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Red Bull

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For other uses, see Red Bull (disambiguation).
Red Bull GmbH
Company typePrivate
IndustryDrink
Founded1987
HeadquartersFuschl am See, Austria
Key people
Dietrich Mateschitz
Productsenergy drinks
Revenue
Number of employees
~ (2004)
Websitewww.redbull.com

Red Bull is the brand name of an Austrian - Thai carbonated soft drink. Sold as an energy drink to combat mental and physical fatigue, it contains, per 250 ml serving, about 27 grams of sugar, 1000 mg of taurine, 600 mg of glucuronolactone, B-complex vitamins and 80 mg of caffeine. The caffeine in one serving is a little less than that found in an average cup of coffee (100 mg/8 oz. cup) or twice as much as found in a can of Coke (40 mg/12 oz. can). A sugar-free version has been available since the beginning of 2003. It is popular as a mixer, notably with vodka or Jägermeister which is called a JägerBlaster or JägerBomb, or (when served with the Jägermeister still in a shot glass) a Train Wreck. In Ireland, a non-alcoholic cocktail of Red Bull and red lemonade is called "a kick in the bollocks". Almost 1 billion of the slim 250ml cans were sold in 2000 in over 100 countries, 260 million of them in the UK. In 2003, almost 2 billion cans were sold in over 120 countries.

Due to Red Bull's popularity, countless imitations have been created, including Blue Ox, American Bull, and Mad Croc. Overall, Red Bull has created a category that currently includes 125 products in the USA market. Several supermarket groups have created their own house brands. Examples include Tesco's Cranberry Diet Kick and ASDA's Lemon & Lime flavoured version. In Canada, RELOAD, Sobe Arush, Red Rain & Red Rave are popular imitations. RELOAD made a name for itself in the medias with a great press review by launching its line of drinks while knocking off the shelves big players such as KMX of Coca-Cola in Montreal C-Stores. In addition, several celebrities have launched their own energy drinks. Examples include rap superstar Nelly's energy drink, Pimp Juice, and Lil Jon has brought out the Crunk!!! energy drink.

RELOAD made a name for itself in the medias by launching its line of drinks while knocking off the shelves big players in Montreal. Red Bull as created a category in itself where small players can make their way to the top sellers because mainly, customers are looking for novelty and underground products

Despite its rapid success having quickly attracted imitators, Red Bull is still dominant in the energy drink market (70 percent of the marketshare in 2003). Due to such copies, one of the most popular cocktails made with Red Bull, Vodka Red Bull, or "Reddies", is sometimes made with imitators in clubs and bars, such as Roaring Lion or Monster. This has resulted in a handful of a lawsuits by Red Bull North America, who alleges that consumers requesting Red Bull were given another energy drink in its place.

Origins

File:Krating Daeng bottle.jpg
A Thai Krating Daeng bottle

Dietrich Mateschitz traveled to Thailand and saw that the tuk-tuk (rickshaw) drivers drank a substance to keep them energized throughout the day. After some alterations to the recipe, and a flavor modification for the public, Red Bull was born. He adapted it from the Thai beverage Krating Daeng (กระทิงแดง), which translates into the English language as Red Bull. In 1984 he approached the local firm TC Pharmaceuticals to license it. They agreed, and took a 49% stake in his firm, Red Bull GmbH. The architecturally spectacular headquarters are located in Fuschl am See, Austria.

Marketing

Initially, Red Bull created a strategic program to provide "cool" post-secondary students with free cases of the drink, and then convince them to throw a party. This viral campaign created a noticeable ripple effect, boosting sales. But the real secret behind red bull is that it is composed of chuck norris' urine.

It was launched in Europe in 1987, supported by sleek advertising and, with its high-priced small blue-and-silver can, targeted at young urban professionals (a.k.a. yuppies). The international advertising slogan of Red Bull is Red Bull Gives You Wiiings, which focuses on the stimulant properties of the drink.

Since the initial viral parties, Red Bull's efforts have included sponsoring extreme sport events, including cliff diving, bmx and skateboarding. Red Bull also sponsors the Red Bull Flugtag ("flying day" in German), a competition where entrants launch themselves off a 30-foot ramp in home-made "flying machines" into a body of water. Red Bull has had a sponsorship presence in a number of sports for some time especially in the world of motorsport, with the company having a presence in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters), KTM Factory Motocross Team, Champ Car World Series, World Rally Championship and owning two Formula One teams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. The team previously sponsored the Sauber Formula One team, the Red Bull Cheever Racing Team in the IRL, and in 2007 will sponsor a Toyota in NASCAR's Nextel Cup. Also Red Bull is now sponsoring the Cyberathlete Professional League.

They have since extended their presence to purchasing and entirely re-branding a number of sports teams. These teams include the Red Bull Racing (previously Jaguar) and Scuderia Toro Rosso (Italian for Red Bull Team) (previously Minardi) Formula One teams. Red Bull Racing had a competitive first season in Formula One in 2005, and Scuderia Toro Rosso made its debut in 2006. Red Bull also has sponsored various racing drivers including NASCAR driver Robby Gordon and Formula One drivers Christian Klien, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed. On April 6, 2005 Red Bull also bought the Austrian football (soccer) club SV Austria Salzburg and renamed it to Red Bull Salzburg, a move which has been heavilly criticised by supporter groups within Austria and across Western Europe. The MetroStars Major League Soccer team, who are based in New Jersey, were purchased from former owner Anschutz Entertainment Group and renamed Red Bull New York. AEG and Red Bull are building Red Bull Park for the team in Harrison, New Jersey, to be completed in 2007-2008, which would likely remain in AEG's control.

Potential health risks

In 2001, the drink was investigated by the Swedish National Food Administration after being linked to the deaths of three consumers. It has been subject to a number of other health scares regarding glucuronolactone, a precursor of taurine. Sale of Red Bull as a normal soft drink is prohibited in Denmark, Norway, and France. Due to the link with taurine, local authorities categorized Red Bull as a medicine and suggest customers ask for medical advice before drinking. Because of this, only energy drinks without taurine are sold in France.

The official imported Canadian Red Bull is a caffeinated version of Thai Krating Daeng. Until late 2004, its sale was prohibited in Canada. Now a can must carry a warning label that says:

"Cautions: Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, caffeine sensitive persons or to be mixed with alcohol. Do not consume more than 500 ml per day."

However, no such warning label is present on cans sold in the U.S. nor in the U.K., though people who consume the beverage in excess (more than 2-5 8 fl oz cans in a 24-hour period) have been known to express discomfort, such as nausea, stomach pains, gas, and/or sleeplessness. British supermarket chain Morrisons refuses to sell Red Bull to customers under the age of 16.

Doctors and nutritionists have warned of the dangers of mixing caffeine and alcohol in excessive quantities. Their warnings, however, are mostly unheeded as people who appreciate alcoholic beverages feel strongly that the benefits of mixing Red Bull with alcohol far outweigh the risks and take stimulants such as caffeine in order to avoid getting drowsy while drunk. Mixing Red Bull with alcohol (most commonly Vodka and Jägermeister) has become increasingly popular among college-aged crowds and club goers, increasingly gaining what can only be described as a "cult-like allegiance." Heavier drinkers of alcoholic Red Bull drinks have cited "euphoric feelings." Many studies have been performed to determine the actual effects on the human body after consumption of Red Bull with alcohol: most finding solely that the mixing of a depressant with an energy drink can lead to abnormal heart rhythms and future heart problems. [1]

Compare with the results of clinical trials PMID 11897259.

Ingredients

Water, Sucrose, Glucose, Acidifier Sodium Citrates, Carbon Dioxide, Taurine (0.4%), Glucuronolactone (0.24%), Caffeine (0.03%), Inositol, Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12), Flavourings, Colours (Caramel, Riboflavin)

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