• by Danielle Oster , Staff Writer, August 6, 2024

For celebrity-founded brands, the star power associated with the big names behind their brands is typically viewed as their greatest asset. But those close ties can also be a major liability, particularly when the celebrity in question is prone to gaffes or controversy.

Prime, the hydration and energy drink brand co-founded by controversial influencer Logan Paul, may be facing something of a brand perception headache due to some of Paul’s recent toxic comments. Last Friday afternoon, Paul acknowledged his role in spreading misinformation about Algeria women’s Olympic boxer Imane Khelif in a post, while not apologizing for his actions.

In a since-deleted post on Twitter, Paul had falsely accused Khelif of being “a man,”  joining a handful of prominent anti-trans celebrities -- including the platform’s owner, Elon Musk –  in falsely stating or suggesting that Khelif is “a man” or a transgender woman. “This is the purest form of evil unfolding right before our eyes,” Paul wrote in the original post. “A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end.”

Khelif is a cisgender woman, who was identified female as birth and is identified as such on all official documents. Algeria, Khelif’s home country, does not allow citizens to change the gender listed on official documents, nor does it legally permit gender affirming medical care or surgery for trans people.

On Friday, Paul shared a post alluding to his role in “spreading misinformation,” while not apologizing for his actions, and sharing unverified claims about Khelif’s gender identity. “OOPSIES. I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app,” he wrote. “Although she’s been previously disqualified for failing a “gender test” and has XY chromosomes, some sources say Imane Khelif was born a biological woman. I stand by my sentiment that biological men should not compete against biological women in any sport and if you disagree you’re a sick fuck.”

Marketing Daily reached out to Prime more than 24 hours ago to request comment and clarify whether Paul’s comments reflected the view of the brand or its stakeholders, but has yet to receive a response.

The misinformation shared by Paul stemmed, in part, from Khelif’s previous disqualification, along with another female boxer, by the International Association of Boxing (IAB) in 2023. In a statement, the IAB claimed that “ the athletes did not undergo a testosterone examination but were subject to a separate and recognized test, whereby the specifics remain confidential,” and that their disqualification resulted from “their failure to meet the eligibility criteria for participating in the women’s competition."

“The whole process is flawed,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said in a statement, describing the IAB’s alleged test results as “so flawed that it’s impossible to engage with it.”

In a new conference last Saturday, IOC president Thomas Bach called out comments on social targeting Khelif and another women’s boxing contestant as “hate speech,” “aggression and abuse” which he described as “totally unacceptable.”

Paul, and Prime Hydration, are no strangers to controversy. Refresco Beverages US Inc. recently filed a $68 million lawsuit against the company, alleging that Prime reneged on its three year deal with the beverage bottler, according to Bloomberg Law. Back in April, Paul shared a video to Instagram addressing a separate lawsuit filed against the company for polyfluoroalkyl (PFAs) “forever chemicals” allegedly found in “significant” amounts in Prime’s grape-flavored hydration drink -- which the complaint contends was marketed to “health-conscious individuals.”