STUDENT BLOGS: The rise and fall of Prime & Information for would-be dog owners

Aspiring young RGS journalists have been making headlines in a local press scheme to encourage young reporters. KATY THODY, 14, from Burton Leonard, writes about the rise and fall of the Prime drink and what you need to know before you get a dog

The rise and fall of Prime

IN late 2022, around December, a boy from my class came to school waving a luminescent bottle. This drink could only have been Prime, although I didn’t know it at the time. As the brainchild of KSI and Logan Paul, the drink comes in many different flavours and has bright, memorable packaging. After revealing he had the drink, the boy was immediately asked by fellow classmates for sips and capfuls. He refused to part with the drink, relenting only to offer a deal that could only be described as both entrepreneurial and laughable. “£2 for a sip, £4 for a capful” he shouted, struggling to make himself heard.

I struggled not to laugh. Did he really think people would part with two pounds for a miniscule amount of a drink I’d never even heard of? Turns out he was the one laughing though – he made a decent amount of money. What had at first baffled me soon became part of the normal routine. People would beg for Prime, trade it and even pay the owner a stupid amount of money for a sip. Parents and children would wait outside shops for as much as an hour during the times they knew the drinks would be delivered. Some even urged members of staff to try and get them to open the boxes sooner. This continued in my life at home , where my brother, who was at the time ten, was repeatedly asking for Prime any chance he got. My family looked everywhere, scouring empty shelves and asking classmates if they had any available bottles. My mother finally saw some in a London sweet shop but, as the price was £24.99, she decided that no drink was worth that. Finally, by chance, my mother and brother found Prime at the local Spar. How did they get it? They had to ask behind the counter and were only allowed two bottles- one each - as the demand was so high. Yet, when I finally tasted Prime, after months of my family searching for it to make my brother happy, I was deeply underwhelmed. The drink was sickly sweet and tasted much like the cough medicine I dreaded having when I was small. Asking my brother if he had enjoyed it, he said – with a huge grin on his sticky face- “It was amazing!” I am still struggling to believe him as everyone else in my family who has tried Prime thought the same as I did.

Now, six months later, it seems a struggle to comprehend that was once the reality. Stacks of Prime frequent Sainsbury’s and many children pretend they never once wanted the drink. Although some still drink and enjoy the product, the hype of six months ago seems like a distant memory. Prime is a symbol of marketing in the digital age – wanted for months but then left untouched only a short while later. Maybe now, in the digital age, the only reception products can hope to have is a short but lucrative one. Prime was by no means a failure - Logan Paul and KSI achieved great success with the drink for a number of months. The question is, will other celebrity products aspire to do the same or aim for longevity?

Five things to know before getting a dog

MY family and I have had our dog for almost a year now. As it gets closer to the one-year anniversary of the day we brought him home, I have been thinking about the advice I would give to people acquiring their first dog. Since owning our dog, we have discovered many things we never thought of before, and there are more things to take into consideration than you might realise.

1) A dog’s size can have a significant impact! A small dog is much easier to carry around and to get in and out of cars, but a large dog’s bark is often less grating. As a family, we like to go on long walks in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside and we always take our dog with us. However, as with many countryside walks, there are often stiles to cross over. When we reach a stile, we are always glad that we have a small dog, as it makes it very easy to simply pick him up. It also makes our pet much easier to manage when he misbehaves or gets too excited around other dogs. However, as I say that, having a small dog can have a downside. Generally, the smaller the dog, the higher-pitched the bark and this become annoying. Our dog's barking can sometimes impair our concentration- from my parents’ working to my sister and I doing our homework. Is being able to pick your dog up a must or is having the least annoying bark more important to you?

2) Dogs are often welcome in various places and attractions. Many shops, restaurants and hotels in Yorkshire are dog-friendly and indicate this with a sticker on the shop window- which often has a paw-print on! This means you and your dog can relax together in a hotel after a long walk or you can enjoy a meal without sacrificing your dog’s company. However, many attractions and places don’t welcome dogs, so it's something to think about when you plan your day. You will also need to think about who will look after your pet during school and working hours. During the working week, a dog still needs to be looked after. Whether you work in an office or from home, a dog can really affect your working habits.

3)Booking holiday arrangements early is the key to owning a dog and still being able to travel where you wish. You may think that booking a hotel and sorting out your travel arrangements is all the long-term planning you need but...think again! Dog sitters get booked up very quickly, and the longer you leave it the more expensive it gets - as all the reasonably priced places will be full.

4) Dogs can often be very expensive. Food, bedding and toys all come at a price and vet visits can be extremely frequent. There are many health problems that could await a dog, from worms to injured limbs. Dogs only get more expensive as they get older, from increased vet bills to eating more food.

5) Finally, having a dog opens up conversations with strangers. Depending on your mood this may be a good or bad thing. You may want to talk to a fellow dog owner, or maybe you just want to get home after a long and tiring walk. People will admire how cute your dog is and often ask to pet or touch your dog. You will certainly have more human interactions once you get a dog!

*These articles appeared in the Darlington & Stockton Times Young Reporter pages