• by Danielle Oster , March 4, 2025

Nutrabolt's C4 Energy drink has drafted a few pro football stars for a campaign positioning the brand as “Made for Athletes. Certified for Sport.”

C4 claims the positioning is backed by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) “Certified for Sport” designation, which indicates products that don’t contain “unsafe levels of athletic banned substances” and are used by sports leagues including NASCAR, the NBA, NHL, NFL, and PGA.

“This campaign marks the latest chapter in educating consumers on our dedication to athletic performance and ingredient safety, while also underscoring our commitment to sports,” Nutrabolt CMO Robert Zajac said in a statement.

Nutrabolt partnered with independent creative agency Flower Shop on the effort, and recruited some star power for the video at the center of the campaign. The athletes included pro football stars Bijan Robinson, a Pro Bowl running back for the Atlanta Falcons; Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, the number two draft pick in 2023; and Cam Ward, who won the Manning Award for top college quarterback with the Miami Hurricanes and is expected to be a top NFL draft pick.

The campaign launched today and is rolling out nationally across digital content, social media, retail marketing, OOH, and product integrations during “major sports moments.”

“The fact that C4 is NSF certified as ‘safe for sport’ provided us with a unique way in: the drink is rigorously tested and optimized for peak performance, without breaking any rules. This speaks to the nature of elite sport and the athlete mindset, and the goal in the campaign was to channel this focus at every touch point," Al Merry, co-founder and CCO of Flower Shop, said in a statement. "We wanted the creative to feel like it had been made on the run, drinking a can of C4.”

“Made for Athletes. Certified for Sport” evolves from a longer-running focus for the brand on sports, football, and star athletes in the early stages of their careers -- including a prior relationship with the campaign’s two NFL stars, Robinson and Stroud.

“When we work with athletes, and specifically NFL players, there is a natural fit and alignment because C4 Energy is what they are used to having in the locker room,”  Katie Geyer, vice president of talent, partnerships and experiences for C4 Energy parent company Nutrabolt, told Marketing Daily in September of 2023, discussing its “Energy That Hits” campaign ahead of the NFL season.