Monster Energy is a brand of

energy drinks An energy drink is a type of non-alcoholic psychoactive functional beverage containing stimulant compounds, usually caffeine (at a higher concentration than ordinary soda pop) and taurine, which is marketed as reducing tiredness and improving p ...

that was created by Hansen Natural Company (now

Monster Beverage Corporation Monster Beverage Corporation is an American beverage company that manufactures energy drinks including Monster Energy, Relentless, Reign and Burn. The company was originally founded as Hansen's in 1935 in Southern California, originally selli ...

) in April 2002. In 2022, Monster Energy had a 30.1% share of the American energy drink market, the second-highest after

Red Bull Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With a market share of 43%, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2020, and the third most valuable soft drink brand, behind Coca-Cola and ...

. As of April 2025, there are over 150 different flavors under the Monster brand worldwide, including its core Monster Energy line, Java Monster, Zero Ultra, Juice, Maxx, Hydro, HydroSport, Extra Strength, Dragon Tea, Muscle, Import, and Rehab. Monster Energy is known for their sponsorship and support for

extreme sport Action sports, adventure sports or extreme sports are physical activity, activities perceived as involving a high degree of risk of injury or death. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and highly speci ...

s events, such as

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

ONE Championship ONE Championship, formerly ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) until January 2015, is a Multinational corporation, multinational combat sports Promoter (entertainment), promotion founded on 14 July 2011 by Chatri Sityodtong and Victor Cui. Origi ...

MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on Road racing, road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held sin ...

BMX BMX, an abbreviation for bicycle motocross or bike motocross, is a cycle sport performed on BMX bikes, either in competitive BMX racing or freestyle BMX, or else in general street or off-road recreation. History BMX began during the ea ...

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

Motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

skateboarding Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport that involves riding and Skateboarding trick, performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a method of tr ...

snowboarding Snowboarding is a recreational and competitive activity that involves descending a snow-covered surface while standing on a snowboard that is almost always attached to a rider's feet. It features in the Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralym ...

and the Monster Energy

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...

(2017–19). Monster currently sponsors the

FIA World Rallycross Championship The FIA World Rallycross Championship (official abbreviation is World RX) is a rallycross series organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA in conjunction with series promoter Rallycross Promoter GmbH (founded by Red Bull G ...

, the

Invictus Games The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event first held in 2014, for wounded, injured and sick military service personnel, both serving and veterans. The word 'Invictus' is Latin for 'unconquered', chosen as an embodiment of th ...

Foundation, rally driver

Oliver Solberg Oliver Solberg (born 23 September 2001) is a Swedish rally (sports), rally driver. After winning multiple Crosskart, crosskarting championships in his early years, Solberg became the 2018 RallyX Nordic Champion and the 2019 FIA ERC1 Junior Champi ...

, two of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's

Nitro Rallycross Nitrocross is an American rallycross racing series. Created by rallycross driver Travis Pastrana and the ''Nitro Circus'' production in 2018, its inaugural season began in 2021. The championship is sanctioned by the United States Auto Club. Hist ...

drivers, the PBR: Unleash the Beast

Professional Bull Riders The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It is the largest bull riding league in the world, sanctioning hundreds of events every yea ...

tour, the bag of golfer

Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...

, F1 team

McLaren McLaren Racing Limited ( ) is a British auto racing, motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team. McLaren is best known a ...

as well as the helmets of the

Mercedes AMG Petronas Mercedes-Benz, a German luxury automotive brand of the Mercedes-Benz Group, has been involved in Formula One as both team owner and engine manufacturer for various periods since 1954. The current Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is based in Brac ...

F1 drivers. The company also promotes a number of bands and artists, such as

Fetty Wap Willie Junior Maxwell II (born June 7, 1991), better known by his stage name Fetty Wap, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He quickly rose to mainstream prominence after his 2014 song " Trap Queen" peaked at number two on the ''Bil ...

Iggy Azalea Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born 7 June 1990), known professionally as Iggy Azalea ( ), is an Australian rapper. Born in Sydney, Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 in order to pursue a career in music. She earned public recognition ...

21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is an American-British rapper. Born in London and raised in Atlanta, he began his recording career in 2013 and released three independent mixtapes to regiona ...

Asking Alexandria Asking Alexandria are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and now based in York, York, North Yorkshire, consisting of guitarist Cameron Liddell, drummer James Cassells, vocalist Danny Worsnop, and bas ...

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...

Strange Music Strange Music is an American independent record label specializing in hip hop music and founded by Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin in 1999. History In 2009 Skatterman & Snug Brim fulfilled their commitment to Strange Music and left the label. In ...

The Word Alive The Word Alive is an American metalcore band formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008. The band was signed to Fearless Records since their formation. In 2022, they changed their label and signed to Thriller Records. The band currently consists of vo ...

, Machine Gun Kelly,

Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes ...

Maximum the Hormone is a Japanese heavy metal music, heavy metal/hardcore punk band from Hachiōji, Tokyo. Their lineup consists of vocalist Daisuke-han, drummer Nao, guitarist Maximum the Ryokun, and bassist Ue-chang. Each member alternates singing lead vocals, of ...

Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, originally formed in 1993 by James Shaffer, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald Arvizu, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and David Silveria, who were members of the band ...

Poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, '' Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug ...

Papa Roach Papa Roach is an American Rock music, rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, drummer Dave Buckner, guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luth ...

, and

Five Finger Death Punch Five Finger Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2005. The band originally consisted of vocalist Ivan Moody, rhythm guitarist Zoltan Bathory, lead g ...

Ingredients

The

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...

content of most Monster Energy drinks is approximately 10 mg/oz (33.81 mg / 100 ml), or 160 mg for a 16oz (473 ml) can. The packaging usually contains a warning label advising consumers against drinking more than 48oz per day (500 ml per day in Australia). The drinks are not recommended for pregnant women or people sensitive to caffeine. The ingredients include

carbonated water Carbonated water is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, either artificially injected under pressure, or occurring due to natural geological processes. Carbonation causes small bubbles to form, giving the water an effervescent quali ...

sucrose Sucrose, a disaccharide, is a sugar composed of glucose and fructose subunits. It is produced naturally in plants and is the main constituent of white sugar. It has the molecular formula . For human consumption, sucrose is extracted and refined ...

glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecular formula , which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. It is mainly made by plants and most algae d ...

citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the formula . It is a Transparency and translucency, colorless Weak acid, weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in Citrus, citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, ...

natural flavors A flavoring (or flavouring), also known as flavor (or flavour) or flavorant, is a food additive that is used to improve the taste or smell of food. It changes the perceptual impression of food as determined primarily by the chemoreceptors of t ...

taurine Taurine (), or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is a naturally occurring amino sulfonic acid that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine. It is named after Latin (cogna ...

sodium citrate Sodium citrate may refer to any of the sodium salts of citric acid (though most commonly the third): * Monosodium citrate * Disodium citrate * Trisodium citrate The three forms of salt are collectively known by the E number E331. Applications ...

, color added, panax ginseng root extract, L-carnitine L-tartrate,

sorbic acid Sorbic acid, or 2,4-hexadienoic acid, is a natural organic compound used as a food preservative. It has the chemical formula and the structure . It is a colourless solid that is slightly soluble in water and sublimes readily. It was first iso ...

benzoic acid Benzoic acid () is a white (or colorless) solid organic compound with the formula , whose structure consists of a benzene ring () with a carboxyl () substituent. The benzoyl group is often abbreviated "Bz" (not to be confused with "Bn," which ...

niacinamide Nicotinamide (INN, BAN ) or niacinamide (USAN ) is a form of vitamin B3 found in food and used as a dietary supplement and medication. As a supplement, it is used orally (swallowed by mouth) to prevent and treat pellagra (niacin deficiency) ...

sodium chloride Sodium chloride , commonly known as Salt#Edible salt, edible salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions. It is transparent or translucent, brittle, hygroscopic, and occurs a ...

Glycine max The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source of f ...

glucuronolactone Glucuronolactone or Glucurolactone (INN) is a naturally occurring substance that is an important structural component of nearly all connective tissues. It is sometimes used in energy drinks. Unfounded claims that glucuronolactone can be used to ...

inositol In biochemistry, medicine, and related sciences, inositol generally refers to ''myo''-inositol (formerly ''meso''-inositol), the most important stereoisomer of the chemical compound cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol. Its elemental formula, formula is ...

, guarana seed extract,

pyridoxine Pyridoxine (PN) is a form of vitamin B6 found commonly in food and used as a dietary supplement. As a supplement it is used to treat and prevent pyridoxine deficiency, sideroblastic anaemia, pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy, certain metaboli ...

hydrochloride In chemistry, a hydrochloride is an acid salt resulting, or regarded as resulting, from the reaction of hydrochloric acid with an organic base (e.g. an amine). An alternative name is chlorhydrate, which comes from French. An archaic alternati ...

sucralose Sucralose is an artificial sweetener and sugar substitute. In the European Union, it is also known under the E number E955. It is produced by chlorination of sucrose, selectively replacing three of the hydroxy groups—in the C1 a ...

riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a vitamin found in food and sold as a dietary supplement. It is essential to the formation of two major coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide. These coenzymes are involved in ...

maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a name shared by two different families of chemicals. Both families are glucose polymers (also called ''dextrose polymers'' or ''Dextrin, dextrins''), but have little chemical or nutritional similarity. The digestible maltodextr ...

, and

cyanocobalamin Cyanocobalamin is a form of Vitamin B12, vitamin used to treat and prevent vitamin B12 deficiency, vitamin deficiency except in the presence of cyanide toxicity. The deficiency may occur in pernicious anemia, following gastrectomy, surgical r ...

Health concerns

Energy drinks have been associated with health risks, such as masking the effects of

intoxication Intoxication — or poisoning, especially by an alcoholic or narcotic substance — may refer to: * Substance intoxication: ** Alcohol intoxication ** LSD intoxication ** Toxidrome ** Tobacco intoxication ** Cannabis intoxication ** Cocaine i ...

when consumed with alcohol, and excessive or repeated consumption can lead to cardiac and psychiatric conditions. However, the

European Food Safety Authority The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union (EU) that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain. EFSA was established in February 2002 ...

(EFSA) concluded that an adequate consumption of Monster and other popular energy drinks is safe and that the amount of caffeine in standard Monster cans is unlikely to interact adversely with other typical constituents of energy drinks or with alcohol. Energy drinks have the effects that caffeine and sugar give, but there is no distinct evidence that the wide variety of other ingredients has any effect. In December 2011, 14-year-old Anais Fournier died of "cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity" after drinking two cans of Monster Energy drink containing 240 mg of caffeine per can. Fournier had a pre-existing heart condition, as well as

Ehlers–Danlos syndrome Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) is a group of 14 genetic connective-tissue disorders. Symptoms often include loose joints, joint pain, stretchy velvety skin, and abnormal scar formation. These may be noticed at birth or in early childhood. Co ...

. In October 2012, her parents sued the company. Monster Energy has insisted that its energy drink played no role in Fournier's death. A request under the U.S.

Freedom of Information Act Freedom of Information Act may refer to the following legislations in different jurisdictions which mandate the national government to disclose certain data to the general public upon request: * Freedom of Information Act (United States) of 1966 * F ...

revealed that from 2003 to 2012 the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

(FDA) had received reports of five deaths occurring after drinking Monster Energy. The reports did not prove a causal link between the drink and any health problems. In May 2015, the

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body under the administration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It regulates the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of f ...

(FSSAI) banned the sale of Monster and other energy drinks that contained both caffeine and ginseng.

Varieties

The varieties of Monster include: * Original (black can with green logo) * Zero Sugar (originally had dark blue logo; changed to resemble Original can with the top recolored green with a black pull tab) * Assault (cola flavor, stylized

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

can with red logo) * Reserve White Pineapple (pineapple flavor, black can with yellow logo and yellow band around flavor title) * Reserve Orange Dreamsicle (orange flavor, black can with orange logo) * Reserve Watermelon (watermelon flavor, black can with red logo) * Ripper (tropical fruits flavor, yellow can) * Cuba-Libre (cola and lime flavor version of the

cuba libre Rum and Coke, or the Cuba libre ( , ; literally "Free Cuba"), is a highball cocktail consisting of cola, rum, and in many recipes lime juice on ice. Traditionally, the cola ingredient is Coca-Cola ("Coke") and the alcohol is a light rum suc ...

cocktail.) * Dub Mad Dog (grape flavor, discontinued) * Maxx (original flavor with added

nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide), commonly known as laughing gas, nitrous, or factitious air, among others, is a chemical compound, an Nitrogen oxide, oxide of nitrogen with the Chemical formula, formula . At room te ...

, comes in a variety of flavors) * Nitro Super Dry (original flavor however utilizes nitrous oxide rather than

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalent bond, covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in a gas state at room temperature and at norma ...

, giving the beverage a

texture Texture may refer to: Science and technology * Image texture, the spatial arrangement of color or intensities in an image * Surface texture, the smoothness, roughness, or bumpiness of the surface of an object * Texture (roads), road surface c ...

(mouthfeel) similar to that of

Guinness Guinness () is a stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at Guinness Brewery, St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in the 18th century. It is now owned by the British-based Multinational corporation, multinational alcoholic bever ...

beer, black can with black logo shrouded in lime green) * Mule (

ginger beer Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. Historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Modern ginger beers are often mass production, manufactur ...

flavor, zero sugar, matte finish black can with bronze logo and text with 'Non-alcoholic' wording due to the product's name being similar to

Moscow Mule A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice; garnished with a slice or wedge of lime, and a sprig of mint. The drink, being a type of buck, is sometimes called vodka buck. It is popularly served in a copper mug, ...

, a popular cocktail) * VR46 The Doctor (orange flavor, yellow can with

Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi ( ; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian racing driver, former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed "the Doctor", Rossi is widely considered one of the greate ...

's ''The Doctor'' branding) * LH44

Lewis Hamilton Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with M ...

(red can with yellow and black patterns with black logo) * Java (Coffee mixed with Monster Energy available in a variety of flavors including salted caramel, loca moca, Irish cream, and mean bean.) * Pacific Punch (cherry punch flavor) * Pipeline Punch (

passion fruit ''Passiflora edulis'', commonly known as passion fruit, is a vine species of passion flower native to the region of southern Brazil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It is cultivated commercially in tropical and subtropical areas for its ...

, orange and

guava Guava ( ), also known as the 'guava-pear', is a common tropical fruit cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. The common guava '' Psidium guajava'' (lemon guava, apple guava) is a small tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), nativ ...

flavor, pink can) * Mixxd (Punch line. Cherry flavor, surface-textured purple can.) * Monarch (juiced line, pastel pink can with yellow logo and

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

artwork) * Mango Loco (juiced line, blue can with orange logo and artwork themed to the Mexican

Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...

) * Khaotic (juiced line, yellow can with light blue logo and

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

butterfly artwork) * Aussie Lemonade style (Juiced line, blue can with yellow logo and artwork featuring a variety of sea creatures. Citrus flavored. Introduced in 2022) * Bad Apple (juiced line, red apple flavor, punky/alt version of Eve holding an apple) * Rio Punch™ (juice line, sweet papaya, vanilla ice cream, hint of blackcurrant, green can with yellow diamond themed to the Brazilian flag.) * Viking Berry™ (juice line, mixed nordic berries, blackberry, black currant, hint of lingonberry, sweet and tart profile, red and light blue can with norse themed art.) * Zero Ultra (citrus flavor, zero sugar, textured white can with silver logo) * Ultra Blue (light citrus and berry flavor, zero sugar, textured light blue can with silver logo) * Ultra Fantasy Ruby Red (grapefruit flavor, zero sugar, textured magenta can with silver logo) * Ultra Fiesta (

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree '' Mangifera indica''. It originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South and Southeast As ...

flavor, zero sugar, textured blue can with silver logo) * Ultra Watermelon (watermelon flavor, zero sugar, textured bright red can with silver logo) * Ultra Paradise (apple and

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), an informal name for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible hairy fruit with many seeds * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of curren ...

flavor, zero sugar, textured lime green can with silver logo) * Ultra Rosá (pink lemonade flavor, zero sugar, textured hot pink can with silver logo) * Ultra Gold (pineapple flavor, zero sugar, textured gold can with silver logo) * Ultra Vice Guava (guava flavor, zero sugar, textured teal can with pink-white logo) * Ultra Red (fruit punch flavor, zero sugar, red can) * Ultra Black (cherry flavor, zero sugar, textured black can with silver logo) * Ultra Peachy Keen (Peach flavor, zero sugar, textured peach can with silver logo. Made in limited edition form.) * Ultra Sunrise (Orange flavor, zero sugar, orange can with silver logo) * Ultra Strawberry Dreams (strawberry flavor, zero sugar, pink can) * Ultra Violet, a.k.a. The Purple Monster (grape flavor, zero sugar, violet can) Monster Beast Alcoholic Beverages

Alcoholic beverages

In 2023, Monster launched the Monster Beast line of alcoholic beverages. The first release, The Beast Unleashed, featured flavors inspired by classic Monster Energy drinks but reformulated without sugar or caffeine, and brewed with alcohol at 6.0%

alcohol by volume Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as alc/vol or ABV) is a common measure of the amount of Alcohol (drug), alcohol contained in a given alcoholic beverage. It is defined as the volume the ethanol in the liquid would take if separated from the rest ...

. The Beast Unleashed flavors include: * Mean Green – Big, bold flavor inspired by the original black and green Monster Energy can. * White Haze – A smooth, citrusy flavor with a clean finish. * Peach Perfect – A crisp and refreshing peach blend. * Scary Berries – A sparkling citrus and berry mix with less sweetness. * Killer Sunrise – A bold citrus punch designed for all-day partying. * Gnarly Grape – A juicy grape flavor with a bold finish. * Pink Poison – A sweet and tangy blend with a vibrant profile. Later in 2023, Monster introduced the Nasty Beast line, a series of hard iced tea beverages targeting the flavored malt beverage market and competing with brands like Twisted Tea. Like The Beast Unleashed, these contain 6.0% ABV. Nasty Beast flavors include: * Original – Classic brewed hard tea. * Tea + Lemonade – A combination of sweet tea and citrus. * Peach – A bold, juicy peach twist. * Green Tea – A smooth and earthy green tea blend. Packaging includes 12oz variety packs and 24oz singles, depending on the flavor.

Advertising

Monster Energy is advertised mainly through sponsorship of sporting events, including motocross, BMX, mountain biking, snowboarding, skateboarding, car racing, speedway, and also through sponsorship of esports events. In 2006, Caleb (Strongjaw) Johnstone Corporation announced a distribution agreement with

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC ( ) is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple ...

in the United States and Grupo Jumex in Mexico. Monster became the title sponsor of

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

's top series starting with the 2017 season, renaming it to the Monster Energy

. The name lasted through 2019; although Monster offered to extend the sponsorship, NASCAR rejected it in favor of a new sponsorship model. In 2012, Colton Lile Corporation announced that they were switching distributors from

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

. In 2012, a

Monster Jam Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour operated by Feld Entertainment. The series began in 1992, and is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association. Events are primarily held in North America, with some addition ...

monster truck A monster truck is a specialized off-road vehicle with a heavy duty suspension, four-wheel steering, large-displacement V8 engines and oversized tires constructed for competition and entertainment uses. Originally created by modifying stock p ...

Logo

The design was created by McLean Design, a California-based strategic branding firm. The logo is composed of a vibrant green "M", composed of three lines on a field of black. The "M" is stylized in such a way as to imply that it is formed by the

claw A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or Arthro ...

s of a

monster A monster is a type of imaginary or fictional creature found in literature, folklore, mythology, fiction and religion. They are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive, with a strange or grotesque appearance that causes Anxiety, terror ...

ripping through the can.

Endorsements

Action sports

In August 2017, Monster renewed a sponsorship with mixed martial arts champion

Conor McGregor Conor Anthony McGregor (born 14 July 1988) is an Irish professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) UFC Featherweight Championship, Featherweight and UFC Lightweight Championship, Li ...

; they are also endorsed by

Cain Velasquez Cain Ramírez Velásquez (born July 28, 1982) is an American former professional wrestler and mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. He is widely known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he competed in the Heavyweight ( ...

and Jon "Bones" Jones. In November 2012, the firm announced a long-term partnership with the

, and currently sponsors several riders including Jose Vitor Leme, Cody Teel, and Derek Kolbaba. Starting in 2018, they became the title sponsor of the PBR's premiership tour, known as the ''Unleash the Beast'' tour. The firm has served as the official energy drink sponsor of multiple

X Games The X Games are a series of action sports events founded by ESPN Inc. and aired on ESPN networks and ABC. In late 2022, ESPN sold the long-running property to MSP Sports Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Jahm Najafi and Jeff Mo ...

contests, including the 2017 summer games in

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

and the 2017 winter games in

Aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus. Species These species are called aspens: * ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'') * ''Populus da ...

. Among the athletes on their team are skateboarders

Nyjah Huston Nyjah Imani Huston ( ; born November 30, 1994) is an American professional skateboarder. With numerous sponsorships and competition prize winnings, Huston is one of the highest paid skateboarders in the world. Huston won gold medals at the SLS ...

Ishod Wair Ishod-Kedar Burti Wair (born November 1, 1991) is an American professional skateboarder. Career Wair was raised in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he began skateboarding at the age of nine. Over the next few years he began to consolidate other a ...

and Chris Cole, three-time gold-winning skier David Wise, Olympic freestyle skier

Gus Kenworthy Augustus Richard Kenworthy (born October 1, 1991) is a British-American former freestyle skiing, freestyle skier, actor, and YouTuber. He has competed in slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air. Kenworthy won the Olympic medal, silver medal in men's s ...

and

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

gold medalist snowboarder

Iouri Podladtchikov Iouri Iourеvich Podladtchikov (, born 13 September 1988) is a Russian-born Swiss snowboarder. He rides goofy stance. He has competed since 2000. He won the gold medal for the halfpipe at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Early life Podladtc ...

Auto racing

In December 2016, it was announced that Monster would replace

Sprint Corporation Sprint Corporation was an American telecommunications company. Before being acquired by T-Mobile US on April 1, 2020, it was the fourth-largest mobile network operator in the United States, serving 54.3 million customers as of June 30, 2019. Th ...

as title sponsor of

's premier series. NASCAR's chief marketing officer cited Monster's "youthful and edgy" brands a driving force behind the deal, . In April 2019, it was reported that NASCAR rejected Monster Energy's offer to extend its sponsorship through 2020 in favor of a new tiered sponsorship model. Monster is endorsed by NASCAR driver

Tyler Reddick Tyler George Reddick (born January 11, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry (XV80), Toyota Camry XSE for 23XI Racing. He is a two-time champion i ...

and sponsors his No. 45

23XI Racing 23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven) is an American professional auto racing organization that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. It is owned and operated by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame basketball player Michae ...

car, as well as his Toyota Racing teammate

Ty Gibbs Tyler Randal Gibbs (born October 4, 2002) is an American professional stock car racing driver and team owner. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 54 Toyota Camry (XV80), Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing and part-t ...

and his No. 54

Joe Gibbs Racing Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) is an American professional stock car racing organization founded by Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. His son, J. D. Gibbs, ran the team with him until his death in 2019. Founded in Huntersville, North Carolina, ...

car. They are also endorsed by Reddick's predecessor,

Kurt Busch Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978) is an American auto racing driver. He is best known for competing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2000–2022, last driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23XI Racing. Busch is the 2004 NASCAR Cup Series ch ...

, who was forced into retirement due to injuries after the 2022 season. They also endorse

NASCAR Truck Series The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), and is the only series in NASCAR to race production pickup truck-based stock car racing, s ...

driver

Hailie Deegan Hailie Rochelle Deegan (born July 18, 2001) is an American professional auto racing, racing driver who competes in the 2025 Indy NXT driving for HMD Motorsports. She is best known for competing in NASCAR stock car racing, last driving the No. 15 ...

and the No. 13

ThorSport Racing ThorSport Racing is an American professional stock car racing team competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Founded in 1996 as SealMaster Racing and based in Sandusky, Ohio, the team is owned by Duke Thorson and his wife, Rhonda. Currently ...

Team, as well as

NASCAR Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level NASCAR Cup Series, Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a Undercard, support ...

driver

Riley Herbst Riley Dederick Kern Herbst (born February 24, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 35 Toyota Camry (XV80), Toyota Camry XSE for 23XI Racing and part-time in the ...

and the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing team. They have also had sponsored

Robby Gordon Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, Championship Auto Racing Teams, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, International Motor Sports Association, IMSA, Inter ...

Ricky Carmichael Richard Joseph Carmichael (born November 27, 1979) is an American former professional motocross and supercross racer. Carmichael won 15 AMA Motocross Championship, AMA Motocross and AMA Supercross Championship, Supercross championships, includ ...

, and the No. 54

Xfinity Series The NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) is a stock car racing series organized by NASCAR. It is promoted as NASCAR's second-tier circuit to the organization's top level Cup Series. NXS events are frequently held as a support race on the day prior to a ...

car of

Kyle Busch Motorsports Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) is an American professional dirt racing team that competes in dirt divisions across the United States. They formerly competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, CARS Tour, CRA Super Series, A ...

. Monster sponsored

Formula 1 Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

team Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport between 2010 and 2023 and was endorsed by the team's drivers, George Russell and seven-time world champion

. Hamilton also has a signature drink with the brand, ''"LH44"''. Monster Energy will partner with

from the 2024 season onwards. The company will continue to sponsor Hamilton on a personal level. City-Race-Rdam-2013-DSC 0207

The company was endorsed by Australian touring car driver

Jamie Whincup Jamie David Whincup (born 6 February 1983) is an Australian professional racing driver competing in the Supercars Championship. He currently is team principal for Triple Eight Race Engineering. He has driven the No. 88 Holden Commodore (ZB), Ho ...

from late 2009 to 2012. The deal was canceled abruptly for the 2013 season, when his team Triple Eight signed rival

as sponsor. Monster partnered with

James Courtney James Anthony Courtney (born 29 June 1980) is an Australian racing driver competing in the Supercars Championship, Repco Supercars Championship. He currently drives the No. 7 Ford Mustang (sixth generation), Ford Mustang GT for Blanchard Racin ...

and

Holden Racing Team Walkinshaw Andretti United is an Australian motor racing team based in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton. The team, initially branded as the Holden Racing Team, used to field Holden Commodores in the Supercars Championship before making the swit ...

for the

2016 International V8 Supercars Championship The 2016 International V8 Supercars Championship (often simplified to the 2016 V8 Supercars Championship and known from 1 July as the 2016 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship) was an Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA-sanc ...

, and is now associated with

Tickford Racing Tickford Racing (formerly known as Prodrive Racing Australia and Ford Performance Racing) is an Australian motor racing team which competes in the Supercars Championship. The team currently campaigns two Ford Mustangs, with their current driver ...

as primary sponsor of

Cameron Waters Cameron Christopher Waters (born 3 August 1994) is an Australian professional racing driver who competes in the Supercars Championship, Repco Supercars Championship. He currently drives the No. 6 Ford Mustang (sixth generation), Ford Mustang GT ...

Ford Mustang Supercar. Monster Energy has been the main sponsor of

Formula Drift Formula DRIFT (also known as Formula D or FD) is an American drifting series, and was co-founded by Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage in 2003 as a sister company to Slipstream Global Marketing, the same partnership that introduced D1 Grand Prix to the ...

champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. since 2010, and

NHRA The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...

racer

Brittany Force Brittany Leighton Force (born July 8, 1986) is an American NHRA drag racer and 2-time NHRA Drag Racing Series Top Fuel dragster champion. She is the daughter of drag racer John Force and the sister of fellow racers Courtney Force and Ashley Forc ...

since 2015. The brand has sponsored rally drivers such as

Ken Block Kenneth Paul Block (November 21, 1967 – January 2, 2023) was an American professional Rallying, rally driver with the Hoonigan Racing Division, formerly known as the Monster World Rally Team. Block was also one of the co-founders of DC Shoe ...

Liam Doran Liam Doran (born 22 March 1987) is a British professional rallycross driver competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, Global RallyCross Championship, X Games, and European Rallycross Championship. He is the son of British rallycross ...

and

Nani Roma Joan "Nani" Roma Cararach (born 17 February 1972) is a rally racing driver from Folgueroles, Barcelona, Spain. He won the Dakar Rally riding a motorcycle in 2004. Since then, he has entered the car category, taking the win in the 2014 edition ...

. On May 18, 2022, it was announced that Monster Energy would sponsor

Andreas Bakkerud Andreas Bakkerud (born 10 October 1991) is a rallycross driver from Bergen, Norway. He has competed in the FIA Rallycross Supercar class since 2013 in both Euro RX and World RX, Nitro Rallycross since 2021, and Extreme E since 2023. He became Euro ...

and

Robin Larsson Robin Christian Zacharias Larsson (born 8 July 1992) is a Swedish racing driver currently competing in Nitrocross. He is the current Nitrocross champion driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing JC. He has won the Nitrcross ch ...

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is an American automotive racing organization that competes in the IndyCar Series and Nitrocross. The team is owned by Indianapolis, Indiana, Indianapolis BMW, Infiniti, Volkswagen, Mini (marque), MINI, and Subaru dealer D ...

. Monster Energy also has a big presence in the

desert racing Desert racing is the act of racing through the desert in a two- or four-wheeled off-road vehicle. Races, which generally consist of two or more loops around a course covering up to , can take the form of Hare and Hound or Hare scramble style eve ...

scene. It is the main sponsor for the

Baja 1000 The Baja 1000 is an annual Mexican off-road motorsport race held on the Baja California Peninsula, with a course of up to about 850 or more miles. It is one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, having attracted competitors from ...

and

Baja 500 The Baja 500 is a Mexican off-road motorsport race on the Baja California Peninsula that is sanctioned by SCORE International. The course has remained relatively the same over the years with the majority of events being loop races starting and fi ...

, and a variety of teams in different classes, including Trophy Truck drivers Cameron Steele, Alan Ampudia and

Kyle LeDuc Kyle LeDuc (July 29, 1981 – November 11, 2023) was an American professional racing driver. He mainly competed in short course off-road truck racing, where he had seven Pro 4 class championships, six of which came in the Lucas Oil Off Road Raci ...

Motorcycle racing

Yamaha MotoGP factory rider Valentino Rossi

Monster Energy is the primary sponsor for

Yamaha Motor Racing Yamaha MotoGP Racing or Yamaha Factory Racing is the official Italian-Japanese factory team of Yamaha in MotoGP, currently competing as Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team. History The team was founded in 1999 following the retirement of Wayne Ra ...

since 2019 and also sponsors riders such as

Franco Morbidelli Franco Morbidelli (born 4 December 1994) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer in MotoGP class, riding for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team team. He became champion in the 2013 European Superstock 600 Championship, and the 2017 Moto2 Wo ...

, and

Francesco Bagnaia Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia ( ; born 14 January 1997) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer competing in MotoGP World Championship, MotoGP for the Ducati Corse, Ducati Lenovo Team. He is the and List of 500cc/MotoGP World Riders' Champions, ...

. The firm has also been the title sponsor of the

Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix The Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, as part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event is due to take place at the Circuit de Barcelo ...

since 2014, and the

British motorcycle Grand Prix The British motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. History Before 1977, the only British round was the Isle of Man TT, which was part of the FIM championship from its inaugu ...

since 2021. The brand has been the main sponsor of the

Speedway Grand Prix Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone motorcycle speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. The series started in 1995 replacing the previous format of a single event final. The first ...

and

Speedway World Cup The Speedway World Cup is a motorcycle speedway event for national teams held in different countries. The first edition of the competition in the current format was held in 2001 and replaced the old Speedway World Team Cup, World Team Cup which ...

since 2012, and also supports several riders. Monster has sponsored motocross riders such as

Jeremy McGrath Jeremy McGrath (born November 19, 1971) is an American former professional motocross and AMA Supercross Championship, supercross racer. Considered one of the most popular and influential riders in the history of motorcycle racing, McGrath won se ...

Chad Reed Chad Mark Reed (born 15 March 1982, in Kurri Kurri, Australia) is an Indigenous Australian motocross and supercross racer. He is a two-time AMA Supercross 450cc champion, a one-time AMA Motocross 450cc champion, record holder for the most main ...

Ryan Villopoto Ryan Daniel Villopoto (born August 13, 1988, in Fortuna, California) is an American former professional motocross and supercross racer who competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 2005 to 2014; a four-time 450cc AMA Supercross Champion, a ...

Nate Adams Nathaniel Adams (born March 29, 1984) is an American professional freestyle motocross rider and extreme sports athlete. A resident of Temecula, California, he attained national fame when he won the Freestyle Motocross World Championship in 2 ...

, Taka Higashino and

. The brand sponsors the Kawasaki, and Yamaha motocross factory teams. In 2016, the firm has aided the return of factory Yamaha to United States as the title sponsor of the team, officially named Monster Energy/360fly/Chaparral/Yamaha Factory Racing. During this time, Monster Energy served as a title sponsor for the Star Racing Yamaha team, which also took over the 450 program from Factory Yamaha in 2021. They have gone on to win the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with Dylan Ferrandis, and the 2022

AMA Supercross The AMA Supercross Championship (commercially known as Monster Energy AMA Supercross) is an American motorcycle racing series. Founded by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) in 1974, the AMA Supercross Championship races are held from J ...

and AMA Pro Motocross Championships with

Eli Tomac Eli Tomac (born November 14, 1992) is an American professional Motocross and Supercross racer who competes in the AMA Supercross and Motocross championships; a two-time AMA 450cc Supercross champion, four-time AMA 450cc Motocross champion, AM ...

. The brand also is the main sponsor of the

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

and

Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

factory teams in the

FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship The FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship was the premier championship of Rally raid racing, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme The International Motorcycling Federation (Fédération Internationale de Motocycli ...

and later the

World Rally-Raid Championship The World Rally-Raid Championship (officially abbreviated as W2RC) is a rally raid series co-sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, FIM and promoted by the Amaury Sport ...

since 2016 and 2023 respectively.

Horse racing

In June 2015, Monster agreed to a sponsorship deal with

Zayat Stables Ahmed Zayat (Ahmed El-Zayat) (; ) (born August 31, 1962) is an Egyptian-American businessman and owner of Thoroughbred race horses. He is the CEO of Zayat Stables, LLC, a Thoroughbred horse racing business which bred and owns the 2015 Triple ...

to sponsor the race horse , rumored to be the largest single-horse advertising sponsorship to-date. The deal allows the product's logo to be used on the horse sheets, on jockey

Victor Espinoza Victor Espinoza (born May 23, 1972) is a Mexican jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing who won the Triple Crown in 2015 on American Pharoah. He began riding in his native Mexico and went on to compete at racetracks in California. He has ...

's shirt and boots, as well as caps and other gear worn by people around the horse.

Esports

Monster Energy also sponsors several individuals in the

esports Esports (), short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, played individually or as teams. ...

community, as well as esports associations. The company broke into esports with their sponsorship of

Evil Geniuses Evil Geniuses (EG) is an American esports organization based in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington. Founded in 1999, the organization has fielded players in various fighting games, ''Call of Duty (series), Call of Duty'', ''Counter-Strike ...

, one of the premiere North American multi-game organizations. Monster Energy is affiliated with esports in North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Some of the organizations and individuals they support or have supported include the Australian organization "MindFreak", Paris Saint-Germain eSports, and the streamer

TimTheTatman Timothy John Betar (born April 8, 1990), better known as TimTheTatman, is an American live streamer and YouTube personality. Career Betar started streaming on Twitch (service), Twitch in 2012 and has amassed over seven million followers sinc ...

Corporate

Trademark protection and lawsuits

As plaintiff

Monster Beverage Corporation has been criticized for its policy of indiscriminately suing companies and/or brands that use the word ''

'', the letter '' M'', or the word ''

beast Beast most often refers to: * Animal, a multicellular, eukaryotic organism in the biological kingdom Animalia * The Beast (Revelation), one of three beasts described in the Book of Revelation * Monster, a type of creature found in fiction, folklo ...

'' in their marketing for trademark infringement, despite such trademarks being generally dissimilar or distinguishable from Monster's. The words ''monster'' and ''beast'' have existed in the

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

since the 13th century, with the

Latin letter The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Gree ...

'' M'' tracing back to the 7th century BC. By 2019, the company has initiated over a thousand trademark cases that have been reviewed by the US court system or

US Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...

's (USPTO)

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) is an administrative tribunal within the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The TTAB is empowered to determine the right to register a trademark. It has no authority to determine the righ ...

, making them a

poster child A poster child (sometimes poster boy or poster girl) is, according to the original meaning of the term, a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters or other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlis ...

for "trademark bullying" which the

USPTO The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Ale ...

defines as "a trademark owner that uses its trademark rights to harass and intimidate another business beyond what the law might be reasonably interpreted to allow." Examples of such lawsuits include the 2009 ones against Bevreview.com, a beverage review site that published an unfavorable review of the Monster Energy drink,

Rock Art Brewery Rock Art Brewery is an American brewery in Morrisville, Vermont. It began production in 1997 in the Johnson, Vermont basement of founders Matt and Renee Nadeau. In 2001 it moved to a larger facility in nearby Morrisville. After buying another ...

from

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

that marketed a beer named "Vermonster", and the aquarium hobbyist site MonsterFishKeepers.com in 2012. The "Vermonster" case was even brought up by Senator

Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy ( ; born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who represented Vermont in the United States Senate from 1975 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he also was the pr ...

in a study of problematic trademark litigation tactics. Monster Beverage dropped the lawsuit against the microbrewery due to the adverse publicity the lawsuit generated. In a four year case from 2015 to 2019, Monster sued

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE) is a professional sports and commercial real estate company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With assets that include franchises in four of the six major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(MLSE), the parent of the

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NBA), Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference (NBA), E ...

, and the

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

. MLSE and NBA had applied to register the Raptor's logo Raptors, a basketball with three diagonal claw gashes, for various goods and services. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board dismissed Monster's claim. In March 2016, Monster filed a lawsuit to revoke the company trademark of Thunder Beast LLC of Washington, D.C., a small

root beer Root beer is a North American soft drink traditionally made using the root bark of the sassafras tree '' Sassafras albidum'' or the vine of '' Smilax ornata'' (known as sarsaparilla; also used to make a soft drink called sarsaparilla) as the ...

brewery, insisting the use of "beast" in the company name encroached on Monster's trademark slogan, "Unleash the Beast". The owner of Thunder Beast, Stephen Norberg, was fighting Monster's lawsuit as of 2019. In August 2018, Monsta Pizza of Wendover in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, fought a claim brought by Monster Energy in the intellectual property office. The claim was that the pizza firm could be mistaken for Monster Energy, leaving customers confused. The pizza firm won a landmark ruling against Monster Energy, when the court decided there would be no case of misrepresentation. In fact, Monster Energy loses many of their lawsuits, however as with other cases of "trademark bullying" the main goal of the lawsuit seem to be bankrupting the opposition at which they are quite successful. In April 2023, Monster Beverage Corporation sued independent videogame developer Glowstick Entertainment for their horror

party game Party games are games that are played at social gatherings to facilitate interaction and provide entertainment and recreation. Categories include (explicit) icebreaker, parlour (indoor), picnic (outdoor), and large group games.Frankel, Lillia ...

''Dark Deception: Monsters and Mortals''. Apparently to Monster Beverage, the use of "Monster" in the title of the game and their green and black logo make it "very confusing" because of the similarities between the two. Glowstick Entertainment's head creator, Vincent Livings, had decided to fight it in court and has since won the case. Additionally later that month, it was discovered that over 100 trademark complaints had been filed in Japan, including complaints against the ''

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...

'' (1996–), ''

Monster Hunter is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fantasy-themed action role-playing video games, beginning with first installment '' Monster Hunter'' for the PlayStation 2, released in 2004. Titles have been released across a variety of pl ...

'' (2004–), and ''

Monster Musume is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Okayado. The series is published in Japan by Tokuma Shoten in their ''Monthly Comic Ryū'' magazine and by Seven Seas Entertainment in the United States, with the chapters collected and ...

'' (2012–) franchises, the first of which predates the Monster Energy brand by over half a decade.

As defendant

Monster Energy has occasionally been on the other side of copyright infringement lawsuits. For example, in August 2012, the

Beastie Boys The Beastie Boys were an American Hip-hop, hip hop and Rap rock, rap rock group formed in New York City in 1979. They were composed of Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Mike D, ...

filed a lawsuit against the company for copyright infringement over Monster's use of their music played by

Z-Trip Zach Sciacca (born July 22, 1971), better known as DJ Z-Trip, is an American DJ and producer. He is a pioneer of the mashup movement. He was the 2009 recipient of the "America's Best DJ Award". As a producer he has worked with artists across ...

in an online campaign. In 2014, a jury found Monster Beverage Corporation had infringed on Beastie Boys' copyright by using songs without permission, and owed the group $1.7 million.

In popular culture

Christine Weick Christine Weick (born 1962) is an American Christian activist and author who gained national exposure during the 2010s. She has protested against Muslims inside Muslim places of worship, against homosexuality, and holiday traditions like Santa Clau ...

, an American

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

activist and author, created a video that argued that Monster Energy sports drinks are associated with

Satan Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...

. The November 2014 video was published on YouTube, garnering over 14 million views as of 2024. The viral nature of the video got her an appearance on the Web Redemption segment of

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...

's ''

Tosh.0 ''Tosh.0'' ( ) is an American comedy television series that aired on Comedy Central from June 4, 2009, to November 24, 2020. The series was hosted and produced by comedian Daniel Tosh, who provided satirical commentary on online viral video clips ...

''. The energy drink also features prominently as

product placement Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of t ...

in the video game ''

Death Stranding ''Death Stranding'' is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Kojima Productions and originally published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the first game from director Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions after their split from Konam ...

'' (2019), in which it restores stamina and can be consumed by the main character in his private room.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Energy drinks Products introduced in 2002 Food and drink introduced in 2002 Soft drinks American brands Drink brands