The Red Bull energy drink is known and recognized all over the world: you can buy it in 169 countries around the world. It is estimated that more than 60 billion cans have been sold so far! Hardly anyone, however, is aware of a few interesting facts about the brand itself and its leading product. It's a pity, because not only the Red Bull brand has an interesting history, but it can also mix things up in areas such as sports or music!

Austrian-Thai-German blend, or how Red Bull was created

Red Bull was founded in 1984 by two entrepreneurs: Austrian Dietrich Mateschitz and Taj Chaleo Yoovidhya. How did the gentlemen know each other? They met during a business trip of an Austrian who worked in the 1980s for the German company Blendax. Chaleo, in turn, was the owner of TC Pharmaceutical, which produces the Krating Daeng energy drink. Dietrich Mateschitz tasted it and discovered that the drink helped him overcome the discomfort associated with changing the time zone. He then decided that the product had a chance to be successful on the European market. The gentlemen quickly got along and set up a company. Each of them invested in it, a trifle, half a million dollars.

Europeans prefer less sugar

Before the newly established company Red Bull started offering the Krating Daeng drink under the changed name, it was decided to adapt it to the European market. It was feared that the taste of the product would not appeal to Europeans because it is too sweet. Until 1987, a slightly changed recipe was developed, which improved the taste of the drink. More coals were added to it, which partially neutralized the very sweet taste of Krating Daeng. The new drink, Red Bull, was launched on the Austrian market in 1987. It quickly gained popularity and a few years later was distributed to other European countries. 10 years after its debut on the Old Continent, it began to be sold in the USA.

Interesting marketing

How did the brand come up with gaining popularity? It was decided to distribute miniatures of drinks to students as a means of supporting them in their learning. And as you know, during the exam session, every student gets a razor in the fight to pass all the subjects. Red Bull was considered to actually "give wings", and the drink gained popularity fairly quickly.

Red Bull in sport

Although not everything directly associates the Red Bull brand with sport, it is one of the most important areas of marketing activity for the brand. Since the 1990s, the brand has been sponsoring extreme sports, the list of which is constantly expanding: cliff diving, BMX, skiing, mountain biking, mountaineering, base jumping and snowboarding, Red Bull's sponsorship is also visible in the field of motor sports (including rallies). It was Red Bull who sponsored Andrzej Bargiel's expedition, during which he was the first man in history to ski from the top of K2. It can therefore be safely concluded that if it were not for Red Bull, many sports feats might not have taken place!

Other curiosities

However, the various curiosities related to the brand do not end there. We present a small list of other flavors that may surprise you:

  • There is no bull in the Red Bull logo! The animal immortalized on the product is Gaur - a species of wild cattle found in Asia.
  • Due to the high content of caffeine and taurine, several countries have banned the sale of Red Bull. You won't get a drink that gives you wings in Denmark, Uruguay and Iceland. In turn, according to the rumor, Red Bull can only be bought in a pharmacy in Norway.
  • Does Red Bull actually use so much caffeine? Well, in 2013, all the cans sold contained a total of 475 tons of caffeine. This is as much as 7 Abrams or Boeing 747 tanks. Admittedly - there is power!
  • Red Bull Records is a brand-owned record label that gives wings! Its biggest star is the band Awolnation.
  • The Red Bull brand sponsors the annual "flying on junk" competition. Competitors, from everything they have at hand, create "airplanes", which are designed to accelerate on a 20-meter platform and fly as far as possible before they fall into the water. As ridiculous as it may sound, the competition is very popular with competitors and the audience alike.
  • If you thought that "Flights Anything" is the only absurd contest sponsored by Red Bull, you are wrong. The brand is also the patron of the Paper Airplane Championship.
  • Investing in quite niche and funny contests does not prevent the brand from investing in more recognized sports. Red Bull spends half a billion dollars each year sponsoring Formula 1.

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