Red Bull GmbH
CFO) | |
Products | Red Bull |
---|---|
Revenue | €10.554 billion (2023)[1] |
€1.3 billion (2018) | |
€650 million (2018) | |
Owners |
|
Number of employees | 15779 (2022)[1] |
Subsidiaries | |
Website | redbull |
Red Bull
History
Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz and Thai businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH in 1984. While working for German manufacturer Blendax (later acquired by Procter & Gamble) in 1982, Mateschitz traveled to Thailand and met Chaleo, owner of TC Pharmaceuticals. He found that the energy drink Krating Daeng, developed by Chaleo's company during the 1970s, helped to ease his jet lag.[5] After seeing market potential in the drink, he partnered with Chaleo in bringing it to Europe. Under their agreement, the partners invested $500,000 each into founding Red Bull GmbH. In return, they would each receive a 49% stake in the company, with the remaining 2% stake going to Chaleo's son Chalerm. They also agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[6]
Between 1984 and 1987, Red Bull GmbH modified the formula for Krating Daeng to better match European tastes by carbonating the beverage and making it less sweet. In 1987, the company introduced their adapted energy drink into Austria under the name Red Bull. It found huge success there by marketing to young professionals. The brand expanded throughout Europe during the early 1990s, exploding into the United States market during 1997, grabbing 75% of the market within a year.[6] The wealth of Red Bull's founders grew with the company's success, and by March 2012, both Chaleo and Mateschitz had estimated net worths of over $5.3 billion each.[7][8] Expanding its distribution to over 171 countries, the company sold over 11.5 billion cans of Red Bull in 2022, making it the world's most-consumed energy drink.[9]
In 2018, Red Bull launched its line of
Distribution
The Red Bull company also distributes and markets a number of other drinks including
Marketing
Initially, Red Bull distributed free cases of the drink to college students in an attempt at
Promotional cars
In addition to this, Red Bull has developed the MET (Mobile Energy Team) program. The teams consist of mostly college students, who drive specially designed Red Bull "Racers". The racers are detailed with the Red Bull logo and most carry an oversized can of Red Bull on their chassis (Suzuki Vitara, MiniCooper, SportTrac, etc.). The METs complete daily missions that include sporting events, businesses, colleges, shopping centres, etc. The Mobile Energy Team is trained to know the properties of the energy drink thoroughly and present them to consumers.
Promotional aircraft
The company uses numerous historic fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft[11] in their promotions including:
- Chance-Vought )
- Lockheed 44-53254(N25Y) (WWII Fighter)
- North American 44-86893 (N6123C) (WWII Bomber)
- Douglas DC-6B (OE-LDM)
- Bell Cobra 209/AH-1F (N11FX) (demilitarized attack helicopter)
Music industry
The brand is promoted via various music-related activities. In 2007, the company launched its own record label Red Bull Records. It runs the Red Bull Studio recording facility, in Santa Monica.[citation needed] The Red Bull Music Academy organises music workshops and festivals around the world.
The brand also organises and sponsors the famous Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos, a freestyle competition of hip hop which takes place every year in many Spanish speaking countries.
In 2013, it started an artist development program called Red Bull Sound Select. Randy Randall, of No Age, said he was okay working with Red Bull as the company is not owned by a larger company and the branding of the events is relatively low key.[12] In the same year, the Red Bull Amplifier was launched with help from Sidekick Studios. It plans to assist digital startups by giving access to its audience, events, and facilities. In return Red Bull gets associated with trendy startups.[13][14]
Sport sponsorship
Since the initial viral campaign, Red Bull's efforts have included sponsoring
Red Bull also owns and conducts the Flugtag ("flight day" in German), a competition where entrants launch themselves off a 10-metre ramp in homemade "flying machines" into a body of water (reminiscent of the Birdman Rally); its own version of the soapbox derby called the Red Bull Soap Box Race; the Red Bull Crashed ice, a world tour, in the winter extreme sporting event, ice cross downhill, which involves downhill skating in an urban environment, on a track which includes steep turns and high vertical drops.
The Red Bull
Red Bull has had a
Red Bull sponsors the Red Bull Rope Masters competition with the National Double Dutch League for the Annual Holiday Classic at the Apollo Theatre in New York City, an event often dominated by teams from Japan featuring fusion double-Dutch (set to hip-hop or contemporary music), and they sponsor other regional events in Memphis, Tennessee and at Morgan State University, to name a few. There are several YouTube videos documenting these events.
The
Red Bull also has sponsored various racing drivers including NASCAR driver
Red Bull covers the costs to organise the Wings for Life World Run since its first edition in 2014. This permits that the entry fees for the participants can entirely be given to the nonprofit Wings for Life foundation.[18]
Red Bull Sponsorship FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.
They also sponsor several cyclocross riders including Wout van Aert and Pauline Ferrand Prevot. This most viable as both riders have Red Bull branded helmets.
They have also sponsored England cricketer Ben Stokes, and their branding is visible on the back of his bat.
The sponsorship of Exeter Chiefs and England winger Jack Nowell has seen him become the first player with branding on a scrum cap.
Red Bull sponsors extreme cyclists Danny MacAskill and Fabio Wibmer.
Sport ownership
Red Bull has extended its presence to purchasing and entirely re-branding a number of sports teams.
Motorsport
Before acquiring the ailing
In Formula One, Red Bull currently runs two teams:
According to Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner in the Netflix original series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Red Bull is in a unique position wherein they have four drivers (two at Red Bull Racing and two at Scuderia AlphaTauri). He also stated that the two AlphaTauri drivers are Red Bull contracted drivers.
In motorcycling, Red Bull is a title sponsor of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and main sponsor of Repsol Honda.
In 2006, Red Bull announced they would be sponsoring the
Association football
The company has also been highly active in association football. On 6 April 2005, Red Bull bought the Austrian club SV Austria Salzburg and renamed it to Red Bull Salzburg, a move which has been heavily criticised by supporter groups within Austria and across Europe. They also purchased FC Liefering as Salzburg's feeder club.
In
In 2007, Red Bull established the lower-division
In June 2009, the company purchased the soccer licence of German fifth division club SSV Markranstädt based near Leipzig, renaming them RB Leipzig for the 2009–10 season onwards. The company stated that its goal was to reach the country's first division, the Bundesliga, within ten years; this goal was ultimately achieved, with RB Leipzig winning four promotions in seven seasons to secure Bundesliga football starting in 2016–17 season.[25]
The current Head of Global Football Operations is Oliver Mintzlaff.[26]
Ice hockey
The company purchased EC Salzburg, the city's team in the
Road Cycling
In January 2024 Austrian Federal Competition Authority (FCA) announced Red Bull GmbH's planned acquisition of a controlling interests of 51% in RD pro cycling GmbH & Co KG and RD Beteiligungs GmbH, the owner of the professional road cycling team BORA-Hansgrohe.[27]
The FCA approved the acquisition on Monday 29 January 2024. Bora-Hansgrohe's manager Ralph Denk stated "the foundations of our partnership with Red Bull are now officially in place. This is the green light we've been waiting for to go ahead with the formalities and many specific parts of the collaboration."[28]
Esports
In 2017, Red Bull announced the formation of their new League of Legends team, Red Bulls, which competed in the European League of Legends Challenger Series before folding in 2018.[29] Red Bull sponsors several fighting game players who compete in Tekken and Street Fighter,[30] as well as the Dota 2 team OG, winners of The International 2018 and 2019 tournaments.[31]
Media
Red Bull Media House is a media company specialized in sport, lifestyle, music and games.[32]
The company publishes several magazines: The Red Bulletin (lifestyle), Servus (food, health and gardening); Terra Mater (nature, science and history); Bergwelten (alpinism) and Seitenblicke (celebrities).
Other Red Bull Media House divisions are Red Bull TV, Red Bull Photography, Benevento Publishing, Red Bull Music Academy, Red Bull Records and Red Bull Music Publishing.
Sports championships
Auto racing
- Formula 1 World Drivers' Championships (7)
- 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Formula 1 World Constructors' Championships (6)
- 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2023
Association football
Austria
- Austrian Bundesliga (14)
- Austrian Cup (9)
- Regionalliga West (1)
United States
- Supporters' Shield (3)
- 2018
- USL Championship Cup (1)
- 2016
- USL Championship Players' Shield (1)
- National Premier Soccer League (1)
Germany
- Regionalliga Nordost (1)
- NOFV-Oberliga Süd (2)
- Sachsenliga (1)
- 2013–14
- Bezirksliga Leipzig (2)
- 2010–11
- Saxony Cup (2)
- 2010–11, 2012–13
- Regionalliga promotion playoff 1 (1)
- DFB-Pokal (2)
- DFL-Supercup (1)
Brazil
- Campeonato Paulista Série A3 (1)
- 2010
- Campeonato Paulista Série B(1)
- 2009
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (1)
- Campeonato Paulista do Interior(2)
- 2019, 2020
- Campeonato Paulista Group D (1)
Ice hockey
Austria
- Austrian Hockey League(7)
- Continental Cup (1)
- European Trophy (1)
Germany
- Deutsche Eishockey Liga (4)
- 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20 (RS)
Esports
Dota 2
- The International (2, with OG)
F1 2019
F1 2020
24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual
Red Bull Racing eSports competed in the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual, finishing 19th in the LMP class and 26th in the GTE class.
Notes
References
- ^ a b "Red Bull Energy Drink – Official Website". Red Bull. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ Chalerm Yoovidhya & family. Forbes. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
- ^ "Red Bull GmbH, Fuschl am See, Salzburg". FirmenABC.at. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
- ^ "Red Bull Energy Drink – Official Website". www.redbull.com.
- ^ "Selling energy". The Economist. 9 May 2002.
- ^ a b Kerry A. Dolan (28 March 2005). "The Soda With Buzz". Forbes. Archived from the original on 29 March 2005. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ "Dietrich Mateschitz, Forbes, March 2012". Forbes. Archived from the original on 13 March 2011.
- ^ "Yoovidhya Family, Forbes, March 2012". Forbes. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012.
- ^ "Red Bull Energy Drink – Official Website". www.redbull.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ Meyer, Zlati. "Red Bull launches its own line of organic sodas, most of it (gasp!) not caffeinated". USA TODAY.
- ^ "Photo Search Results". Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ Tavana, Art (4 November 2015). "Why is Super-DIY Band No Age Playing a Corporate Sponsored Music Festival?". LA Weekly. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ^ Solon, Olivia. "Red Bull launches accelerator for music startups". wired.co.uk. Condé Nast UK. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ Lara, O'Reilly (8 March 2013). "Red Bull launches music startup accelerator". Marketing Week. Centaur Media. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ Brown Alumni Magazine [dead link]
- ISBN 1-874557-36-5.
- ^ Schrader, Markus (13 September 2019). "Here Are All The Highlights Among The +200 Aircraft Attending Zeltweg's AirPower 2019 Airshow". The Aviationist. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ "Help us raise funds for Spinal Cord Injury - Wings for Life World Run - Wings for Life World Run". Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ Red Bull snaps up Jaguar F1 team article
- ^ a b Red Bull swoop for Minardi deal article
- ^ "Horner sings Newey's praises". PlanetF1.com. 19 January 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
- ^ Ryan, Nate (20 June 2011). "Lack of success drives Red Bull to pull out of NASCAR". USA Today. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
- ^ Gluck, Jeff (21 February 2012). "2012 Daytona 500 To Mark Debut Of Mysterious BK Racing Team". SB Nation. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
- ^ "Red Bull expands global football empire, takes over at Bragantino". SportBusiness Sponsorship. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "RB Leipzig seal promotion to first division". Deutsche Welle. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "The Boss July 8th, 2015".
- ^ "Austrian Federal Competition Authority". Austrian Federal Competition Authority. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Red Bull and Bora-Hansgrohe partnership given 'green light to go ahead' [1]
- ^ "Red Bull has a new League of Legends team". Retrieved 7 August 2017.
- ^ "Red Bull". Red Bull. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- ^ O’Keefe, David. "OG fill us in on their epic TI8 victory". Red Bull. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
- ^ When a Brand Becomes a Publisher: Inside Red Bull’s Media House – Dorian Benkoil, Mediashift, 10 November 2014
- ^ [*] – seasons in which the Austrian Champion didn't win the EBEL title