WHY FUNCTIONAL DRINKS ARE THE MOST VISUALLY EXCITING CATEGORY IN 2025
FUNCTIONAL DRINKS ARE REWRITING THE RULES OF VISUAL CULTURE
Functional drinks have quietly become one of the most creatively explosive categories in the entire drinks industry. What used to be a niche wellness space has transformed into a fast-shifting landscape of energy drinks, nootropics, hydration boosters, gut health tonics and mood enhancers.
This acceleration has not only changed what people drink, it has completely reshaped how brands communicate and express themselves. You only need to walk down a supermarket aisle to see it. Loud colour stories sit next to clinical, lab-like bottles. Packs designed for social media sit next to others that could be mistaken for skincare. Every brand is trying to signal a benefit, a feeling and a lifestyle, often all at once.
In a category where everyone promises a functional advantage, visuals have become the real battleground. This is why we created the Functional Drinks Visual Audit, a new report that maps the design behaviours driving the category and highlights what brands need to know as they plan for 2025 and beyond.
WHY CONSUMERS ARE DRIVING THE SHIFT
The rise of functional drinks is not just a category story. It reflects much broader cultural changes.
People want more control over their energy, their mood and their wellbeing. Gen Z in particular sees drinks as tools that support their lifestyle, whether that means staying sharp, winding down or improving their gut health. This mindset has pushed the category into rapid expansion, and the brands that are thriving are the ones creating strong emotional signals alongside functional benefits.
The result is a new kind of drinks landscape where aesthetics, lifestyle cues and purpose matter just as much as flavour.
WHY VISUALS CARRY MORE WEIGHT THAN EVER
With so many products offering overlapping promises, consumers rely heavily on visual signals to decide what a drink will do for them.
If a pack looks clinical, it feels credible.
If a pack looks bold and energetic, it feels performance-driven.
If a pack looks soft, natural or minimal, it signals calm and simplicity.
These visual cues are instant and intuitive, which is why brand identity has become a primary driver of choice. The opportunity for functional drinks brands is to create distinctive and consistent visual worlds that communicate their role clearly and avoid blending into the category noise.
A CATEGORY SPLIT BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SPECTACLE
One of the most interesting dynamics in functional drinks is the creative split that has emerged.
On one side, brands have adopted a cleaner and more clinical aesthetic. Minimal labels, soft greys, precise typography and science-first messaging have created a sense of credibility and proof. These brands use visual restraint to communicate trust and quality, which resonates with consumers who no longer buy into vague wellness claims.
On the other side, the category has embraced intensity. Neon palettes, bold gradients, oversized fonts and hyperactive layouts are dominating the shelves. These brands lean into energy, speed and performance and use colour as a competitive weapon. The aesthetic is chaotic in the best way, and it reflects the fast, high-impact benefits these products promise.
Both styles are effective, and both are shaping the future of the category. What matters is how brands apply these cues with clarity and confidence.
WHY WE CREATED THE FUNCTIONAL DRINKS VISUAL AUDIT
As the category accelerates, brands are borrowing cues from beauty, tech, fashion, gaming and wellness. Visual codes are shifting quickly, crossover is increasing and new aesthetic behaviours are emerging with real influence.
A category we have long been interested since our first WonderNETwork webinar on the topic, we created the Functional Drinks Visual Audit to give marketers a clear, visual understanding of where the category is heading and how brands can stand out. The report shows how the landscape is evolving and highlights the opportunities for sharper positioning, better storytelling and more effective design.
It is a fast and focused way to see the category from a new angle.
Explore the full report
Our new Functional Drinks Visual Audit takes you deeper into the visual worlds shaping the category and highlights the shifts every drinks brand should be watching.