In October, endurance sports nutrition specialist Island Boost began an IndieGoGo crowd funding campaign to fund the required laboratory testing for its chocolate flavoured athletic fuel and bring it to market. Due to cost pressures, FDA testing and other regulations involved in the production of a chocolate-flavoured product, Island Boost had to find creative ways to obtain capital to continue its business.
Crowd-funding, a method of raising capital in small amounts from a large group of people using the Internet and social media, seemed like the perfect way to meet the challenges facing the young brand.
To generate excitement for the crowd funding campaign, Island Boost is taking things even further to help generate attention. It is opening a special reward tier for an individual who would like to see their picture and name on an Island Boost packet.
Plus, this individual would get to create the idea for the next flavour that will be developed after chocolate. According to Island Boost’s VP of Operations, Chris Cooper, “Nobody would ever do this. We’re breaking all branding guidelines and putting a customer’s name and face on the package.”
The Island Boost IndieGoGo campaign has unique reward tiers for backers of the campaign which include, but are not limited to:
- Custom, hand-tailored triathlete tanks designed for each individual backer;
- Samples of an Island Boost prototype premium toffee specially formulated for endurance athletes; and
- A variety of hats, visors, temporary tattoos and other Island Boost branded products.
Island Boost’s crowd funding campaign runs until 30 November 2013, and information can be found at:
igg.me/at/IslandBoost/x/4020709
Island Boost is a new, ‘premium sports energy product in the same category as the popular gels used by athletes to improve their performance during workouts and competitive events.’ According to its website, Island Boost is unique from its competitors in the following ways:
- It provides energy four times faster than traditional fuels
- No artificial carbohydrates (most use maltodextrin)
- Very gentle on the stomach (many people get sick using the major brands)
- It is a liquid – not a gel which annoyingly coats the mouth and throat
- Simple list of ingredients anyone can pronounce
- No GMO ingredients
- Gluten Free
- Vegan
