Geekhub caught up with Lucky Hustle, Hydra Flava and Slayer Energy Drink, and what we found was way more interesting than just another brand crossover.
Somewhere between my 10th boring press release of the week and the umpteenth brand claiming to be “changing the game,” something really cool landed on my desk to brighten up the week.
It was a media pack consisting of some really cool stuff, including a Slayer energy drink, Hydra Flava Vape and some Lucky Hustle merch.
It turned out to be a limited-edition collab between Lucky Hustle, Hydra Flava and Slayer Energy Drink, built around a fictional character called Unlucky Kyle.
Now this is usually the kind of thing that could go either brilliantly right or spectacularly wrong.
So naturally, Geekhub wanted to know more.
We got the chance to chat to the guys behind it, and what started as “cool flavour, fun teaser video” quickly turned into something more interesting: a story about local brands, creative chaos, and what happens when you stop trying to market like everyone else.
And yes, before we go any further, I’ve tried the Limited Edition Unlucky Lemonade flavour and it’s fanatstic.
At First, It Sounds Like A Slightly Unhinged Idea
Think about this for a second. A creative agency, an energy drink brand and a vape company come up with a lemonade flavour and a fictional unlucky character with an emotional backstory.
You can’t blame anyone for raising an eyebrow.
But the more I sat with it, and really considered what the founders had to say, the more this thing started making a weird amount of sense.
Because beneath that initial feeling of what the heck is happening here, you start to realise this isn’t just a random crossover.
It’s a bunch of local brands led by some “Madmen” that clearly understood one thing:
If you can’t market louder, you better market smarter.
But more importantly, you better make it memorable and entertaining.
That’s really where this whole thing begins.
This Was Never Going to Be a Normal Campaign
When Geekhub spoke to Lucky Hustle CEO Darren Morris, one thing became obvious very quickly: nobody involved was interested in making another boring, safe, forgettable campaign.
According to Darren, the whole thing really started from frustration. Not just with advertising, but with how brands, especially in heavily regulated categories, are supposed to show up at all without sounding generic or dead inside.
Hydra Flava came into the picture after seeing Lucky Hustle’s earlier work with Slayer, and from there, it sounds like things escalated in exactly the way all good local ideas do: quickly, loudly and with just enough chaos to make it interesting.
That’s also probably why this collab doesn’t feel overcooked.
Nobody here seems interested in pretending this is some big corporate innovation exercise. They honestly just wanted to make something cool.
And they absolutely nailed it.
Then There’s Kyle. Poor, Unfortunate Kyle.
The real hero of this story, if we can call him that, is Unlucky Kyle.
A character who feels like he was created specifically for anyone who’s ever had a week where life looked them dead in the eyes and said, “not today, my boy.”
Kyle is the centre of the campaign, and yes the character is a little exaggerated, but he’s also what gives this whole thing a heartbeat.
Because now it’s not just a flavour launch, it’s a story. And the best part is that the name wasn’t some deep strategic invention either. Darren told us the character was named after the actual creative, Kyle Anthony, who helped bring the idea to life. Which somehow makes the whole thing even better.
Slayer CEO Denis Vaden told Geekhub that what he loves about Kyle is how recognisable he is. He’s unlucky, sure, but he also keeps pushing through the nonsense. And honestly, that’s probably why the character works so well. He feels familiar.
We all know a Kyle.
Some of us are Kyle.
And maybe that’s why the whole thing feels a lot more alive than your average “limited edition launch.”
Now Let’s Talk About the Flavour, Because This Is Where It Gets Very Real
I don’t usually get emotionally invested in launches. I’ve been through so many of them, it’s like just another Monday. But this one deserves a little respect.
When Geekhub asked Hydra Flava CEO Ivan Lima what they wanted this collab to feel like, not just taste like, his answer actually explained a lot.
This wasn’t built around what would sell best to the broadest audience or some boring “safe commercial profile” designed to offend absolutely nobody. It was built with more freedom than usual, which meant they could create something that actually matched the mood of the story.
And that’s exactly what it tastes like.
Unlucky Lemonade blends lemonade, strawberry and lime, and somehow manages to feel both clean and layered at the same time.
And the explanation behind it is a bit ridiculous in the best way:
Had love (strawberry) and lost it (lime) on top of lemonade.
That sentence should annoy me as peak marketing B.S
Instead, it made me laugh and nod like an idiot because after trying it… it weirdly tracks.
That’s what I mean when I say this collab works. It’s not just packaging and content for vibes. There’s actual real thought, perhaps art in the thing and it’s bloody brilliant.
There’s Also Something Very South African About All Of This
And I think that’s the bit that stuck with me most after speaking to these guys. This doesn’t feel like a local brand trying to imitate what international brands think “cool” looks like. Which if we’re being honest is what almost every brand tries to do these days.
It feels local in the right way. It’s a bit rough around the edges, just the right amount of funny and a little unhinged. It’s almost a throwback to the ultimate South African “we’ll make a plan.”
Ivan made the point that a lot of people still don’t fully understand how genuinely local Hydra Flava is. It’s not just a local brand, but the developement and production is all done locally. This is designed and made for South Africans, by South Africans.
And Denis from Slayer was equally blunt about the bigger challenge: hype means absolutely nothing if you don’t have the production, pricing and distribution to back it up. Which is a very real problem when local brands are trying to compete against global players with budgets larger than some of our municipalities.
That’s why this collab matters more than it probably looks at first glance.
This is a bunch of local brands, locally built businesses who actually understand that attention today has to be earned, not just bought. They’re earning it every day and as South Africans we should be super proud
So Here’s Geekhub’s Take
The truth is this could’ve been super cringe. A collab like this has all the ingredients to become a painfully overbranded mess.
Yet somehow, it doesn’t.
It feels self-aware. Brilliantly fun. And properly local.
But most importantly, it feels like the people behind it actually enjoyed making it.
That matters more than people think. Because you can feel when something was built out of obligation.
And you can feel when something was built because the people involved thought, “this would be cool.”
In a world full of overthought campaigns, boring corporate launches and painful attempts at local relevance, that’s worth paying attention to.
Also, let’s not forget, the flavour is really very, very good.
I’m just saying.
Win 1 of 3 Lucky Hustle x Hydra Flava x Slayer Gift Packs
And because no good collab should end at “that was nice,” Geekhub is also giving readers a chance to get in on the action.
We’re giving away 3 exclusive gift packs, each packed with merch from Lucky Hustle, Hydra Flava and Slayer Energy Drink, including the limited-edition Unlucky Lemonade vape.
How to Enter
Roll the dice:
🎲 Follow Lucky Hustle, Hydra Flava and Slayer Energy Drink on Instagram
🎲 Like the competition post on Facebook
🎲 Tag 2 people who owe you a favour
If luck’s on your side, it’s yours.
If not… better luck next drop.
Competition Terms
- Open to South African residents only
- 18 years and older only
- 3 winners will be selected
- Winners announced 10 April 2026
- Winners will each receive one gift hamper
- Prize is not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash
Important: This giveaway includes a vape-related product and is strictly intended for adults aged 18 and over.
