Sip Smart. Stay Sharp.

An overview to tickle your tastebuds

Energy drinks promise instant energy, focus and performance – but the reality is very different.

jamjar was commissioned by the Blaenau Gwent Food Partnership to develop a bilingual campaign to reduce energy drink consumption among young people and promote healthier alternatives such as water, sleep and balanced nutrition.

Working with young people, schools and community partners, we developed “Sip Smart. Stay Sharp.” — an engaging campaign designed to challenge the myths around energy drinks and encourage smarter choices.

Through digital-first content, educational resources and eye-catching creative, the campaign tackled the social normalisation of energy drinks while positioning healthy habits as the real source of energy.

Lifting the lid on the brief

Research showed that energy drinks are widely consumed by teenagers, often driven by marketing that associates them with sport, gaming and social success.

A local survey found that 63% of students reported drinking energy drinks regularly,

The challenge was to change perceptions and behaviours without sounding preachy or out of touch.

The campaign needed to:

• Challenge the myths around energy drinks and their perceived benefits
• Promote healthier alternatives, particularly water
• Engage young people in a way that felt authentic and relatable
• Provide resources that schools, parents and community organisations could use to support conversations about healthier habits
• Deliver all materials bilingually in Welsh and English

Our recipe for success

Co-producing the campaign

Young people were involved in shaping the campaign from the outset, helping inform the tone, messaging and visual style. This ensured the campaign felt authentic and spoke directly to the audience it was designed to influence.

Reframing the energy conversation

Rather than focusing solely on negative health warnings, the campaign reframed the narrative.

The central message — “Sip Smart. Stay Sharp.” — positioned healthier habits such as hydration, sleep and balanced nutrition as the real drivers of energy, focus and performance.

Digital-first creative

To reach young audiences where they spend their time, the campaign was designed primarily for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Content included:

• Short-form content explaining the “buzz and crash” effect of energy drinks
• Snackable social media graphics
• Social-first creative formats inspired by popular online trends

Creative that cuts through

Alongside the positive messaging, we developed a series of posters and social media assets highlighting the visible effects energy drinks can have on appearance.

These visuals showed the impact of caffeine and sugar on sleep, skin and teeth – creating a striking contrast with the aspirational lifestyle promoted by energy drink brands.

Designed for social sharing, the content drew inspiration from formats such as “Get Ready With Me” videos to make the message relatable and engaging for young audiences.

Supporting schools and communities

To extend the impact beyond social media, we created a suite of bilingual resources for schools, parents and community organisations, including:

• Campaign posters and graphics
• Youth and parent guides
• Classroom PowerPoint lessons and teaching materials
• A Myth vs Fact classroom quiz
• Partner toolkits for youth organisations and community groups

Proof is in the pudding

The Sip Smart. Stay Sharp. campaign provided Blaenau Gwent with a strong, youth-focused approach to tackling energy drink consumption.

By combining co-production, behaviour-change messaging and digital-first creative, the campaign challenged the social normalisation of energy drinks and encouraged healthier habits among young people.

The campaign also equipped schools, families and community organisations with practical tools to continue the conversation — creating a model for how locally-led communications can drive meaningful behaviour change.