Nutrabolt Turns to Star Athletes and Influencers for Growth

When it comes time for a change, legacy brands can often be hesitant to make the first move. Rajaa Grar, chief marketing and digital officer at sports nutrition company Nutrabolt, has done the opposite, taking its C4 Energy drink brand into the future, utilizing athlete partnerships and her CPG experience to lead the brand to growth. Last month, Grar spearheaded Nutrabolt's first-ever global advertising campaign, featuring an expansive collection of athletes including WWE Superstars Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair and Mandy Rose; NFL draft picks Justin Fields and Kyle Pitts; and NBA player Lonzo Ball. Grar initially joined Nutrabolt as chief digital officer in July 2020, then added the title of CMO in April, taking on marketing, digital strategy, creative development and programming duties. Created 18 years ago, Nutrabolt has recently focused on building a quality digital presence while also establishing partnerships with athletes. "It really starts with creative storytelling and elevating the brand status," Grar told Adweek. "Once that's done, then digital revenue and our omnichannel revenue can start growing, and then we can develop an emotional connection, retention and loyalty." American Eagle Unveils Influencer Program for Student Athletes Taking the main stage "While we have always been known within the sports nutrition category, it has been Rajaa’s strategic expertise, CPG-integrated marketing experience and sound business acumen that has helped catapult Nutrabolt to the main stage," Nutrabolt CEO Doss Cunningham told Adweek. "Grar has successfully built and activated major partnerships for C4 Energy with the likes of Kevin Hart, Te’a Cooper and Justin Fields, all whom are making this company an everyday name." Born in France and growing up in Morocco, Grar has a wealth of personal knowledge about navigating different cultures and professional experience in the CPG world, working in various senior marketing positions at Snap Kitchen, Paula's Choice Skincare, Amazon, Starbucks and Kellogg. She also was a competitive swimmer in her youth, and has entered fitness competitions as well. "I've really opened my mind that the world is a big place," she said. "And I've always been attracted to aesthetics, beauty, art, culture and music. And that really made me understand the power of emotional connection and passion." Growing the brand A priority for Grar and Nutrabolt has been growing the brand's list of partners and spokespeople. The number of influencers it works with has increased from 510 to 700 since Grar joined. Hart invested in the company and became a brand ambassador this year. In a CNBC report earlier this year, Cunningham said retail sales for the C4 beverage line increased by 163% in 2020, reaching nearly $650 million. According to Grar, the C4 energy drink is the fastest growing energy drink in the nation, with Nutrabolt seeing 160% year-over-year growth in its energy drinks business. As part of the transformation, Grar noted that it takes a considerable amount of discipline, prioritization and strategy to be creative. A big budget helps, but just throwing money at a project won't always lead to massive payoffs. "Innovative ideas, social disruption, being in culture, and being relevant and relatable to the consumer so that people see themselves in the brand," Grar said. "That's how you start attaining brand awareness." How PepsiCo Is Taking a Major Sustainability Step in Promoting Its Recycled Bottles

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Seeking Growth, Nutrabolt Turns to Star Athletes and Influencers

CMO Rajaa Grar is also leading the sports nutrition company's first global advertising campaign

Rafael Canton

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Rafael Canton