Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With a market share of 38%, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2019,[8] and the third most valuable soft drink brand behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi.[9] Since its launch in 1987, more than 100 billion cans of Red Bull have been sold worldwide,[10] including over 11.5 billion in 2022.[11]
Originally available only in a single nondescript flavor sold in a tall and slim silver-blue can, called Red Bull Energy Drink, numerous variants of the drink were added over the course of time. Its slogan, "Red Bull Gives You Wings",[12] is considered one of the most popular and memorable advertising slogans in the United States, ranking at 16 out of 25 with a 59.3% slogan recognition rate according to a study by advertising and market research firm Survata.[13] Rather than following a traditional marketing approach, Red Bull has generated awareness and created a "brand myth"[14][15] through proprietary extreme sport event series such as Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Crashed Ice and standout stunts such as the Stratos space diving project.[16] In addition to sport series, its marketing includes multiple sports team ownerships; celebrity endorsements; and music, through its Red Bull Records label.[17]
Red Bull was first derived from a similar drink called Krating Daeng that originated in Thailand. It was introduced by the pharmacist Chaleo Yoovidhya. While doing business in Thailand, Dietrich Mateschitz purchased a can of Krating Daeng and claimed it cured his jet lag. Mateschitz sought to create a partnership with Yoovidhya and formulated a product that would suit the tastes of Westerners, such as by carbonating the drink.[18] In 1984, the two founded Red Bull GmbH in Fuschl am See, Salzburg, Austria.[19] When branding their new product Mateschitz referenced Krating Daeng's name as in Thai, daeng means red, and a krating (known in English as a gaur or Indian bison) is a large species of wild bovine native to the Indian subcontinent. In 1987, the company sold its first can of Red Bull in Austria. In 1996 Red Bull began operation in the United States, and has seen steady growth ever since.[20] Both Red Bull and Kraeting Daeng use the same red bull on yellow sun logo while continuing to market their drinks separately in the Thai and Western markets.
In front of the Potala Palace, Tibet: a large can of the Chinese version of Red Bull.
In 1976, Chaleo Yoovidhya introduced a drink called Krating Daeng in Thailand,[21] which means "red gaur" in English. It was popular among Thai truck drivers and labourers. While working for German manufacturer Blendax (later acquired by Procter & Gamble) in 1982, Dietrich Mateschitz travelled to Thailand and met Chaleo, owner of T.C. Pharmaceutical. During his visit, Mateschitz discovered that Krating Daeng helped cure his jet lag.[22] In 1984, Mateschitz co-founded Red Bull GmbH with Yoovidhya and turned it into an international brand. Each partner invested US$500,000 of savings to fund the company. Yoovidhya and Mateschitz each held a 49 percent share of the new company. They gave the remaining two percent to Yoovidhya's son, Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[23] The product was first launched in Austria on 1 April 1987.[24]
In Thailand, energy drinks are most popular with blue-collar workers. Red Bull re-positioned the drink as a trendy, upscale drink, first introducing it at Austrian ski resorts.[25] Pricing was a key differentiator, with Red Bull positioned as a premium drink[26][27] and Krating Daeng as a lower cost item. In many countries, both drinks are available, dominating both ends of the price spectrum.[25] The flavouring used for Red Bull is still produced in Bangkok and exported worldwide.[25] Gary Smith is one of the co-CEOs of Red Bull. As a senior board member and corporate secretary between 2000 and 2007, Mr. Smith was also responsible for all day-to-day operations of the company as the COO, including sales, trade marketing, motorsports marketing, finance, information systems, legal, supply chain, operations, and human resources.[28]
During the 1990s, the product expanded into Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[29] It entered Germany and the UK in 1994, the United States (via California) in 1997 and the Middle East in 2000.[29] In 2008, Forbes magazine listed both Chaleo and Mateschitz as the 250th richest people in the world with an estimated net worth of US$4 billion.[30][31]
Mateschitz died on 22 October 2022 aged 78, following a long illness.[32]
Red Bull GmbH is headquartered in Fuschl am See, an Austrian village of about 1,500 inhabitants near Salzburg. The company is 51 percent controlled by the Yoovidhya family who, for technical reasons, own the trademark in Europe and the US.[25]
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