red bull marketing case study pdf

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Red Bull Global Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study

Red Bull, the renowned beverage company, has captivated the world with its groundbreaking marketing strategy. In this case study, we delve into the key elements that have contributed to Red Bull’s phenomenal success. From innovative branding approaches to strategic partnerships, captivating content creation, and digital engagement, Red Bull has paved the way for a new era of marketing tactics.

Key Takeaways:

• Red Bull’s marketing strategy is built on a strong brand positioning that associates the product with extreme sports and an active lifestyle.
• The brand has successfully utilized sponsorships and event marketing to create a distinct image and gain visibility.
• Content creation and distribution through various media channels have allowed Red Bull to engage its target audience effectively.
• Red Bull has been a pioneer in digital and social media marketing , utilizing platforms to connect with its audience and collaborate with influencers.
• The brand’s iconic product packaging and branding have played a significant role in its success, standing out on store shelves.

Brand Positioning: Redefining Energy Drinks

Red Bull has positioned itself as more than just an energy drink, redefining the entire industry. Unlike traditional soft drink brands, Red Bull has associated its product with extreme sports, adventure, and an active lifestyle. Through strategic brand positioning, Red Bull has created a distinct image that attracts thrill-seeking consumers and sets it apart from the competition in the energy drink industry.

Creating a Unique Brand Image

Red Bull’s brand image is built on the foundation of adrenaline-pumping events and athletes. By aligning itself with extreme sports and adventure, Red Bull has successfully tapped into the desires and aspirations of its target audience. This brand positioning not only positions Red Bull as a provider of energy but also as a lifestyle brand that encourages consumers to push their boundaries and seek excitement.

Differentiating from Competitors

In a saturated market, Red Bull’s brand positioning has played a crucial role in differentiating itself from other energy drink brands. By associating its product with extreme sports and adventure, Red Bull has successfully carved out a unique niche. This positioning allows the brand to connect with consumers who value an active and daring lifestyle, offering something beyond the typical energy boost provided by other drinks.

Appealing to Thrill-Seeking Consumers

Red Bull’s brand positioning has attracted a specific segment of consumers who crave excitement and adventure in their lives. By aligning itself with extreme sports events and athletes, Red Bull creates a sense of aspiration and relevance for its target audience. This positioning not only attracts new consumers but also fosters loyalty among existing customers who identify with the brand’s image and values.

Through its unique brand positioning, Red Bull has redefined the energy drink industry. By associating its product with extreme sports, adventure, and an active lifestyle, Red Bull has captivated the attention of thrill-seeking consumers. This positioning sets Red Bull apart from traditional soft drink brands and has contributed to its success in the competitive energy drink market.

Sponsorships and Event Marketing: Fueling Experiences

Red Bull’s marketing strategy revolves around sponsorships and event marketing, driving the brand’s success and fostering a strong connection with its target audience. By sponsoring and organizing a diverse range of extreme sports events, Red Bull has positioned itself as a supporter of daring and boundary-pushing endeavors. Through these strategic partnerships and event marketing initiatives, the brand gains significant visibility and creates a powerful brand image that resonates with thrill-seekers and adventure enthusiasts.

Red Bull Extreme Sports Events

Red Bull’s commitment to extreme sports is evident in its extensive portfolio of sponsored events. From high-speed Formula 1 racing to gravity-defying cliff diving, the brand leaves no adrenaline-pumping activity untouched. Whether it’s the excitement of air races, the thrill of snowboarding competitions, or the heart-stopping action of freestyle motocross, Red Bull consistently delivers unforgettable experiences that capture the attention of its target audience.

Creating Memorable Experiences Through Event Marketing

Event marketing is a critical component of Red Bull’s strategy, allowing the brand to engage directly with its audience and create lasting memories. Through carefully planned and executed events, Red Bull immerses consumers in the world of extreme sports, giving them the opportunity to witness breathtaking stunts, interact with athletes, and experience the brand’s energy firsthand. By connecting with consumers on an emotional level, Red Bull fosters loyalty and ensures a lasting impact.

Moreover, Red Bull’s event marketing extends beyond the actual live experiences. The brand leverages digital and social media platforms to amplify the reach and impact of its events, engaging a global audience and allowing enthusiasts to relive the excitement long after the events have ended.

The Impact of Sponsorships and Event Marketing

The strategic use of sponsorships and event marketing has propelled Red Bull to the forefront of the energy drink industry. By associating itself with extreme sports events and aligning its brand with adrenaline-fueled experiences, Red Bull has created a strong and authentic brand identity that resonates with consumers worldwide. The brand’s commitment to fueling experiences has not only enhanced its visibility but has also positioned Red Bull as a leader in its industry.

Content Creation and Media Channels: Engaging the Audience

Red Bull understands the power of captivating content and utilizes various media channels to engage its target audience. With a focus on showcasing extreme sports and adventures, Red Bull produces high-quality videos, documentaries, and films that resonate with adrenaline junkies and active lifestyle enthusiasts.

Through Red Bull’s own media channels, including the Red Bull TV streaming platform, YouTube, social media platforms, and traditional media outlets, this captivating content reaches millions of viewers around the world. Each piece of content is carefully crafted to provide an immersive experience and keep the audience entertained and connected to the Red Bull brand.

Red Bull’s commitment to video production excellence is evident in the breathtaking footage and storytelling that accompanies each piece. The brand’s emphasis on visual aesthetics, thrilling action sequences, and compelling narratives draws viewers in and creates a strong emotional connection. Whether it’s a heart-pounding snowboarding adventure or an awe-inspiring skydiving documentary, Red Bull’s content leaves a lasting impact.

At the heart of Red Bull’s content creation strategy is the desire to inspire and entertain its audience. By showcasing the world’s most incredible feats, Red Bull sparks a sense of wonder and motivation in its viewers. This approach reinforces the brand’s image as a leader in the world of extreme sports and adventure, fostering a community of like-minded individuals who share a passion for pushing boundaries and embracing the extraordinary.

Through a comprehensive content distribution strategy, Red Bull ensures its videos reach a wide audience. The Red Bull TV streaming platform offers exclusive access to a diverse range of adrenaline-fueled content, providing viewers with an immersive viewing experience. Red Bull’s YouTube channel boasts millions of subscribers, making it a go-to destination for thrilling content. The brand’s strong social media presence further amplifies its reach, with carefully curated content shared across multiple platforms.

In addition to digital platforms, Red Bull recognizes the importance of traditional media outlets in reaching a broader audience. The brand partners with television networks, film festivals, and streaming services to distribute its content to viewers globally. By leveraging a combination of media channels, Red Bull maximizes its visibility and engagement with its target audience.

Digital and Social Media Marketing: Staying Ahead in the Digital Sphere

Red Bull has firmly established itself at the forefront of digital and social media marketing, leveraging the immense potential of these platforms to engage with its target audience. By strategically using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, Red Bull effectively reaches out to its audience and connects with them on a deeper level.

One of Red Bull’s key digital marketing strategies is its focus on creating action-packed content that captivates and excites its audience. With a careful blend of professionally produced content and user-generated videos, Red Bull’s social media channels present a constant stream of adrenaline-fueled adventures.

This dynamic approach to content creation is coupled with interactive campaigns that encourage audience participation. Red Bull designs contests, challenges, and polls that invite fans to engage directly with the brand, deepening their connection and fostering a sense of community.

Additionally, Red Bull has harnessed the power of influencer collaborations to extend its digital reach. By partnering with influential athletes, adventurers, and personalities, Red Bull expands its online presence and credibility. These collaborations result in compelling and authentic content that resonates with the target audience, further strengthening the brand’s position in the digital sphere.

The brand’s influencer collaborations go beyond social media platforms and often extend to cross-promotional events, product partnerships, and even co-creation initiatives. By working closely with influencers, Red Bull ensures that its message is amplified and reaches a wider audience, generating increased brand awareness and engagement.

Red Bull’s Social Media Statistics

These impressive numbers demonstrate the tremendous engagement and following that Red Bull has been able to cultivate across various social media platforms. By consistently delivering thrilling content and fostering interactive experiences, Red Bull has solidified its position as a leader in digital and social media marketing within the beverage industry.

Product Packaging and Branding: Standing Out on Shelves

Red Bull’s marketing strategy goes beyond captivating content and thrilling events. The brand’s success can also be attributed to its iconic product packaging and branding design. With slim, blue, and silver cans, Red Bull has created a visual identity that is instantly recognizable and represents the brand’s energetic and adventurous image.

The bold and edgy visual design of Red Bull’s product packaging reinforces the brand’s positioning in the market, making it stand out among competitors on store shelves. The sleek design and vibrant colors convey a sense of excitement and vitality, capturing consumers’ attention and piquing their curiosity.

By maintaining consistency in its packaging, Red Bull has established strong visual associations with its energy drink. The slim shape of the can is not only practical but also unique, allowing it to stand out in a cluttered beverage market. Over time, these cans have become symbolic of the Red Bull experience, creating a sense of anticipation and adventure for consumers.

Red Bull’s branding design reflects its commitment to delivering a high-energy and dynamic lifestyle to its consumers. The brand’s visual identity speaks to its target audience, connecting with individuals who seek adventure and crave a boost of energy.

In addition to its cans, Red Bull’s branding extends to other elements, including its logo and marketing materials . The recognizable logo, featuring two red bulls, further reinforces the brand’s association with strength, power, and energy. The cohesive integration of these branding elements ensures that Red Bull consistently communicates its image and values.

Overall, Red Bull’s product packaging and branding design are not just visually striking but also strategically aligned with the brand’s positioning. The bold and distinctive visual identity of Red Bull sets it apart from its competitors and resonates with consumers who seek excitement and an active lifestyle.

Grassroots Marketing: Building Local Connections

Red Bull understands the importance of local connections and community engagement in its marketing strategy. The brand leverages grassroots marketing tactics to create a strong local presence and connect with its target audience on a personal level. By organizing localized events, supporting local athletes, and partnering with relevant communities, Red Bull builds genuine relationships with consumers and fosters loyalty and word-of-mouth promotion.

One of the key elements of Red Bull’s grassroots marketing efforts is the organization of local events. From small-scale competitions to community gatherings, these events not only showcase the brand’s commitment to supporting local talent but also provide an opportunity for consumers to experience the energy and excitement associated with Red Bull. These events serve as a platform for athletes to showcase their skills and for Red Bull to connect with its audience in an authentic way.

Red Bull also recognizes the importance of nurturing local talent and supporting athletes within their communities. Through partnerships with local athletes, the brand demonstrates its commitment to uplifting individuals who embody the spirit of adventure and extreme sports. By providing resources, training, and mentorship, Red Bull helps these athletes reach their full potential and solidifies its position as a key supporter of the local sports community.

In addition to events and athlete partnerships, Red Bull actively seeks out community partnerships to further deepen its local connections. By collaborating with relevant organizations and community groups, Red Bull aligns its brand with causes and initiatives that resonate with its target audience. Whether it’s supporting environmental conservation efforts or promoting healthy living, these partnerships demonstrate Red Bull’s dedication to making a positive impact in local communities.

Through its grassroots marketing initiatives, Red Bull fosters strong connections with consumers by engaging them on a personal level and becoming an integral part of their local communities. These efforts not only drive brand loyalty but also generate valuable word-of-mouth promotion as consumers share their positive experiences with others. Red Bull’s commitment to building local connections sets it apart from its competitors and contributes to its overall marketing success .

Red Bull’s Impact: Global Success and Numbers

Red Bull’s impressive marketing strategy has made a significant impact on a global scale. The brand’s relentless efforts have resulted in billions of cans sold worldwide, solidifying Red Bull’s position as a leader in the energy drink industry. With its unique and daring approach, Red Bull has generated substantial revenue and captured a substantial market share.

Red Bull’s global sales have soared as the brand’s popularity continues to grow. From its humble beginnings, the company has expanded its reach to every corner of the world, captivating consumers with its adventurous image and exhilarating marketing campaigns. The brand’s revenue has experienced remarkable growth, fueled by its compelling brand story and its ability to connect with consumers on a deep, emotional level.

Red Bull’s substantial market share in the energy drink industry is a testament to its marketing prowess. Through strategic partnerships, captivating content, and constant innovation, the brand has carved out its own niche and earned the loyalty of a diverse consumer base. Red Bull’s market dominance is a result of its ability to consistently deliver a unique and thrilling brand experience that resonates with its target audience.

In a highly competitive market, Red Bull’s success stands as a testament to the power of effective marketing. The brand’s global sales, revenue, and market share demonstrate the impact of its marketing strategy on a global scale. Red Bull’s ability to connect with consumers and create a strong brand presence has solidified its position as a leader in the energy drink industry.

Red Bull History: From Innovation to Market Dominance

Red Bull’s journey to becoming a dominant force in the energy drink market started with an unlikely meeting between Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz and Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya in the mid-1980s. Mateschitz discovered a Thai energy drink called Krating Daeng during a business trip and recognized its potential for global success.

Following a strategic partnership, Mateschitz and Yoovidhya formulated an improved version of Krating Daeng tailored to Western tastes. They launched Red Bull in 1987 in Austria and gradually expanded its availability to other markets.

Red Bull faced initial challenges during its product launch. The unconventional concept of an energy drink was met with skepticism, and penetrating a market dominated by traditional soft drinks seemed daunting. However, the founders didn’t let these challenges deter them.

Mateschitz and Yoovidhya employed clever marketing tactics to introduce Red Bull to consumers. Instead of using traditional advertising methods, they relied heavily on experiential marketing and created a brand image that resonated with a specific target audience.

The founders strategically positioned Red Bull as more than just an energy drink. They associated the brand with extreme sports, adventure, and an active lifestyle, differentiating it from competitors. By sponsoring and organizing adrenaline-pumping events, such as Formula 1 racing and cliff diving competitions, Red Bull captured the attention of thrill-seeking consumers.

This innovative approach helped Red Bull solidify its position in the market . The brand became synonymous with energy and excitement, attracting a loyal consumer base that sought more than just a caffeine boost.

Today, Red Bull’s origin story serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and creative marketing strategies. By defying industry norms and associating themselves with extreme sports, the founders laid the foundation for Red Bull’s market dominance and global success.

The Products: A Range of Energy Drink Options

Red Bull offers a diverse range of energizing drink options to cater to varying consumer preferences. From its classic Red Bull energy drink to sugar-free variants and localized editions, there is something for everyone in Red Bull’s product portfolio.

The classic Red Bull energy drink is the flagship product of the brand, providing a bold and invigorating boost of energy. It is a favorite among consumers who seek a revitalizing beverage to power through their busy days.

In addition to the classic flavor, Red Bull also offers a variety of other flavors that add a refreshing twist to the traditional energy drink experience. These flavors include tropical, berry, and citrus variations, providing options for those who prefer a different taste profile.

Red Bull recognizes the importance of sustainability and is committed to reducing its environmental impact. The brand’s iconic slim blue and silver cans are 100% recyclable, ensuring that they can be repurposed and reused to minimize waste. Red Bull also emphasizes the importance of saving renewable resources throughout its packaging processes.

To summarize, Red Bull’s product portfolio includes a wide range of energy drink options, catering to different tastes and preferences. With its commitment to sustainability through recyclable packaging, Red Bull sets itself apart as not just a leader in the energy drink industry, but also as a brand that values the planet.

Red Bull Product Range and Flavors

Manufacturing and localization: meeting global demand.

Red Bull’s commitment to meeting global demand for its products is evident in its extensive network of manufacturing facilities strategically located around the world. These facilities ensure that Red Bull can efficiently produce and distribute its energy drinks to consumers worldwide.

Furthermore, Red Bull understands the importance of adapting its product portfolio to cater to the unique tastes and preferences of different local markets. By localizing its offerings, Red Bull can effectively connect with consumers on a regional level, enhancing brand relevance and customer satisfaction.

Red Bull Manufacturing Facilities

Red Bull’s manufacturing facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and adhere to stringent quality control measures to ensure the consistency and high standards of its products. With facilities in key locations across the globe, including Austria, the United States, Brazil, and Thailand, Red Bull can efficiently produce its energy drinks to meet the demands of diverse markets.

Red Bull Local Market Adaptation

Recognizing the importance of catering to regional tastes and preferences, Red Bull takes a localized approach to its product portfolio. This involves adapting flavors, packaging design, and marketing strategies to resonate with consumers in specific markets. By understanding the cultural nuances and consumer preferences of each locality, Red Bull can effectively tailor its offerings and marketing messaging to connect with and engage its target audience.

The combination of Red Bull’s global manufacturing capabilities and its focus on local market adaptation enables the brand to effectively serve its diverse customer base, ensuring that consumers around the world can enjoy the unique Red Bull experience tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

Conclusion: Red Bull’s Remarkable Marketing Success

Red Bull’s marketing strategy is a testament to its unparalleled success in the energy drink market. Through strategic brand positioning, innovative sponsorships and event marketing, engaging content creation, digital prowess, and grassroots initiatives, Red Bull has cultivated a brand image that truly sets it apart.

The brand’s ability to connect with consumers on an emotional level has been instrumental in building a loyal and dedicated following. By associating itself with extreme sports and adventure, Red Bull taps into the desires and aspirations of its target audience, creating an aspirational brand image that resonates deeply.

Furthermore, Red Bull’s commitment to community engagement has fostered a sense of belonging and authenticity. From organizing localized events to supporting local athletes and partnering with relevant communities, Red Bull has actively built connections on a personal level. This grassroots marketing approach has not only solidified its consumer base but also generated valuable word-of-mouth promotion.

With its relentless pursuit of adrenaline-fueled content and unparalleled brand image, Red Bull has reshaped the energy drink landscape, capturing the hearts and minds of consumers worldwide. Its exceptional marketing success serves as an inspiration for brands across industries, demonstrating the power of strategic branding, consumer engagement, and an unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries.

What makes Red Bull’s marketing strategy unique?

Red Bull’s marketing strategy is unique due to its brand positioning, sponsorships and event marketing, content creation and media channels, digital and social media marketing, product packaging and branding, and grassroots marketing.

How has Red Bull positioned itself in the market?

Red Bull has positioned itself as more than just an energy drink, associating its product with extreme sports, adventure, and an active lifestyle.

What role does sponsorships and event marketing play in Red Bull’s strategy?

Sponsorships and event marketing play a crucial role in Red Bull’s strategy. The brand sponsors and organizes a wide range of extreme sports events to gain visibility and create a strong brand image.

How does Red Bull engage its audience through content creation?

Red Bull produces high-quality videos, documentaries, and films that showcase extreme sports and adventures, distributing them through its own media channels and traditional outlets.

How does Red Bull utilize digital and social media marketing?

Red Bull leverages platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to reach and engage its target audience. The brand features action-packed content, interactive campaigns, and collaborates with influencers and athletes.

What is notable about Red Bull’s product packaging and branding?

Red Bull’s iconic slim, blue, and silver cans have become synonymous with the brand. The bold and edgy visual design reinforces the brand’s energetic and adventurous image.

How does Red Bull engage with its audience at a local level?

Red Bull employs grassroots marketing tactics, organizing localized events, supporting local athletes, and partnering with relevant communities to build strong connections with its consumers.

What has been the impact of Red Bull’s marketing strategy?

Red Bull has achieved global success, sold billions of cans worldwide, and gained a substantial market share in the energy drink industry.

What is the origin story of Red Bull?

Red Bull’s success story began with a serendipitous meeting between Austrian and Thai founders. The brand faced initial challenges during its product launch but overcame them through perseverance and clever marketing tactics.

What kind of products does Red Bull offer?

Red Bull offers a range of energy drink options, including its classic Red Bull energy drink, sugar-free variants, and localized editions packaged in the iconic slim blue and silver cans.

How does Red Bull meet global demand for its products?

Red Bull has manufacturing facilities around the world and focuses on local market adaptation to effectively serve its diverse customer base.

What has contributed to Red Bull’s marketing success?

Red Bull’s marketing strategy, including brand positioning, sponsorships, event marketing, content creation, digital engagement, and grassroots marketing, has contributed to its remarkable success in the competitive energy drink market.

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The Ultimate Red Bull Marketing Strategy Study

Table of contents.

Red Bull has grown from a simple energy drink manufacturer to one of the most recognized brands in the world. It has become synonymous with sports, extreme performance, and victory. Red Bull is the extreme athlete of marketing, literally and figuratively.

A few key statistics and facts about Red Bull:

• Number of Red Bull cans sold worldwide in 2022: 11.582 billion
• Revenue of €9.68 billion
• Red Bull's marketing budget for 2022 is estimated to be €2,9 billion (it is rumored to be around 25-30% of the yearly revenue)
• Red Bull sponsors athletes in 73 countries around the world .
• Number of employees in 2022: 15,779
• The logo is a breed of cattle called gaur.

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Red Bull History

Styrian success-makers.

The reasons for Mateschitz's conservatism lie in his family background. He grew up in modest circumstances in the upper Murgtal in Styria. His outstanding success is not an isolated case in this province. Arnold Schwar is a compatriot, as is the tennis player Thomas Muster, who for a time topped the world rankings ahead of Boris Becker, André Agassi, and Pete Sampras.

He is also a compatriot of Frank Stronach, who emigrated to Canada as a worker and returned to his homeland as a co-owner of the global auto parts manufacturer Magna. Styrians are said to have always been a bit their boss. Stubborn but not rebellious, strong, and persevering. Dietrich Mateschitz, who has been friends with half of Austria since his success and is nicknamed "Didi," has needed perseverance for his story to become a real success.

From jetlag to energy drinks

In 1976, Chaleo Yoovidhya introduced his Krating Daeng drink in Thailand. The name means "red gaur" in English. The maker was inspired by the energy drink Lipovitan, in which the main ingredient is taurine, and was popular with Thai truck drivers and blue-collar manual laborers.

When he visited Thailand in 1982, the Austrian-born Dietrich Mateschitz discovered that by consuming Krating Daeng, he was able to overcome the effects of jet lag, caused by the rapid change of time zones, much more quickly during the trip. Since the energy drink phenomenon was still unknown on the Old Continent, he was astonished at how many people consume the product, and almost immediately approached the owners of the company with the idea of bringing it there.

Mateschitz had been the international marketing manager for Blendax (now part of the Procter & Gamble Group) toothpaste at the time. The Yoovidhya family, which had already become rich through the pharmaceutical industry, welcomed the idea and began to develop a European business policy and strategy with the Austrian marketing expert.

Mateschitz founded Red Bull GmbH with Yoovidhya in 1984 intending to develop it into a global brand. Both parties invested $500,000, however, Yoovidhya and Mateschitz owned only 49-49% of the shares in the new company. The remaining 2 percent of the shares went to Yoovidhya's son Chalerm, but the agreement left Mateschitz as the de facto head of the company.

Product launch in Austria

The product was first launched in Austria in 1987. Mateschitz, still a bachelor at 39, has quit his lucrative multinational job and has been trying to introduce the Asian recipe to Austria for two or three years. The new product, the unusual flavors, the colors, the advertising are not the resounding success he had hoped for. After the initial setbacks, Dietrich Mateschitz does what he has never done before - he takes out a loan. The reason for his reluctance is simple: he was raised at home to believe that "a decent person does not have debts," and like many entrepreneurs, he still does not like financial institutions.

The startup’s growth has almost immediately slowed down because several well-known Austrian beverage companies considered the revolutionary idea too risky and refused to partner with Red Bull. The food authority was also not a fan of Red Bull, considered it dangerous, and banned its marketing in many places - but Mateschitz was not discouraged. Dietrich Mateschitz cites the three most difficult years of his life as the early days of Red Bull.

Being an experienced manager, he refused to lower the price of the not exactly cheap beverage. He is vigilant about consumer behavior. The highly stimulating product was finally a hit in Austrian discotheques. It was tempting to dance the night away. Word of the new wonder “drug” spread quickly across the border. However, on the German side, Red Bull was still not allowed to be marketed. It was banned for a time in Hungary, France, and Denmark because of what they consider to be its high caffeine and taurine content. It is the desire for the forbidden fruit that has brought the real breakthrough. Consumers "smuggle" a bootleg number of Red Bulls across the then non-EU Salzburg border crossing into Bavaria, where it is sold in nightclubs in violation of the law. From then on, the triumphal procession is unstoppable. And during this time, the custom of mixing it with vodka also arises.

Germany and the United Kingdom were introduced to Red Bull in 1994 after the company’s expansion in Eastern and Central Europe. It was able to win a 75 percent market share on the American energy drinks market despite the slow start and late expansion to the US in 1997.

In the process, Red Bull has also garnered some criticism for its use of extreme sports marketing and its impact on health. Due to this, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other food regulatory agencies have limited the levels of caffeine, taurine, and glucuronolactone in Red Bull and other energy drinks.

Key takeaways:

A serendipitous meeting between the Austrian and Thai founders of Red Bull was quickly followed by the realization of an excellent business opportunity and action. The recipe was ready - even if it still needed to be refined for European tastes - and the parties focused on market development strategies, sales, and marketing activities.

Still, launching the product in Austria was not a success, and many founders would have given up at this point. But Mateschitz kept his eyes open and recognized what the sales drivers would be in the early days.

• Word-of-mouth marketing,
• The feeling of uniqueness (energy drinks were not yet known to the European public),
• A stronger effect than coffee, which, mixed with alcohol, stimulated parties in Eastern Europe as a non-addictive and non-consciousness-altering substance,
• The progressive association of the brand with sports, in addition to nightlife.

Together, these elements have served to build Red Bull's success on an increasingly efficient and planned business foundation.

The Products

The product portfolio of the company.

Three of Red Bull's products are core products that are sold in all relevant markets, regardless of culture or target group:

• Red Bull energy drink: the familiar gray-blue metal can that comes in a 250 ml edition. In some countries, it is also available in a 350 ml and a 500 ml version.
• Sugar-free Red Bull: Instead of sugar from sugar beets, the company uses aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame K to sweeten the product. The product's other ingredients and packaging are the same as the original energy drink.
• Red Bull Zero Sugar. The Zero and sugar-free variants differ little in terms of content. According to the company, the only difference is the taste.

However, there have also been numerous drinks that have been launched in limited quantities or connected with specific sporting events. These include The Tropical Edition, The Coconut Edition, The Red Edition, and The Summer Edition, currently available in four flavors. However, Red Bull not only limits the time of availability but also sells specific, localized products for the largest markets. For example, ORGANICS by Red Bull, which is only available in German, is not an energy drink but a soft drink that comes in six flavors. These include cola, tonic, and ginger drinks.

Red Bull cans are 100% recyclable. In addition, with only one manufacturing location, 80% of renewable resources are saved rather than using multiple ones.

Product localization

Almost all of the markets in APAC are served by Red Bull, and the company uses local development strategies to cater to consumer tastes in each market. Red Bull markets in the APAC region curate their product portfolios, and it takes a lot of time for each market to develop the most appropriate product selections. Local and center teams are continuously reviewing the portfolio of products to ensure that the energy, taste, and size requirements are met. Though the original blue and silver Red Bull Energy Drink is still a popular beverage, Red Bull is also interested in creating new products to match the changing tastes of the market.

Red Bull Editions are a seasonal range of localized products. To give an example, Red Bull has a Coconut edition in Singapore that includes coconut and blueberry flavors; in Australia, there are Orange editions (orange flavors), Tropical editions (tropical fruit flavors), and Red editions (watermelon flavors).

Each Red Bull market has a local team that interprets the meaning of the products to ensure they are relevant to the target customers. There is room for growth in the energy drink market through premiumization, even though the market is well established.

Manufacturing

A new Red Bull production facility is being built in Glendale, Arizona. A joint venture between Red Bull, Rauch Fruit Juices, and Ball Corporation, RRB Beverage Operating, is investing USD 250 million in the next few years to build a new 700,000 sq ft-sized facility. Originally, the company planned to start manufacturing in 2021, employing 140 people in the process. There is no news available on how COVID-19 has modified the plans.

Instead of keeping the production process in-house, RB outsourced it to Rauch. Among other beverages, it produces Red Bull's drinks in Nüziders, Austria, and Wildenau, Switzerland. It is only 40 kilometers between the two production facilities despite being in different countries.

It was previously made at a Swiss plant and imported to the U.S., but the company's growing popularity in North America and a threat to taxing cans and products imported from Europe, in general, led to the investment.

One of the joint venture partners, the Ball Corporation, which specializes in the production of aluminum and steel packaging for the food and beverage industry, opened an aluminum can manufacturing plant in Goodyear, Arizona in 2019, not far from the new project site in Glendale.

Sales channels

As a manufacturer of soft drinks, Red Bull does not market its products itself but distributes them to restaurants and stores via Red Bull-owned distribution companies. One such company is Red Bull Distribution Company , which is responsible for distribution in North America. The Group currently employs around 6,000 sales staff who distribute its products in 170 countries around the world.

The sales employees directly involved in the sales process are usually field sales representatives. They cover a predetermined territory by driving around and replenishing products from Red Bull in restaurants and convenience stores. They are also responsible for ensuring that the energy drinks are in the right, highly visible places on the shelves and that the company logos get the attention they deserve.

Of course, the larger chains and online beverage stores are already negotiating directly with distributors. The company's sales activities are rounded off by various corporate purchases.

Beverage retailers in particular tend to offer their customers a diversified product portfolio to generate more sales so that they can not only order a specific beverage but also upsell it. This involves offering additional options (both products and services) to a customer who has already been won over, which can then be sold at a much higher profit because there is no need to advertise and approach the customer again. In contrast, Red Bull has opted for a narrow product range - for a long time, there was only one type of energy drink and one flavor. Today, that range has broadened, but there are still many subsectors (e.g., alcohols, premium products) where there is room for further expansion.

Red Bull works with several international and local distributors, typically owned by RB. Sales are always B2B, with restaurants, small and large grocery stores, and corporate customers on the other side.

The Red Bull Brand

The Red bull brand stands out as a category dominating queen holding 42% of the global energy drink market in 2020. Second comes Monster with a 39% market share.

Company culture

The vision statement of Red Bull is “(The company) is dedicated to upholding Red Bull standards while maintaining the leadership position in the energy drinks category when delivering superior customer service in a highly efficient and profitable manner. We create a culture where employees share best practices, dedicated to coaching and developing our organization as an employer of choice.” (Source: redbull.com)

According to reviews on Indeed and Comparably , Red Bull is successful not only in building an outward-facing brand but also in creating a high-quality corporate culture. Typical feedback praises the internal social life, work environment, and highlights internal development opportunities. However, as in any other organization, those who work under a poorly performing manager are understandably dissatisfied with management skills, work-life balance, and supervisor availability.

Can of innovation: a branding move

The can became the symbol for Red Bull, even though it has been commonly used among beverage manufacturers. There is, however, a significant difference: instead of the usual 330 ml can, which is a bit chunkier, Red Bull has introduced the 250 ml sized container, which is thinner and taller than usual. There are two reasons for this: the unique appearance makes the product stand out from the competition, and it explains why Red Bull is much more expensive than the usual packaged drinks.

Red Bull’s target market: for those who need energy

Red Bull’s target market is young people between the age of 15 and 45 with high income. The company segments its target market even further offering as the main benefit a sense of belonging and enhanced physical and mental performance.

Matschitz explained the failure of Red Bull's first consumer test by claiming that such products only succeed in their intended environment. In sterile laboratories, no one needs extra energy, so Red Bull could not be treated at its true value. The moment the drink was introduced into gyms, parties, and bars, or even boardrooms, the rejection stopped, because the product found its right target audience.

Red Bull’s logo and design over the years

The energy drink was originally created for Muay Thai fighters and blue-collar workers in Thailand. A logo where two red bulls were readying to fight and the bright yellow sun rising behind them is typical for the APAC region. The only direct change was the “Red Bull” inscription written in bold, English font.

The Red Bull logo did not change significantly over the years. What makes the story special is that Mateschitz's marketing background allowed the team to spend extra time finding the right design. However, both the logo and the name and colors scored poorly on focus-group questionnaires. Nevertheless, the owners stuck to their original vision and did not change the design "rescued" from Thailand. Time has proven them right.

Red Bull brands and subsidiaries

Red Bull Racing

AKA Red Bull AKA RBR AKA Oracle Red Bull Racing is a Formula 1 racing team. The team won the 2021 championship with its driver Max Verstappen.

Scuderia AlphaTauri

AKA AlphaTauri is the second Formula One racing team of Red Bull. Originally the company’s junior team, today its considered to be the sister team of Oracle Red Bull Racing.

New York Red Bulls & New York Red Bulls II

The company’s two American professional soccer teams. The first participates in the Major league and the second in the second tier league.

FC Red Bull Salzburg

AKA FC Salzburg, the company’s Austrian professional football club. Red Bull bought the club in 2015 and changed its colors, a move that its fans found controversial.

FC Liefering

Red Bull's second league Austrian football club.

The German professional football club nicknamed Die Roten Bullen. The company bought the team in 2009 and in less than 9 years took it from the fifth tier league to the top-flight Bundesliga.

Red Bull Brasil & Red Bull Bragantino

The two Brazilian football clubs whose teams compete in the second and top tier of São Paulo state football league respectively.

EHC München & EC Red Bull Salzburg

Red bull’s ice hockey teams. The first competes at the highest level of professional German ice hockey. And the second competes in Austria’s top-tier ice hockey league.

Red Bull Records

It’s Red Bull’s global record label focusing on more niche genres like rock, alternative rock, punk rock and hip hop with bands like Awolnation, Twin Atlantic, and Beartooth.

The example of Mateschitz is rather the exception that proves the rule because his decisions - especially in the early years - were always at odds with business logic and common sense. The launch of the energy drink Red Bull in Europe was prepared through a series of processes: Testing the product, obtaining food safety and market approvals, market research as part of the launch. In the end, there were almost no areas left to support the owners' ideas, as neither the food authority nor market research considered energy drinks to be a good product.

Mateschitz, however, stubbornly stuck to his original ideas and, adapting some of the intellectual property brought from Thailand to European tastes, practically single-handedly created a youthful, trendy and energetic brand Red Bull.

Red Bull Marketing Strategy - Sponsoring Sports, Athletes And Events

Red Bull global marketing strategy focuses, but it’s not limited to, sponsorships of extreme sports, athletes and events of every scale, from local to global.

The company generates massive awareness with its presence in unique first-ever events like Felix Baumgartner parachute jump and in major regular events like the Volcom Pipe Pro and the Freeride world tour.

Red Bull’s marketing strategy, however, includes more traditional marketing practices and channels like TV commercials and social media with millions of followers across its Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube tens of accounts. It runs ads across every channel, trying to appear in front of its target audience everywhere it goes.

Red Bull marketing budget

A question on a lot of people's minds is how much does red bull spend on marketing?  Unfortunately, Red Bull does not share its marketing budget, but it is rumored to be around 25% of the yearly revenue. So whilst we can only guesstimate what it spends, one thing we know is that it's a lot of money and a very important focus for Red Bull.

When the product becomes the means of Red Bull advertising

Sponsored stars are today's flesh-and-blood heroes: athletes, drivers, Formula 1 racers, and extreme athletes who stand for real achievement.

In addition to financial support, the stars receive equipment, clothing, and accessories with the Red Bull logo. And of course their advertised product, energy drinks in the required quantity. Red Bull's branded merchandise is particularly valuable because, unlike many beverage competitors, the company does not mass-produce merchandise - it is available only in the inner circle. 

The international marketing activities of Red Bull are aimed primarily at young people who are attracted to and like extreme sports. The range of extreme sports targeted is very broad and includes:

• Mountain biking
• Snowboarding
• Skateboarding
• Wakeboarding
• Cliff jumping
• Ice skating
• Freestyle motocross
• Break dancing.

Red Bull also uses music and  video games  for marketing purposes and has brought in celebrities like Eminem (through its support of the Red Bull "EmSee Battle Rap championships").

Red Bull is also known for its events, including music and art conventions. In Hungary, the company launched Red Bull Pilvaker in 2012, one of the country's most unique music and cultural projects, which commemorated the 1848 Revolution and the War of Independence with the help of outstanding contemporary art artists. The popularity of Red Bull Pilvaker is reflected in the fact that in recent years all tickets for performances at Erkel Theater, which seats almost 2,000 people, were sold out within a few days.

Red Bull also maintains soccer teams in Austria, Germany, the United States, and Brazil - these teams also carry the brand name, Red Bull. By associating the energy drink with these activities, the company aims to reinforce the "cool" image of the product and thus the strength of the brand. The energy drink has also created a market for over 150 additional souvenir items.

On the PlayStation 3 community platform PlayStation Home, Red Bull created a dedicated in-game island in 2009 to specifically promote the energy drink Red Bull and the racing series Red Bull Air Race. In January 2012, Red Bull also opened its first personal community area, the " Red Bull House of Skate," which featured an indoor skating rink for visitors.

Red Bull's sports sponsorship activities focus on supporting talented young athletes and helping them achieve their goals. The Red Bull Junior program in motorsports is the most prominent branch of this, but the company follows this philosophy in its support for athletes, regardless of the sport. Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, and Danyiil Kvjat are among the most prominent students of the Red Bull Junior program.

Formula One Red Bull Racing

Red Bull Racing is the Austrian Formula 1 team owned by the energy drink company Red Bull. The company's other team is Scuderia Toro Rosso (later Scuderia AlphaTauri).

The team's direct predecessor is the Stewart Grand Prix, founded in 1997 by Jackie Stewart. In late 1999, it was sold to the Ford Motor Company, which raced it under the name Jaguar Racing. In 2004, Ford decided to sell the unsuccessful but costly team. It was bought by Dietrich Mateschitz, owner of the energy drink company Red Bull. The team was then able to take to the grid at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix as the successor to Jaguar, now in the blue and silver colors of Red Bull energy drinks.

Red Bull was no stranger to motorsport's premier class, having previously sponsored Sauber, Arrows, and its predecessor Jaguar. Having started its own team, Red Bull naturally terminated its contract with Sauber (the Arrows had already ceased to exist in 2002). The drinks company has also appeared in the Formula 3000 series and its successor, GP2, and has a European talent scouting program called Red Bull Junior Team. Later Formula 1 drivers have also emerged from the program, with Enrique Bernoldi, Christian Klien, Patrick Friesacher, Vitantonio Liuzzi, and Scott Speed all having raced in the premier class.

RBR enjoyed immediate success in its first season in 2005, thanks to two of its drivers, Coulthard and Klien. The 2005 Red Bull RB1 was based on the already papered Jaguar R6. The team used the weakest Cosworth engines and Michelin tyres throughout the season. The team exceeded expectations to finish seventh among constructors with 34 points.

For the 2006 season, Red Bull Racing changed engine suppliers and used Ferrari V8 power units for the season. Adrian Newey, who was signed from McLaren in November 2005, was appointed as chief designer. Newey did not play a major role in the design of the RB2, which was almost complete by then, and instead started work on the 2007 model. By 2007, the Adrian Newey-designed RB3 was finally completed, with the Renault engine replacing Ferrari's. Mid-season saw the arrival of Geoff Willis, who had worked as technical director at Williams and BAR and then at Honda. Following the departure of Michelin, Red Bull Racing naturally started on Bridgestone tyres. On the racing front, David Coulthard remained with the team, while Mark Webber took the other seat. Webber left the predecessor Jaguar after 2004 and joined the energy drinkers after two disappointing seasons at Williams. The team finished 5th in the constructors' championship with McLaren eliminated and 24 points, David Coulthard 10th with 14 points, and Mark Webber 12th with 10 points.

For 2009, the retiring David Coulthard was replaced by Sebastian Vettel from Toro Rosso, while Mark Webber remained with the team. The team ended the year with a double victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Vettel finished second in the individual championship with 84 points, 11 behind world champion Button. The team finished second in the constructors' championship, 18.5 points behind Brawn GP. From 2010-13, RBR enjoyed a truly golden era, its World Championship victories making it unchallenged.

The 2014-20 Formula 1 era brought less success for Red Bull (regularly replaced by Mercedes in first place), but remained a worthy rival to Ferrari. In the 2021 season, with a Honda engine, they continue to pile on the surprises, and their fans are predicting the resurrection of RBR in an ever-strengthening F1 team.

Red Bull Ring ‍

The Red Bull Ring (originally called Österreichring, between 1997 and 2003 A1-Ring) is an Austrian race track in Styria. The circuit itself is located in the territory of the municipality of Spielberg, but its access roads are in the immediate vicinity of the municipality of Zeltweg, which is why it is often referred to as the "Zeltweg circuit". The track was renovated in 2011 with financial support from the energy drink manufacturer Red Bull to make it suitable for Formula 1 again and will be back on the calendar for the 2014 season.

Red Bull Racing has won at its home track four times since its inception.

Red Bull sponsoring other sports

• In 2006, Red Bull announced they would sponsor the NASCAR Team Red Bull. Lowe's Motor Speedway was their first stop in the Nextel Cup Series. The team was shut down in December 2011 and its assets were acquired by BK Racing.
• A major sponsor of Repsol Honda, Red Bull is the title sponsor of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team.
• Football has also been a huge part of the company's activities. The Austrian club SV Austria Salzburg was purchased by Red Bull on 6 April 2005, and it was renamed Red Bull Salzburg, a move that has been heavily criticized by supporters' groups in Austria and across Europe. FC Liefering has also been purchased as Salzburg's feeder club.
• Since 2000, the company has owned the Salzburg team in the Austrian Hockey League, now named Red Bull Salzburg. Throughout 2012 and 2013, Red Bull became the team's title sponsor and then bought the club outright.
• A new League of Legends team was formed by Red Bull in 2017, Red Bulls, which competed in the European League of Legends Challenger Series from 2017 until it folded in 2018. Several Red Bull sponsored fighting game players to compete in Tekken and Street Fighter games, as well as The International winner OG, who competes in Dota 2.

Felix Baumgartner parachute jump from space

Baumgartner and his team saw a mission in the world record attempt, for which the athlete had been preparing since 2005. The jump offered the opportunity to collect data to improve life-saving for astronauts and pilots or potential space tourists and to study the behavior of the human body in the stratosphere. It is critical to make the return from space safe for space crews, as they may have to eject from the aircraft and it is life-threatening to enter the stratosphere in an unprepared space suit in such an emergency.

The first record attempt was scheduled for Oct. 9, 2012, at 11:42 a.m. local time, but a strong wind prevented the 834,497-cubic-meter balloon from inflating safely, as it was twisted by the wind. Wind gusts of up to 40 km/h were measured at the top of the balloon, although the wind speed was not supposed to exceed 5 km/h.

The next attempt was therefore postponed until Sunday, October 14 - a postponement that tested everyone's patience but was the only way to ensure safety. At the press conference after the jump, FAI record holder Brian Utleya announced that Baumgartner had reached a speed of 1342.8 kilometers per hour (Mach 1.24), breaking the speed of sound. The pilot came down from a height of 39,045 meters in 4 minutes and 20 seconds, covering 36,529 meters in freefall.

Red Bull, like Ferrari , has found in sports the marketing platform that best reaches its audience. However, the company has not limited its sponsorship activities to motorsports but supports all sports from ice hockey to extreme sports. The company invests most of its marketing budget in financing the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team and maintaining the racetrack at the Red Bull Ring.

Red Bull also supports music as a nightlife player and various events aimed at partygoers.

Final thoughts and key takeaways of Red Bull’s story

Who owns red bull today.

Red Bull GmbH is a private company with its headquarters in Salzburg, Austria. Two billionaires own Red bull:

• Thai businessman  Chalerm Yoovidhya,  who owns the majority of the company sitting at 51%. His net worth as of 2021 is estimated at $24.5 billion.
• Austrian businessman  Dietrich Mateschitz,  who owns 49% of the rest of the company. His net worth as of 2022 is estimated at $26 billion.

Growth by numbers

According to Forbes , the brand that gives you wings sold 6.8 billion cans in 171 countries in 2018. Among the fastest-growing markets were India (+30%), Brazil (+22%), and Eastern Europe (+22%). Using a marketing strategy built around extreme events, Red Bull has sold a total of 75 billion cans since 1987.

Key takeaways from Red Bull's story:

• The founders’ agility: Red Bull would certainly not look the way it does today if the founders - a Thai pharmaceutical entrepreneur and an Austrian marketing manager - had not had a clear vision for the brand right from the start.
• Product portfolio: The soft drinks market is characterized by the dominance of aggregators (e.g. Coca Cola, which contrary to popular belief does not only produce Coke). To counter this trend, Red Bull has from the beginning thought in terms of a small product portfolio and focused on the energy drink market rather than a diversified range. It was not an easy task, as it was a pioneer in the field at the time of its launch - no other energy drink existed in Europe. The company invested a lot of energy in educating the market, which at first did not welcome this unique product, but now it has become an integral part of it.
• Marketing : Instead of investing millions of dollars in television, radio, and Internet advertising, Red Bull took a different approach from the beginning. Although it was initially forced to do so because many countries did not officially license the energy drink, word of mouth is still the strongest element in the company's marketing. The founders succeeded by identifying the two areas where there was a real need for energy drinks and focusing all marketing activities on them.
• Sponsorship : Red Bull quickly found its audience among athletes as well as party-goers, so it's no wonder that the company turned to sports sponsorships. One of Red Bull's main marketing weapons has been its own Formula 1 team, as well as sponsorship of a number of ball and extreme sports.

The companies more than 30-year history is a powerful story of challenges, of working against the wind, of the founders' strong vision, of defying business logic, and of perseverance. Even though the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz has made countless decisions that would not have worked for others and that go against everything that business can teach us, the success of his company is beyond question.

If there is anything we can learn from him, it is surely his belief in his team and his own instinct to put an unknown product on the world map. Red Bull now inspires millions of people a year, its sales are skyrocketing (based on the sales statistics, every person on earth could drink one Red Bull), and its marketing efforts are leading the way for many other companies in the industry.

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49 Case Study: Red Bull Wins the Extreme Niche

Red Bull is an Austria-based company started in 1987 by Dietrich Mateschitz that sells one product: an energy drink containing taurine (an amino acid) that’s sold in a slim, silver-coloured 8.3-ounce can. The drink has been an enormous hit with the company’s target youth segment around the globe. In the year 2018, Red Bull boasted sales of $1.06 billion USD in the United States alone [1] , and has held the majority of the energy-drink market share for years, with a 35.3% market share in 2019 (Monster Energy, their closest competitor, held 25.4%). [2] From Stanford University in California to the beaches of Australia and Thailand, Red Bull has managed to maintain its hip, cool image, with virtually no mass-market advertising.

Red Bull’s Targeted Approach to Marketing

“Red Bull. It gives you wings.” Over the years, Red Bull has organized extreme sports events (like cliff diving in Hawaii and skateboarding in San Francisco), parties, and even music festivals to reinforce the brand’s extreme, on-the-edge image. In 2012, they sponsored Felix Baumgartner’s record-setting freefall from 128,000 feet:

(Note that the following video has limited narration. Access audio description using the widget below the video.)

You can view the transcript for Felix “Baumgartner’s supersonic freefall from 128k’ – Mission Highlights” . (opens in new window)

Their grass-roots approach to reaching the youth market worked: “In terms of attracting new customers and enhancing consumer loyalty, Red Bull has a more effective branding campaign than Coke or Pepsi,” said Nancy F. Koehn, author of Brand New: How Entrepreneurs Earned Consumers’ Trust from Wedgwood to Dell . Red Bull’s success has also gained attention (and concern) among beverage-industry giants, and some have tried to follow its lead: For a time Coke ran a stealth marketing campaign, packaging its cola in a slim can reminiscent of Red Bull and offering it to customers in trendy bars and clubs in New York City.

• “Red Bull Energy Drink Sales U.S., 2015–2018.” Statista. (September 25, 2019). https://www.statista.com/statistics/558082/us-sales-of-red-bull-energy-drinks/ . ↵
• "Energy drink market share in the US in 2019." Statista. (2019, September 25). https://www.statista.com/statistics/306864/market-share-of-leading-energy-drink-brands-in-the-us-based-on-case-volume-sales/. ↵

Introduction to Marketing - MKTG 3433 Copyright © 2022 by WCOB Marketing Faculty is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How Red Bull Creates Brand Buzz

• David Aaker

The value of creative, edgy, and on-brand sponsorships.

On Sunday October 14, Felix Baumgartner rose more than 24 miles above the New Mexico desert in the 55-story ultra-thin helium “ Red Bull Stratos ” balloon, jumped off, and reached 830 mph during a 9 minute fall, setting records for both the height of the jump and the speed of descent. It was a Red Bull event and about 8 million of us watched it as it was happening. The post-event pictures on Facebook got nearly 216,000 likes and 30,000 shares in less than 40 minutes, and another 32 million-plus have seen the YouTube account since.

• DA David Aaker is Professor Emeritus at UC Berkeley and the vice chairman of Prophet

Partner Center

A Deep Dive into Red Bull Marketing Strategy and How it Dominates the Energy Drink Industry

Learn how the red bull marketing strategy helps the brand in selling billions of drinks annually and dominate the energy drink industry.

• overview#goto" data-overview-topic-param="title">Redbull Marketing Strategy
• overview#goto" data-overview-topic-param="how">How does Redbull do it?
• overview#goto" data-overview-topic-param="what">What’s it worth?
• overview#goto" data-overview-topic-param="lesson">Lessons from redbull

People think of extreme sports when they hear of Red Bull, a multinational energy drink company. This idea also flows seamlessly with its famous tagline, "Red Bull gives you wings."

Although you won’t actually fly after sipping Red Bull, the brand positions its products to help consumers push beyond their limits. And Red Bull itself goes above and beyond in its business processes, especially marketing. The Red Bull marketing strategy incorporates extreme sports sponsorship, advertising, Guerrilla marketing, and more.

We have witnessed the result of this power-packed strategy as the company has the largest market share in the energy drink industry. Additionally, the company secured over $1.5 billion in sales revenue in the US alone.

Want to know how Red Bull Marketing Strategy contributed to this sales success? Tag along to find out!

An Intro to Red Bull Marketing Strategy

Red Bull, the brainchild of Dietrich Mateschitz, came to life in 1987. This invention created a whole new product category–energy drinks. This fell in line with the brand's first product launch in Austria.

Since then the energy drink powerhouse has promoted several events and commercials, which have been received with ground-breaking publicity. This has brought in millions of loyal fans. And the world continues to get more awe-inspiring moments via the Red Bull marketing strategy.

Now, anyone with an internet connection can catch the next Red Bull-sponsored event virtually. However, it wasn’t so easy in its early days. There was no social media, engaging customers was definitely a challenge

Despite these obstacles, Red Bull powered through and deployed traditional marketing methods. For instance, the company had its first cartoon commercial in 1992. Red Bull has since gone past this, expanding brand awareness via a full-fledged marketing strategy.

Red Bull Marketing: Going the Unconventional Route

"Red Bull gives you wings," the company’s brand message is at the core of its marketing strategy. This propagates a high-energy philosophy. The caffeine powerhouse delivers this via extreme sports sponsorship, influencer marketing, and publicity from the press. But first, it needs a target audience.

Red Bull focuses on adrenaline enthusiasts – particularly college students and bee-busy employees. The age range for this focused demographic is 18-34 years. However, all in all, Red Bull's primary target audience are consumers with a large appetite for high-risk events.

Building Brand Awareness in the Target Market.

Brand awareness refers to the degree of familiarity a brand's target audience has with its product, name, or service. Red Bull propagates brand awareness via:

Event sponsorship

Red Bull reaches its target audience at strategic locations and avenues. This includes film events, music festivals, and sport meets. For instance, it is famous for driving publicity in extreme sports like Formula One and cliff diving.

Many young people enjoy these action sports; serving as an opportunity for Red Bull to promote its products. For example, during the Red Bull Air Race in Detroit, the caffeine powerhouse flooded the event with its logo. Models also handed out its energy drinks to fans, to refuel for the intense flight action.

Red Bull has sponsored over 500 high-risk sports, enshrining it as a world-class brand in the extreme sports niche. Additionally, Red Bull also has its own sports teams in football, auto racing, ice hockey, and several other sports.

A Unique Company Project.

Brands often utilize marketing solely as a tool for boosting product sales. However, Red Bull deploys marketing to set records in other avenues apart from sales. A notable example would be its 'Red Bull Startos' mission.

Felix Baumgartner, a famous skydiver, was thrust to the edge of space, to prepare for a jump- from a height of 38,600 km. Felix had the world glued on him as millions watched the event live on YouTube.

Although deemed impossible, the successful space jump landed three official world records- proving that a human in free fall can beat the speed of sound.

Furthermore, the daredevil stunt required advanced tech equipment, contributing to innovations in future aerospace programs. The project cost $30 million. However, this huge investment paid off, as it pushed in over $500 million in product sales for the energy drink giant.

Consistent Branding.

A key feature in the Red Bull marketing strategy is its consistent and powerful branding. Since 1997, the company has maintained its famous household slogan, "Red Bull gives you wings."

Although it faced a $13 million lawsuit as a consequence, Red Bull still stuck true to its unique tagline. The company logo consists of two red bulls ready to lock horns and a yellow sun in the background. This embodies their brand identity- presenting power, fearlessness, and perseverance.

Another contributing factor to Red Bull’s consistent brand success is its viral and highly shareable content. It focuses heavily on video and blog content displayed on its website homepage. This engaging content keeps the audience in the loop of its recent activities.

Marketing Mix

Red Bull marketing strategy contains the marketing mix (product, pricing, place, and promotion). This helps the energy drink giant gain a competitive advantage in the market while improving brand growth.

Here’s a breakdown of the marketing mix:

Red Bull energy drinks mix a fine blend of ingredients to revitalize the body and mind. For instance, its primary energy drink product contains caffeine, taurine, vitamins, sugar, and water. The company also rolls out edition flavors and sugar-free drinks.

Consumers can soothe their taste with watermelon, dragon fruit, coconut, and blueberry flavors. Additionally, it also has drink that contains zero sugar. This is suitable for customers that are dieting or who don’t have a sweet tooth but want to keep an athletic performance.

Another unique feature of the Red Bull product message is its sustainability mantra. The brand dedicates a special edition to promote awareness about maintaining a sustainable environment.

Red Bull marketing strategy also factors in premium pricing for its products. It charges extra compared to the price of competitors like Rockstar and Monster. This premium approach originates from its dominant position in the energy drink market. And its ability to consistently serve high-quality products.

Red Bull’s premium pricing pours in financial benefits for the company- as it can secure a higher profit margin on product sales. It improves brand perception, as customers begin classifying Red Bull energy drinks as prestigious products.

Red Bull marketing strategy also taps into pricing to gain a competitive advantage. This naturally occurs as consumers evaluate product quality based on price, and tend to pay more for high-value products.

This marketing mix is effective for helping brands bring their merchandise to consumers. It utilizes distribution and location to ensure products are available where and when needed.

The brand utilizes the intensive place strategy, making its energy drinks within an arms reach in many locations. An effective location strategy helps Red Bull reach existing and potential customers via diverse distribution channels.

Red Bull stampedes the location of its target audience, such as restaurants, supermarkets, and nightclubs. This allows consumers to refuel their energy with a powered-packed can of caffeine. The energy drink giant has its products available in over 171 countries worldwide.

Red Bull advertising and promotional efforts focus on extreme sports sponsorship. This includes skating, windsurfing, Formula one, and mountain biking. The company invests heavily in these activities to elevate brand awareness.

For instance, the aforementioned mission 'Red Bull Stratos'. The company poured in $30 million into this successful project and landed $500 million in sales.

Furthermore, the energy drink giant keeps fans in touch with its trendy activities via Red Bull TV app. You can now enjoy Red Bull live events, shows, and films on the go. The app is readily available on different devices, including smartphones and laptops.

Partnerships are also relevant ingredients of Red Bull marketing strategy. In 2016, it partnered with GoPro, a tech company. This was to put fans on the field of action as they could now experience live events delivered by point-of-viewing imaging technology.

Two Impactful Customer-Centric Marketing Approach

Red Bull marketing utilizes content and Guerilla marketing in addition to its marketing mix and brand-building approach. Here’s how the caffeine powerhouse applies these strategies:

Content marketing

Red Bull consistently serves content that powers engagement with its target audience. The company engages with its social media followers on a personal level. For instance, it hosted a Q&A session with Felix Baumgartner.

This allowed people to connect with the Austrian daredevil on a personal level. Red Bull also shares memes and teasers that young internet users can relate to easily.

YouTube is another valuable content delivery channel for Red Bull. It has about 6,000 videos on the platform, with its space jump video receiving over two million likes and 120 million views.

Red Bull is a multinational brand serving content that resonates with people from different demographics. It does this effectively by promoting music festivals in different regions.

Guerilla marketing

Red Bull marketing strategy centers around its target audience. The brand takes its customer-centric approach further via the student ambassadorship program.

This provides students the opportunity to market Red Bull energy drinks. They would represent the brand during events like college sporting events and collaborate with the sales team.

The iconic 'mini' - the Red Bull advertisement car, is available to student ambassadors. This is another significant brand promotion vehicle as ambassadors use it to travel within and outside campus.

Red Bull Marketing Strategy: Success By the Numbers

In 2021, the energy drink industry had a global market size of approximately $86.35 billion. Considering the US energy drink sector, this figure lands at $28.25 billion. This is more than 25 percent of the global market

Red Bull stands as the world's leading energy drink brand. It holds about 23 percent market share for its primary product alone. Here’s a highlight of the top five energy drink companies by market share:

• Red Bull (23.3 percent)
• Monster Energy (23.2 percent)
• Bang Energy (8.6 percent)
• Red Bull Sugar-Free (6.3 percent)
• Red Bull Summer Edition (4.3 percent)

Although Red Bull dominates the caffeine industry, Monster Energy is a fierce competitor. In 2021, it only took the lead by 0.01 percent. There are also other brands like Bang Energy, gaining ground in the industry.

But Red Bull marketing strategy has powered it to the top of the list, and the brand doesn’t seem to hit the brakes anytime soon.

Mini Take-away from Red Bull Marketing Strategy

A crucial question that keeps many startup founders or entrepreneurs thinking is "how do I sell my products?" When you consider the over 800 unicorn startups –sales and marketing become top business priorities.

Afterall, they often go all the way to buildd fantastic products and communities. Understanding how to implement a result-driven marketing strategy can significantly improve product sales.

Here are five valuable lessons from Red Bull marketing strategy for your startup/business growth:

Impactful marketing delivers "help" while "selling."

Red Bull positions its product to empower consumers to push beyond their limits. To naturally improve sales, buildd products or services that are solutions to a consumer pain point.

Buildd a distribution engine.

Having a great solution that is not readily accessible can impact sales. Fix this with a well-structured channel for delivering their solutions to customers.

Deploy marketing before launching products.

This helps buildd awareness and raises anticipation about your product-in-development. Also, you would generate leads that can convert to paying customers.

Communities drive a successful product launch.

Building a flourishing community is a valuable avenue to promote your products. Members can relate to your brand and would actively advocate for new products you roll out.

Buildd human connections on social media.

People want to engage with humans, not ads. Create avenues like Q&A sessions where your audience can interact with you directly. This way, you can better understand their needs and align your products to meet them.

Customers do powerful marketing.

Having customers promote your brand naturally fetches your business more leads. They deploy word-of-mouth marketing, which naturally drives product awareness, saving you marketing or advertising costs.

Red Bull marketing strategy undoubtedly delivers impressive results. You should consider incorporating it into your business and other marketing tools like SEO. Begin with the simplest introduction to SEO on the internet.

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Energizing the Brand: Red Bull’s Marketing Journey From 1987 to 2023

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This research paper provides an in-depth examination of Red Bull's pioneering marketing strategies that have cemented its status in the energy drink industry. Renowned for its ties to adrenaline-fueled sports and a distinctive brand image, Red Bull's rise in the beverage industry has been supported by its creative marketing mix that extends beyond the traditional Four P’s framework (Product, Price, Place and Promotion). The company's marketing approach focuses on captivating content and experiential customer engagement, complemented by its adoption of unconventional guerrilla marketing techniques. This study examines key consumer behavior elements to understand the brand's successful audience engagement. Meanwhile, the paper also discusses challenges and criticisms that Red Bull has confronted and addresses those issues by proposing consumer education initiatives to reshape public perception, emphasizing the need to adapt to emerging trends in sustainability and enhanced ethically conscious strategies for target audiences. The sources attributed in this paper include interviews with Red Bull executives, consumer surveys, and a review of academic and industry literature, providing a holistic view of the brand’s dynamic marketing evolution.

References or Bibliography

A Deep Dive into Red Bull Marketing Strategy and How it Dominates the Energy Drink Industry. (n.d.). Buildd.co Website. https://buildd.co/marketing/redbull-marketing-strategy

Boyd, M., Han A., Coelho, C., Posso F. D., & DeVos, P. (n.d.). Red Bull Marketing Research Project. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://millergboyd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Red-Bull-Marketing-Research-Project_Offical-Copy.pdf

Brown, K. (2013), Selling Energy: An Analysis of Red Bull’s Marketing Strategy. Bachelor of Commerce Best Business Research Paper, Volume 7, University of Victoria pp 4-12. https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/assets/docs/Research/student-research-engagement/COM-470-Best-Business-Research-Papers-Vol7.pdf#page=4

Energy Drink Trends: What To Expect in 2023. (2023).Glanbia Nutritionals Website. https://www.glanbianutritionals.com/en/nutri-knowledge-center/insights/energy-drink-trends-what-expect

Feber D., Granskog A., Lingqvist O., Nordigarden D. (2022). Sustainability in Packaging: Inside Minds of US Consumers. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/packaging-and-paper/our-insights/sustainability-in-packaging-inside-the-minds-of-us-consumers#/

Fox, Meimei (2022). 6 Brands Dominating The Explosive Functional Beverages Market. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/meimeifox/2022/03/26/6-brands-dominating-the-explosive-functional-beverages-market/?sh=64924f5451cf

Gierlach, A. C. (2022). Energy drinks in Germany – a study about consumers, perceptions, drivers and barriers of consumption. Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Microsoft Word - AlannahGierlachDissertation.docx (ucp.pt)

Gough C. (2023). The Buzz on Energy Drinks and Their Growing Sway with Kids. Your Teen For Parents Website. https://yourteenmag.com/health/energy-drinks-and-teens

How the Red Bull Media House Takes Extraordinary Stories Global. 2018. FIPP Website

https://www.fipp.com/news/how-red-bull-media-house-takes-extraordinary-stories-global/#

Kantoglu D. (2019). Red Bull Gives You Wings: Red Bull Winning Marketing Strategies. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/red-bull-gives-you-wings-bulls-winning-marketing-dogukan-kantoglu/

Market Share of the Leading Energy Drink Brands in the United States in 2023. (2023). Statista Website. https://www.statista.com/statistics/306864/market-share-of-leading-energy-drink-brands-in-the-us-based-on-case-volume-sales/#statisticContainer

Moore K. (2022). Red Bull’s Approach to Marketing, Then and Now. BANKNOTES. https://hashtagpaid.com/banknotes/red-bulls-approach-to-marketing-then-and-now

Nystrom & Karin. (2022). The Importance of Customer-Based Brand Equity and Brand Loyalty in Building Strong Brands: How Red Bull Utilized Brand Extension into the Sports Industry in Their Brand Building. Aalto University Learning Center. https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/114221

Red Bull’s Target Audience: Unveiling the Key Demographic. (2023). Opener.co Website. https://openr.co/red-bulls-target-audience-unveiling-the-key-demographic/

Red Bull SWOT Analysis.(n.d.). The Strategy Story Website. https://thestrategystory.com/blog/red-bull-swot-analysis/

Tas G. (2023). Red Bull Marketing Strategy: How They Make the Difference? Digital Agency Network. https://digitalagencynetwork.com/red-bull-marketing-strategy-how-they-make-the-difference/

Urrutia, K. (2023). Energizing Success through Innovation and Lifestyle Branding. Voymedia Website. https://voymedia.com/red-bull-marketing-strategy/

Vogel,C., Shaw, S., Strömmer S., Crozier, S., Jenner S., Cooper,C., … Barker, M. (2022). Inequalities in energy drink consumption among UK adolescents: a mixed-methods study. Public Health Nutrition: 26(3), 575–585. DOI:10.1017/S1368980022002592

Weiss, J. (2018) How Red Bull Became One of the Most Respected Brands in Music. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/passionoftheweiss/2018/06/27/red-bull-music/?sh=39b5a25d4439

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Publication date: 20 January 2017

Teaching notes

This case (an abridged version of UVA-M-0663) describes the history of the Red Bull brand and how the company stimulated and harnessed word of mouth to build a new product category (functional energy drinks) and brand franchise. The case concludes by asking the reader to consider where Red Bull will take its brand, product line, and marketing next, in light of many competitive challenges in the United States. The case was written to foster discussion of nontraditional brand-building strategies and the growing globalization of brands and products targeted toward younger consumers.

Johnson, R.R. , Mitchell, J. , Farris, P.W. and Shames, E. (2017), "Red Bull (Abridged)", . https://doi.org/10.1108/case.darden.2016.000256

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Copyright © 2013 by the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation, Charlottesville, VA. All rights reserved.

You do not currently have access to these teaching notes. Teaching notes are available for teaching faculty at subscribing institutions. Teaching notes accompany case studies with suggested learning objectives, classroom methods and potential assignment questions. They support dynamic classroom discussion to help develop student's analytical skills.

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Red Bull (A)

By: Eric Van Den Steen, Carin-Isabel Knoop

Despite facing giants like Coke, Pepsi, and Budweiser-with obvious potential sources of competitive advantage-Red Bull had established itself as the U.S. market leader in energy drinks. By 2008,…

• Length: 17 page(s)
• Publication Date: Mar 25, 2014
• Discipline: Strategy
• Product #: 714401-PDF-ENG

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Despite facing giants like Coke, Pepsi, and Budweiser-with obvious potential sources of competitive advantage-Red Bull had established itself as the U.S. market leader in energy drinks. By 2008, however, Red Bull's dominance was challenged as Monster drinks surpassed it in volume. The case considers judo strategy both from the perspective of a small player (when up-start Red Bull faces Coke, Pepsi, and Bud) and as a large player (when market leader Red Bull faces up-start Monster).

Learning Objectives

To explore judo strategy and judo economics (using the value bar) and how to minimize a competitive response; To explore the benefits and costs of shared resources and activities for competitive advantage.

Mar 25, 2014 (Revised: Mar 12, 2018)

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Geographies:

United States

Industries:

Beverage industry, Food industry

Harvard Business School

714401-PDF-ENG

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[Brand Analysis] Deconstructing Red Bull’s Marketing Strategy and Its TikTok Popularity

Saying you’d be given to portray Red Bull’s brand personality using only three characteristic traits. What would those be?

Throughout the brand’s many years of existence, through all its marketing and communication endeavors, Red Bull tried to position itself as a visionary, fresh and energetic brand. Which is highly desirable for a business in the energy drink industry, right?

From leveraging TikTok , the most popular social media platform of the moment, to ingeniously using influencer marketing, moving forward, we’ll deconstruct and dive into some of Red Bull’s most successful marketing strategies.

Are you ready?

Red Bull's marketing strategy

1. red bull on tiktok.

• The brand centered its strategy around storytelling

2. Red Bull on Instagram

• Red Bull is not afraid of experimenting with Instagram Reels

3. Red Bull and its YouTube Shorts

• The brand creates dedicated content for each short-form video platform leveraged to reach multiple audiences

4. Performance stats for Red Bull’s social media strategy

5. key takeaways from red bull’s marketing strategy.

• Red Bull's social media strategy is centered around the brand's core promise
• The brand adapts to the newest trends and has heavily shifted toward a video-first approach in its social content

When peeking at Red Bull’s TikTok channel, the wow factor is easily recognizable.

Featuring videos of professional athletes and sports enthusiasts engaged in extreme sports sessions and stunts, Red Bull’s TikTok strategy is entirely centered around the concept of storytelling.

@redbull Replying to @user094488082 no doubt we'd have a 5-star rating 🤘 #redbull #givesyouwiiings #f1 #uber #ride ♬ original sound - Red Bull

Known for its long association with extreme sports - like Formula One, Red Bull has extended the brand’s already contoured story, adding one more chapter to it with the launch of its TikTok account.

As a brand that targets highly energetic persons, adventure lovers, and adrenaline seekers through its TikTok channel - instead of having a hard product and sales approach - Red Bull tries to rather emphasize its connection with such personalities.

@redbull try and find a big wave more insane than Nazaré in Portugal, we *dare* you 🌊 #redbull #givesyouwiiings #wave #nazare #surfing #bigwave #portugal #surftok #facts ♬ original sound - Red Bull

For Red Bull, the key strategy that turned the brand into the huge success it is today was breaking out of the norm with its marketing initiatives.

@redbull only one way to get to the top of this 15m drop #redbull #givesyouwiiings #bike #bikelife #weird #elevator ♬ original sound - Red Bull

With Red Bull being such an unconventional brand (as proved by their past publicity stunts), TikTok seems to be the platform that fits like a glove because of its looking-for-authenticity audience.

On TikTok, Red Bull’s current strategy generates not only incredible view rates and a gigantic number of followers but also an engagement rate of 10.00% on average.

PS: To see what’s the average engagement rate on TikTok for different industries, check out our social media industry benchmarks study !

Understanding how much it matters for the nowadays social audiences to be entertained through video content, besides launching its TikTok channel, Red Bull also decided to adjust its Instagram strategy accordingly.

Fully taking advantage of Instagram’s push on Reels, the brand rapidly embraced this new feature and, sooner rather than later, started creating more and more Reels.

Actually, according to the data dug up using Socialinsider, it seems that Instagram Reels make up most of Red Bull’s Instagram posts.

From a creative concept point of view, Red Bull’s Instagram Reels are pretty similar to its TikTok videos; these also portray athletes performing different extreme sports.

From a glance, it would appear the only differentiator between the brand’s Reels and its TikTok videos lies in the scenes and situations depicted.

Just like with Instagram Reels, Red Bull quickly started integrating YouTube Shorts into its short-video content plan quickly after the feature's launch.

With such a 360 video content strategy, Red Bull is sure to get on the radar of every platform's audience, gaining huge visibility.

Red Bull is in it to win it when it comes to getting the brand's targeted audience's attention by capitalizing on all the major video networks' viewership potential.

As the data pulled from the Socialinsider app has shown, the brand's channel video views have continuously increased since it started incorporating Shorts into its YouTube marketing strategy .

What is fascinating about Red Bull's video marketing strategy is that although the main video concept remains the same for all platforms used, the brand's content is unique on all three channels.

Moreover, every single video posted on a specific platform is very well adapted to that specific network's audience and style.

Judging by the number of views each of Red Bull's YouTube Shorts has recorded and by the brand's overall YouTube performance, integrating this type of content seems to have been a smart move.

According to data, Red Bull registers an average YouTube engagement rate of 0.70%, which is pretty impressive.

While Redbull’s marketing strategy for social media relies heavily on video content, as mentioned earlier, whether or not this was the smartest move is to be determined by looking at data.

And what better way to look at the numbers than comparing them with those of the competitors’, to gain a deeper understanding of the social landscape, right?

Therefore, let’s quickly look at a side-by-side comparison of a couple of Red Bull’s Instagram KPIs against the ones of one of the brand’s main competitors - Monster Energy.

From a glance, it would seem that Red Bull's marketing strategy is the more effective one, given that it helped the brand gain both a bigger fanbase and increased engagement.

However, when conducting a competitive analysis, it's equally important to keep in mind that different businesses can have different objectives for the same social media channel.

All in all, the numbers can indicate the more successful social media strategy only up to some extent.

But with social media marketing being so complex, thanks to the many and increasing social platforms that rise every couple of years, it's hard to establish the effectiveness of a brand's social media strategy by looking at only one channel.

That's why we'll take our analysis further and run a performance comparison between Red Bull and Monster Energy for TikTok as well.

Judging by the numbers, it seems that in TikTok's case as well, Red Bull's marketing strategy has the upper hand against Monster Energy's from multiple KPI perspectives,  from generating more engagement and plays to a higher following.  

If you're curious about how you can equally get your competitor's social media data just as easily, let me walk you through the steps I took when doing this competitive analysis using Socialinsider.

• First, I added Red Bull's and Monster Energy's Instagram and TikTok profiles into Socialinsider by clicking the " Add social profiles " button, by inserting the accounts' URLs.
• Then I selected Red Bull's Instagram account from the left-sided list of profiles previously added.
• After selecting the " Compare " section from the top menu, I chose the second Instagram account that I wanted to include in my comparison by selecting one of the profiles suggested that were added during step 1.

And just like that, I had my competitive analysis ready with just a couple of clicks.

This type of head-to-head comparison is available for multiple platforms in case you want to spy on your competitors' multiple channels' performance.

Red Bull's social media strategy is inspired by and in sync with the brand's motto - "Red Bull gives you wings".

Through its combined marketing campaigns - some more unconventional than others - Red Bull has succeeded in becoming the top-of-mind brand for its core audience - young adults who are looking for an energy boost.

As for some strategy insights that got Red Bull's nowadays, the main takeaways would be the followings:

• Red Bull makes heavy use of storytelling;
• The brand puts its audience first - by creating content with which its followers and communities could resonate;
• RedBull has a video-oriented content strategy;
• the brand quickly adapts to the newest trends.

Final thoughts

Thanks to a clever marketing strategy, Red Bull became the leading brand in its industry and gained a tremendous community on all the major social media platforms.

To see what tactics other popular brands on TikTok have leveraged lately, you can take a look at our brand analysis of Duolingo's TikTok strategy or Ryanair's creative concept for its TikTok account.

Content Manager @ Socialinsider

Content & SEO Manager @ Socialinsider with 8 years of experience in marketing. I like to describe myself as a social butterfly with a curious mind, passionate about dancing and psychology.

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RED BULL CASE STUDY Focus on Digital Branding Strategy & Initiatives

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Red bull Energy drink was developed by Dietrick Mateschitz. When he went to Asia for business trip, he tried some syrups that people would put in their drinks to give them energy. He worked up and the drink was called Krateng Dang, which originally was sold in Asia. He then modified the drink and in partnership with Chaleo Yoovidhya, founded Red Bull Gmbh in Chakkapong. Red Bull was launched in Austria in 1987 . In partnership with Yoovidya, it became a global brand, with both of them investing around $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. Both of them held 49% share of the company. Every company has its ups and downs and one of the down point for Red Bull was it did not contain enough syrup and was not carbonated. Reb Bull saw this as a downfall of its sales. Red Bull took out the syrup and made it more carbonated (Hoover’s Inc., 2011) It is very important to understand the energy drink industry before understanding where Red bull stands in this particular industry. Red Bull is world wide energy drink beverage that contains caffeine along with other presumed energy enhancing ingredients like taurine, herbal extracts and B vitamins , besides calories (Heckman, Sherry & De Mejia, 2010). The Energy drinks is also known as “function” category of drinks that includes, but not limited to , sports and work out supplement drinks (Heckman, Sherry & De Mejia, 2010). Since Red Bull has been growing tremendously, it is currently experiencing a high brand and Reb Bull Takes about 70 percent of the energy drink market (Gorse, Chadwick & Burton, 2010). The main aim of Red Bull is to never give up, because in their past it is shown how they keep on doing more and different ways to reach out to its target audience and promote their brand. Rebull just does not give up whether buying a sports team or creating a magazine or sponsoring an event (Gorse, Chadwick & Burton , 2010). Red Bull has been involved with many communities as well. They host many sports events for them to market the product and hence they are now one of the biggest sponsor of sports. Now they have involved themselves within the existing night clubs The key people of Redbull are Dietrick Mateschitz- who is the founder, Nigel Trood- The director in England, John Probst who works with Red Bull racing, Ellen Applen – director of communication Elton Sawyer- director of competition, Patrice Radden who is the director of corporate communication and Walter Bachingerthe- head of controlling and accounting Red bull has been innovative in few ways. Though red Bull was one of the first to break into the energy drink industry, there has been a little innovation from the company in course of time. Red bull has sugar free drink, Cola drink and energy shot, but these have not been very impressive in term of sale in course of time. However Red Bull has innovative in advertising strategies Though Red Bull has been offering these drinks along with standard energy drink ,it is very important to keep in mind that that the primary energy drink of the company is the most important drink because this product serves the need of the largest population and it is what took the sales of the company from minor to major (Gorse, Chadwick and Burton, 2010). According to the article in Nutrition Journal, Red Bull is current leader in the energy drink market (malinauskas, Aeby, Overton, Carpentor- Aeby, & Barber Heidal, 2007) . It has been seen that energy drinks hold 62 percent of the market share, out of which 42% of share is held by Redbull ((Heckman, Sherry & De Mejia, 2010). Therefore Red Bull being a private and single company dominates more than half of the functional drink market , proving they are of the market leader. Red Bull was one of the first company to distribute energy drinks, which makes them very popular , hence they are the best.

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