First reported by GlobeNewswire, NERD Focus partnered with NASCAR driver Natalie Decker ahead of the Henry 180 Xfinity race on July 3. Rebranded as the “Original Think Drink,” NERD Focus bills itself as the leading focus beverage for energy and concentration.
If you’re like me, new energy drinks catch your eye, especially ones with a name like this. Here’s what I dug up: a brief history, the sponsorship and new brand strategy, and what people say about the taste and kick.
NERD’s history
NERD was born in 2006, when a University of Texas at San Antonio student, with help from his professors, created a “Think Drink” after seeing classmates drink energy drinks with potentially dangerous ingredients. Selling directly to students at his school, NERD built a cult following and expanded to other Texas universities and local retailers.
In 2020, Beverage USA Holdings acquired the company and announced a rebrand, with a new logo meant to resonate “with consumers looking to enhance focus, concentration, memory, and energy.”
The rebrand also brought a retail rollout to New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Nashville, plus availability on NERD’s website, Amazon, Walmart, and other online retailers.
The NASCAR sponsorship
NASCAR wouldn’t have been my first guess for a drink called NERD, but on June 30 the brand announced it would sponsor Eagle River, Wisconsin native Natalie Decker for the Henry 180 Xfinity race at Road America.
“As a professional driver, energy and focus are crucial in getting you across the finish line as quickly as possible,” Decker said. “NERD approached me several months back about trying their brand, and I was instantly intrigued with the boost I felt and how refreshing the taste was.”
“We are so excited to see Natalie NERD-ed out for a big race out in front of her home state fans,” said Howard Davner, CEO of Beverage USA.
What’s in it, and what customers say
Both the Original and Zero Calorie have 128 mg of caffeine per 12 oz can, plus a blend of vitamins and nootropics. NERD claims it will:
- Boost stamina and strength
- Enhance focus and concentration
- Ramp up motivation
- Provide alertness and stimulation
- Improve mood
Sounds cool, but what does it taste like? More focus doesn’t mean much if you can’t get it down, and let’s be honest, we all drink energy drinks for the flavor at least some of the time. Here’s what Amazon reviewers say:
Kosine is all about NERD:
“Nerd is my favorite energy drink, bar none. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and it lacks that acidic bite that monster has, but that makes it better in my opinion. It definitely can keep you awake, but it doesn’t leave you amped like some of the other drinks on the market. It’s more of a calm alertness.”
Wicasawakan likes the kick but can’t place the taste:
“I didn’t like the tropical/citrus flavor. It’s something odd..not mango, not pineapple, maybe guava or lemon/dragon fruit? Really didn’t go for it BUT…the kick of energy was nice to have when I needed it.”
Christopher P. is ecstatic it’s back:
“I was upset for a while cause I couldn’t find nerd. I am so happy to be getting it again. It is the best tasting energy drink on the market. It actually makes you feel awake and like your mind is firing on all cylinders.”
Conclusion
Customers seem generally happy, with a 4.5/5 average on Amazon from 150+ reviews at the time of writing. I’m excited to try it, since there’s always room for a great-tasting, relatively healthy, performance-boosting energy drink. That’s assuming the marketing and reviews are true, of course. It’s the internet; no one lies here.
Had NERD Focus? Tell us and we’ll add it to the review queue. Want to try it? Buy a 12-pack on Amazon.
