ZOA Energy: Fueling Customer Loyalty with Gamification

ZOA Energy Introduction

ZOA Energy had strong brand recognition backed by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's involvement and rapid retail expansion across North America. The brand generated over $100 million in sales in 2022 with 138% year-over-year growth, establishing itself as a major player in the better-for-you energy drink category.

Available in over 25,000 US retail locations and 86,000+ points of distribution, plus 3,500+ brick-and-mortar stores across Canada including Circle K, Couche Tard, Federated Co-Op, Metro, Costco, and Parkland, ZOA had built an impressive physical retail presence. However, converting that massive reach into sustained direct-to-consumer purchasing behavior on their Shopify Plus store proved challenging.

The Challenge

Energy drink consumers often switch between brands based on availability, promotions, or simply trying something new. With rising customer acquisition costs and intense competition from established players like Red Bull, Monster, and Celsius, ZOA needed a way to build lasting relationships with their DTC customers—turning one-time buyers into loyal brand advocates who would choose ZOA again and again.

The challenge was clear: how do you create an emotional connection with customers in a category often driven by impulse purchases and convenience? ZOA needed a loyalty solution that matched their brand's energetic, achievement-oriented positioning while driving measurable retention improvements.

The Gameball Implementation

ZOA Energy implemented Gameball's gamification-powered loyalty program using Gameball's app on Shopify, creating the "ZOA Warrior Rewards" experience. The program was designed to mirror the brand's "Fuel Something Bigger" ethos—transforming routine purchases into achievements and making customers feel like they're part of something larger than just buying energy drinks.

Points-Based Earning System: Customers earn 1 point for every $1 spent on ZOA products. This straightforward mechanic ensures every purchase feels rewarding and builds toward meaningful rewards. The simplicity of the earning structure makes it easy for customers to understand and engage with the program from their very first order.

Challenge Board: The heart of the gamification experience. Customers complete challenges to earn bonus points beyond their regular purchases. Challenges include:

• "First Order" - 20 points for making your first purchase
• "Three Orders" - Bonus points for building purchase consistency
• "Five Orders" - Rewards for becoming a regular customer
• "Ten Orders" - Recognition for loyal ZOA Warriors
• "Try All ZOA+ Flavors" - 100 points for product exploration
• Social Media Challenges for following ZOA on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (Twitter), and YouTube extend the relationship beyond the store. These challenges:
  • Build community around the brand
  • Increase social media engagement and reach
  • Keep ZOA top-of-mind between purchases
  • Leverage Dwayne Johnson's massive social following (278M+ Instagram followers)

This gamified approach transforms routine purchases into achievements, giving customers goals to work toward and creating anticipation for their next order.

Birthday Rewards: Personalized birthday rewards create emotional touchpoints beyond transactions, making customers feel valued and remembered. This personal touch strengthens the relationship between the brand and its community.

Tiered VIP Progression: Three VIP levels create an aspirational journey for customers:

• Warrior - Entry tier for all program members
• Elite - Unlocked at 500 points, includes free merchandise rewards
• Champion - Top tier at 1,000 points with exclusive perks and recognition

The tier names align perfectly with ZOA's brand identity—customers aren't just earning discounts, they're becoming Warriors and Champions. This creates emotional investment in the program and drives continued engagement as customers work to reach the next level.

Flexible Redemption Options: Points convert to practical rewards that customers actually want:

• 75 points - Free shipping on any order
• 100 points - 10% off your next purchase
• 200 points - 20% off your next purchase
• 500 points - Exclusive ZOA merchandise

The variety of redemption options ensures customers at every point level have something meaningful to redeem, keeping engagement high throughout their journey.

Referral Program: The program incentivizes word-of-mouth marketing with a dual reward structure:

• Referrers earn 25 points for each successful referral
• New customers receive $5 off their first order

This creates a win-win situation that turns satisfied customers into brand advocates, driving new customer acquisition through trusted personal recommendations.

The Results

ZOA Energy achieved significant improvements in customer retention and repeat purchase behavior on their DTC channel. The program's success stems from several key factors:

Brand Alignment: The gamification mechanics perfectly match ZOA's brand identity. The "Warrior" and "Champion" tier names, the achievement-focused challenges, and the "Fuel Something Bigger" messaging create a cohesive experience that feels authentically ZOA rather than a generic loyalty program bolted on.

Multiple Engagement Touchpoints: Between points earning, challenge completion, tier progression, social media engagement, and referrals, customers have numerous reasons to interact with the brand beyond just making purchases. This multi-faceted approach keeps ZOA top-of-mind and builds deeper relationships.

Aspirational Progression: The tiered structure creates goals for customers to work toward. The desire to reach "Elite" or "Champion" status drives continued engagement and purchases, turning what could be one-time buyers into committed brand advocates.

Practical Value: The redemption options—free shipping, percentage discounts, and exclusive merchandise—provide real value that customers appreciate. This ensures the program doesn't feel like empty gamification but delivers tangible benefits.

The ZOA Warrior Rewards program demonstrates how gamification can transform a transactional DTC relationship into an engaging brand experience. By aligning loyalty mechanics with brand identity and providing meaningful rewards, ZOA has built a program that customers genuinely enjoy participating in—driving retention and lifetime value in a highly competitive category.

About ZOA Energy

ZOA Energy is a better-for-you energy drink brand co-founded in 2021 by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi, and John Shulman. The brand features zero-sugar energy drinks with caffeine derived from green tea and green coffee beans, plus electrolytes, B & C vitamins, and amino acids.

In November 2024, Molson Coors acquired a majority stake in ZOA, providing additional resources to scale the brand's growth across North America and internationally. The brand boasts a 50% repeat purchase rate and attracts 30% of buyers who are new to the energy drink category—demonstrating its appeal to health-conscious consumers looking for better alternatives.

Sources

• ‍Molson Coors Investor Relations - Majority Stake Announcement‍
• Food Manufacturing - Molson Coors Expands Investment‍
• CSP Daily News - ZOA Energy Acquisition‍
• BeverageDaily - ZOA Clean Energy Strategy‍
• ZOA Energy Blog - Canada Expansion