Case Study: Orka’s Relatable, Ridiculous, and Really Smart Social Strategy

We’ve all seen them. Some of you might even have a favorite flavor, logo, or go-to when you need that extra boost to get through your jam-packed day.

Energy drinks.

They are everywhere. The market is packed. New brands are popping up constantly, all promising more this and better that.

With so many different options, how do individual brands get noticed? How do they catch their audiences’ eye? How do they stand out?

The answer: A solid social media strategy.

It takes more than a few sales posts and trendy influencer deals to stand out. In a space that is this competitive, strategy is SO important. The brands that win are the ones telling a clear, consistent, and compelling message everywhere their audience scrolls. 

Introducing…Orka! 

Orka is “the energy drink that tastes like water.” This is a zero calorie, zero sugar, zero artificial sweeteners energy drink, made with just five ingredients. The brand also is “known” for advertising its “hot founders.” In their own words, “Rest assured the brains behind Orka sit inside bodies that are considered conventionally attractive.”

Why Orka’s Niche Steely Dan Giveaway Is a Social Media Win

As a promo, Orka offered a 200% discount to anyone who closely resembled a member of Steely Dan. This included a free case and a $34.99 Venmo payment. Then they posted the winners, complete with some weirdly accurate lookalikes. It’s unusual. It’s kind of bold. But in the social world, this is a big win. This is the exact kind of content that drives engagement and builds strong brand loyalty. 

This post boosts engagement by encouraging the audience to actively join in on the experience. Viewers are encouraged to jump in on the fun by sharing their own photos, commenting, and potentially tagging/sharing with their friends. The highly specific and goofy aspects of this content will naturally grab anyone’s attention and prompt interaction. That kind of participation gets people talking and sharing, reaching way beyond Orka’s usual audience. 

This strategy helps build brand loyalty by allowing the audience to feel connected. Orka’s wacky vibe shows they’re not afraid to be different and that they value their community. When people feel like they’re part of a joke or experience, it creates a connection that goes beyond just a product. Plus, the anticipation of seeing the winners keeps followers returning to Orka’s social pages and sparks a genuine relationship with loyal supporters for the future. 

Orka’s QR Code Game: Silly? Yes. Strategic? Absolutely.

Each can of Orka’s energy drink has a QR code that sends customers to a surprise destination. This could include anything from the instructions on how to play the classic game UNO to James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” music video. Then, they promote the whole experience across all of their social media platforms, turning something as simple as a drink into an interactive opportunity.

This is such a smart move!! Not only does it boost engagement (who doesn’t want to see where all the different QR codes lead?), but it also gives people a reason to keep coming back, on social media and to their online shopping cart. 

Even more importantly, this type of content fuels their brand awareness. By promoting the mystery and fun of the QR codes on social media, Orka builds anticipation and sparks buzz in the social space. They’re creating engagement-driving moments around the product itself, making it feel like an experience people have to try for themselves. Even just advertising the presence of QR codes on social media adds a layer of curiosity and mystery—turning a can into a conversation starter in the comment section! When your product and your social strategy work together like that,  you’re grabbing attention, building brand awareness, memorability, and brand loyalty.

Orka’s TikTok Strategy: Humor, Voice, and a Whole Lot of Unfiltered Energy

Orka’s founders took some of the business “advice” that they are glad they didn’t listen to and turned it into a very memorable TikTok. “Influencers don’t want shirtless photos of your parents,” and “your customers don’t want your hair.” Crazy? Yes. But it worked. 

This TikTok wasn’t just funny, it was perfect for the kind of cultural language and energy Gen Z engages with. Gen Zers are the main demographic purchasing energy drinks, and Orka is well aware of this. This generation doesn’t want overly polished, boring content. They want to laugh, feel seen, and scroll through something that actually stands out. 

Plus, this TikTok displays something bigger: you don’t have to play by everyone else’s rules to succeed on social media. When you find your voice and stop trying to fit into a specific niche, your content goes further, feels better, and builds a brand that people genuinely want to stick around for. 

Takeaways for Your Social Media Strategy

You don’t need a huge ad budget to make a real impact. BUT we can learn a few quick tips from Orka’s social media strategy.

1. Focus on building a community and creating participation opportunites.

   Orka’s Steely Dan promo drives high engagement rates through comments, shares, and involvement. This also deepens brand loyalty by making followers feel part of the experience.

2. Create interactive moments and promote them on all social channels.

   Orka’s QR codes turn a simple drink into a fun experience that drives engagement and repeat visits.

3. Find your unique voice.

   Humor and relatability, like Orka’s unfiltered TikTok, resonate, especially with Gen Z. 

What’s one bold, maybe a little wacky, idea that your small business hasn’t tried out yet?