Sports figures and packaging go together like Michael Jordan and Wheaties. Now e-sports celebrities are also popping up on packaging for mass-market brands: Red Bull has launched a limited-edition can celebrating 27-year-old videogaming superstar Tyler “Ninja” Blevins.

The front of the energy-drink can is printed with the gamer’s Ninja logo and two likenesses of Blevins. One image is a portrait of the gamer wearing his signature Ninja X Red Bull head band, and the other shows Blevins performing his popular PonPon dance.

The 8.4-oz cans are sold in four-packs and 12-packs; the paperboard secondary packaging is printed with the same graphics as the Ninja can. The packaging rolled out to retailers nationwide on April 1 and will be available while supplies last.

As part of the Ninja campaign, Red Bull is encouraging gamers to visit a promotional website where they can compete for prizes by uploading photos and videos displaying their gaming skills and creativity. The grand-prize winner will be flown, with a friend, to a Red Bull gaming event for “a meet and greet gaming session with Ninja.” Additional prizes include gaming gear and Red Bull merchandise.

Blevins has risen through the gaming ranks to become the most popular streaming gamer on Twitch, with 14 million followers on that platform. He also has 22 million YouTube subscribers and 4.22 million Twitter followers.

********************************************************************************

EastPack 2019 (June 11-13) is the region's premier packaging event connecting professionals from companies like PepsiCo, Pepperidge Farms and Mars with suppliers offering the latest packaging technologies, including a range of automation solutions, from semi-automatic equipment to sophisticated "smart" systems. Register to attend today!