Monster energy under attack. Supposedly marketing to Children

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**hotsauceman1**

Republican, Democrat, We must band together to save our precious mosters
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0114/Monster-drinks-under-attack-Does-Monster-market-to-children

The San Francisco city attorney and New York state attorney general have joined forces to investigate whether Monster Beverage Corp. is marketing its highly caffeinated drinks to children.

Mr. Herrera has filed a lawsuit claiming the drinks pose health risks and accusing Monster of violating state law by misbranding its drinks and marketing them to minors. He began his investigation of the Corona, Calif.-based company in 2012.

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Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued subpoenas to Monster and other energy-drink makers as part of his ongoing investigation.

Herrera said he believes the cooperative efforts between the two prosecutors' offices will prove beneficial for the public.

"We are disappointed that Monster has remained defiant in marketing products to children," Herrera said. "We hope this effort will cause the company to correct its irresponsible marketing practices."

Monster spokeswoman Tammy Taylor said the energy drinks are not marketed to children and aren't highly caffeinated. A 16-ounce can of Monster contains less than half the caffeine of a similar-sized cup of coffee, she said.

Monster has sold more than 10 billion energy drinks worldwide over 11 years, Taylor added. On its cans, Monster says the beverage is not recommended for children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, or women who are nursing.

Herrera has said coffee is typically served hot and consumed more slowly than energy drinks.

Monster and other popular energy drinks have come under increasing scrutiny. The Food and Drug Administration has been investigating reports of deaths linked to energy drinks, but the agency noted that the reports don't prove the drinks caused the deaths.

Monster has repeatedly said its drinks are safe and it does not know of any fatalities caused by its products.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Another one
http://www.webpronews.com/monster-drinks-investigated-for-targeting-children-2014-01

**gorgon**

I was going to ask what adult even drinks energy drinks anymore...and then I remembered where I was.

**timetowaste85**

Monster has a chance of being shut down? Works for me. Couldn't care less.

**Platuan4th**

gorgon wrote:
I was going to ask what adult even drinks energy drinks anymore...and then I remembered where I was.

I wouldn't still but something happened in college and now my brain makes this connection every time I see Rockstar that makes me sigh in resignation/frustration/regret and buy it.

It's an addiction, really.

**marv335**

I can't stand the stuff.
It's liquid evil in a can.

**Boggy Man**

Cripes, do the nanny brigade ever shut up? It's bad enough you have to add your own delicious nourishing booze to the Irish coffee flavored ones.

I'm not really a fan of energy drinks, Monster is about the only one I consider. (Red Bull tastes like drain cleaner, and Rockstar has ties to Michael Savage.)

**Ahtman**

**Some_Call_Me_Tim?**

Boggy Man wrote:
Cripes, do the nanny brigade ever shut up? It's bad enough you have to add your own delicious nourishing booze to the Irish coffee flavored ones.

I'm not really a fan of energy drinks, Monster is about the only one I consider. (Red Bull tastes like drain cleaner, and Rockstar has ties to Michael Savage.)

Wait, what? That guy's supposed to be a nutritionist. Another strike against him. Not that I'm shocked/complaining. He's either a master at playing a character or just a massive dbag on a level of his own.

~Tim?

**MrMoustaffa**

I drank 8 Monsters in a 48 hour period when my senior class went to Disneyland. I remember waiting an hour in line for splash mountain and just shaking with energy. By the time we got back on the plane I thought my heart had stopped. Everything felt like slow mo.

Never again. I'm really surprised it didn't kill me.

Also I'm very disappointed that nobody has posted this yet. Probably NSFW, but only for language.

Spoiler:

**Kilkrazy**

Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

**BlaxicanX**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

**Jimsolo**

I used to work at a convenience store, and while stocking beverage cans, we dropped a case of Monster. All the cans started spraying into the air in a fine mist, and we all started choking, our eyes started burning, and we had to bail on the cooler. I've got no basis for comparison, but one of the guys claims that the experience was not unlike getting maced.

**Fafnir**

BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

I believe he's being sarcastic.

**SagesStone**

If they still allow them to make Jolt, I think monster would be fine. Well not shutdown fine at least.

**Captain Fantastic**

They don't market anything. They sponsor extreme sports competitions and stuff, but I don't believe I've ever once seen an advertisement for Monster. Children probably like them, because, uh, the're children, and they like everything that they see adults doing. If children shouldn't be able to drink them, then make an age limit to buy them or something? Christ on a cross, it's like preventing children from drinking coffee or taking wheatgrass shots.

**Mr. Burning**

I don't know about Monster but this thread has given me a longing for my babies to run like Kenyans.

**Kilkrazy**

BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

A load of data, statistics and reports are done annually by the United Nations, including the Human Development Index, World Health Org reports, and so on.

These can be got directly from the various UN websites, and Wikipedia also has condensed versions.

**CthuluIsSpy**

How are they marketing to children? The article does not make that clear.

**BlaxicanX**

Kilkrazy wrote:
BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

A load of data, statistics and reports are done annually by the United Nations, including the Human Development Index, World Health Org reports, and so on.

These can be got directly from the various UN websites, and Wikipedia also has condensed versions.

I'm really lazy though.

**Platuan4th**

n0t_u wrote:
If they still allow them to make Jolt, I think monster would be fine. Well not shutdown fine at least.

Heh, Jolt.

**djones520**

gorgon wrote:
I was going to ask what adult even drinks energy drinks anymore...and then I remembered where I was.

They're huge in the military, especially among us shift workers.

I don't touch them myself, but many of my coworkers do.

**marv335**

It's massive out in Saudi.
I have Saudis at work who drink three or four large cans of Monster every day.

**Ensis Ferrae**

marv335 wrote:
It's massive out in Saudi.
I have Saudis at work who drink three or four large cans of Monster every day.

While deployed on my second tour, there was a dude in my Bn who had this routine that I watched daily for a few months (since we generally seemed to eat at roughly the same time) At breakfast, he'd sit down, grab a cup of coffee, then 6 cans of Rip It (think condensed monster, smaller can generally same "punch") he'd drink three at breakfast and pocket the other three. Lunch, he'd grab 3 more for the table, and 3 to go in his pocket. Dinner, same thing. If one assumes that he was restocking because he drank them, then that's 9 cans of Rip It, minimum per day that this guy was drinking.

**Captain Fantastic**

marv335 wrote:
It's massive out in Saudi.
I have Saudis at work who drink three or four large cans of Monster every day.

That's funny.

I have a friend who lived in the Emirates in the early nineties who was there when the first shipments of genuine Coca Cola came into the country. Apparently a Coca Cola plant was opened in Kuwait after the Gulf War, so it was the first time anyone in the area had tastes anything like that. He told me that it was actually more expensive than heroin at one point, and people were trading on black markets just to get their hands on it.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
marv335 wrote:
It's massive out in Saudi.
I have Saudis at work who drink three or four large cans of Monster every day.

While deployed on my second tour, there was a dude in my Bn who had this routine that I watched daily for a few months (since we generally seemed to eat at roughly the same time) At breakfast, he'd sit down, grab a cup of coffee, then 6 cans of Rip It (think condensed monster, smaller can generally same "punch") he'd drink three at breakfast and pocket the other three. Lunch, he'd grab 3 more for the table, and 3 to go in his pocket. Dinner, same thing. If one assumes that he was restocking because he drank them, then that's 9 cans of Rip It, minimum per day that this guy was drinking.

Rip It is fething horrible. The only guys I know who can stomach it are the people who were basically forced to drink it in OIF every single day.

**Ensis Ferrae**

Captain Fantastic wrote:

Rip It is fething horrible. The only guys I know who can stomach it are the people who were basically forced to drink it in OIF every single day.

Agreed. The only reason I had a couple was out of necessity. Being awake and on patrol for basically 3 days straight sucks.

**Kilkrazy**

BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

A load of data, statistics and reports are done annually by the United Nations, including the Human Development Index, World Health Org reports, and so on.

These can be got directly from the various UN websites, and Wikipedia also has condensed versions.

I'm really lazy though.

There's a great site called "Let Me Google That For You" (LMGTFY) where you enter search terms you might want to put into Google, and it looks up the Google results for you. Then you just click on the link and it takes you right to the Google searches.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=lmgtfy

**MrMoustaffa**

CthuluIsSpy wrote:
How are they marketing to children? The article does not make that clear.

You ever see how Monster endorses the feth out of extreme sports, video games like call of duty, and pretty much anything "cool" that a 10-17 year old male might like?

That's how they advertise to kids. They're not directly advertising on Cartoon Network, but I'm sure they're smart enough to realize that the foul mouthed 12 year olds of Call of Duty are a major market waiting to be tapped.

Of course, Monster can deny this is their strategy all they want, since those kids just "happened" to stumble across advertising meant to go to older people. It's a similar trick that cigarette companies used to use, back before being a smoker was considered the ultimate social evil. The kids still see it, Monster becomes associated with "coolness" thanks to its name in proximity to things that kids like (video games, extreme sports, etc.) and they start to buy it whenever they think about that kind of thing. They also use stuff like sponsoring major gaming events and competitive gaming to get their image out there.

**conker249**

While deployed Most of us lived off of "rip-its" in small cans. they were free. Back to Monster. I just like the taste of them. Record was 24 in 26 hours, Had to clean my house that was TRASHED by my ex-wife for base housing inspections to force move out and back into the dorms since i was considered "single status" after the divorce. Anyone that has ever lived on base housing knows they can be very strict, And failing can lead to a nice visit to the 1st Shirt.
To Monster advertizing to kids. I don't believe that at all in the official sense. I'll take recent events for example. They are advertizing Call of Duty Ghosts on the can, a game that is very popular to tweens, teens, and young adults. The age "requirement" to buy this game is 17 for its mature content and rating. So its technically advertizing to the 17+ crowd. Just my opinion though

**BlaxicanX**

Kilkrazy wrote:
BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
BlaxicanX wrote:
Kilkrazy wrote:
Countries such as Norway and Denmark, that have banned TV advertising to children, are among the most dismal and backward places on Earth in terms of various measures of quality of life like GDP per head, happiness index, infant death rate, and so on.

Some people say that Socialism is to blame.

Could I get a source on that? It would be some handy info to whip out when the anti-US plebs jump on my case.

A load of data, statistics and reports are done annually by the United Nations, including the Human Development Index, World Health Org reports, and so on.

These can be got directly from the various UN websites, and Wikipedia also has condensed versions.

I'm really lazy though.

There's a great site called "Let Me Google That For You" (LMGTFY) where you enter search terms you might want to put into Google, and it looks up the Google results for you. Then you just click on the link and it takes you right to the Google searches.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=lmgtfy

That seems like a lot of work. I think I'd prefer for someone else to just find all the sources for me and link them.

**Captain Fantastic**

MrMoustaffa wrote:
CthuluIsSpy wrote:
How are they marketing to children? The article does not make that clear.

You ever see how Monster endorses the feth out of extreme sports, video games like call of duty, and pretty much anything "cool" that a 10-17 year old male might like?

That's how they advertise to kids. They're not directly advertising on Cartoon Network, but I'm sure they're smart enough to realize that the foul mouthed 12 year olds of Call of Duty are a major market waiting to be tapped.

Of course, Monster can deny this is their strategy all they want, since those kids just "happened" to stumble across advertising meant to go to older people. It's a similar trick that cigarette companies used to use, back before being a smoker was considered the ultimate social evil. The kids still see it, Monster becomes associated with "coolness" thanks to its name in proximity to things that kids like (video games, extreme sports, etc.) and they start to buy it whenever they think about that kind of thing. They also use stuff like sponsoring major gaming events and competitive gaming to get their image out there.

Call of Duty is 'M" Rated game. No one under 17 can buy a copy of it, so that doesn't really hold water. Video games are for children anyway, but..