all time’. Others found the apparent lack of originality from a legendary footballer like Messi surprising.
It remains to be seen if KSI and Logan Paul will take any legal action over the likenesses between Prime and Mas+. But the furore online highlights how carefully companies must consider branding and image rights when launching into a competitive market dominated by established rivals. For Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the best player of all time, venturing into the energy drink business with such apparent imitation risks criticism from both fans and competitors.
