Playboy Energy Drink (Japan Release)

Posted on April 5, 2015 | Last updated February 13, 2025

Playboy Energy Drink (Japan Release)
The Playboy Energy Drink, which was sold through some distribution channels in Japan.
It seems that it ended up being sold for as low as 10 yen, with many people purchasing a whole case when that happened.

Playboy Energy Drink (Japan Release)

Manufacturer	Nitto Agency
Country of Origin	USA
Price	200 JPY
Flavor	ETC Fruits、Chemicals
Total rating	★★☆☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Simple Design Reflecting Playboy's Character

The can design is very straightforward, and you can instantly recognize it as a Playboy can. When poured, the color is a bit duller than expected, but it still gives the impression of a pinkish-red, just like the can, making it easy to understand the design choices.

Playboy Energy Drink (Japan Release)
The scent has a somewhat polarizing, sweet fragrance, mixed with a hint of soap or perfume, which didn’t make it seem appetizing. It almost made me wonder if some artificial ingredient was included.

The flavor is a tangy pomegranate. At first sip, it's just that, but after drinking it, the aftertaste lingers with an artificial flavor that matches the scent. This aftertaste is quite unpleasant, and I found myself not wanting to reach for the glass again. Despite the significant sugar content, there’s also sucralose, which adds to the odd balance of the flavor. The combination of lemon balm and pomegranate extract may be the culprit, but this aftertaste is overpowering. It’s like a powdery residue that hasn’t completely dissolved, which is hard to describe (ヽ´ω`).

Playboy Energy Drink Ingredients

It contains 70mg of caffeine, 70mg of carnitine, 50mg of guarana, and 200mg of ginseng as its main ingredients. Also included are 50mg of lemon balm and 50mg of pomegranate extract.

Although the product is made in America, it seems to have been imported for domestic sale in Japan. However, it doesn't contain any particularly “foreign” ingredients. When I tried the American version of Playboy Energy Drink, it was fun to check out both the taste and the ingredients, but this one felt a bit underwhelming.

It Would Have Been Better to Stay True to the Playboy Energy Drink Concept

The American version of Playboy Energy Drink had a can design inspired by the night and contained ingredients that weren’t found in other energy drinks, which made it an interesting, if not particularly tasty, product. The overall design was playful and created a unique energy drink experience. For more details, check out the review of the American Playboy Energy Drink.

The product released in Japan, however, while manufactured in America, ended up focusing more on a message of “supporting beautiful men and women who want to lead an active lifestyle” and “energizing Japanese women,” which is more typical of energy drinks on the market. The ingredients are just like those of any other brand.

The simple can design was easy to picture but felt like a missed opportunity. While taste is certainly important for this kind of drink, bringing out a sense of fun and uniqueness could have made it far more impactful.

Playboy Energy Drink (Japan Release)
With this approach, it just feels like another “energy drink for women” (-_-;)

What Energy Drink Kun Might Have Done with the Playboy Energy Drink

Since they have the Playboy brand to work with, why not have a catchphrase like “Sexy energy blend to make your night-time activity levels hit maximum”? That would have been more fitting. It seems like a wasted opportunity not to push the brand further. If such a phrase were on the can, wouldn't you want to pick it up at least once? (*´艸｀*)

Then, set up a display with lighting in the bar areas of clubs in major metropolitan areas, using glamorous models for night scenes, and distribute it in a way that aligns with the brand image. The brand recognition could be established that way. If only they could improve the taste more (；´∀｀)

Ultimately, what matters is that, given how unique and well-known the Playboy brand is, the key to success lies in executing a strong, clear concept. Considering that people might continue buying it at double the price of regular juices just because it's Playboy, or buy it from special distribution channels, it's clear that getting the approach right is quite tricky.