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For other uses, see Red Bull (disambiguation).
Red Bull
TypeEnergy drink
DistributorRed Bull GmbH
Country of origin Thailand
Introduced1987
ColorAmber
IngredientsCaffeine, taurine, sucrose and glucose, B-group vitamins, and alpine spring water
VariantsOriginal, Sugarfree, Cola, Total Zero, Red Edition, Blue Edition, Yellow Edition, Lime Edition, Silver Edition, F1 Edition, Orange Edition Zero, Cherry Edition Zero
Related productsRed Bull Cola, Red Bull Energy Shot, Red Bull Sugar-Free, Red Bull Total Zero, Red Bull Racing, Red Bull Racing Team
Websitewww.redbull.com

Red Bull is an energy drink sold by Austrian company Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the highest selling energy drink in the world, with 5.387 billion cans sold in 2013.[1][2][3][4]

Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an existing energy drink named Krating Daeng (Template:Lang-th, Thai pronunciation: [kràtʰiŋ dɛːŋ]), which was first invented and sold in Thailand. He took this idea, modified the ingredients to suit the tastes of westerners,[5] and, in partnership with Chaleo Yoovidhya , founded Red Bull GmbH in Chakkapong. In Thai, daeng means red, and krating is the reddish-brown muscle-bound bovine called a "gaur", an animal slightly larger than the bison. Red Bull is sold in a tall and slim blue-silver can, while Krating Daeng is in a gold shorter can.[6] The two are different products, produced separately. The Red Bull company slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings.[7] and the product is marketed through advertising, events (Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series , Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Crashed Ice), sports team ownerships (RB Leipzig, FC Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull Brasil, New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Toro Rosso), celebrity endorsements, and music, through its record label Red Bull Records.[8]

Red Bull was criticized for health risks in the past;[9] however, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that the levels of taurine and glucuronolactone used in Red Bull and other popular energy drinks are safe.[10]

History

In front of the Potala Palace, Tibet: a model of Red Bull in Chinese version is displayed.

In 1976, Chaleo Yoovidhya introduced a drink called Krating Daeng in Thailand, which means "red gaur" in English. It was inspired by the tonic Lipovitan, whose prime ingredient is taurine, and was popular among Thai truck drivers and laborers. After visiting Thailand in 1982, Dietrich Mateschitz discovered that Krating Daeng helped cure his jet lag.[11] In 1984, Mateschitz co-founded Red Bull GmbH with Yoovidhya and turned it into a global brand. Red Bull was founded by each partner investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. Yoovidhya and Mateschitz each held a 49% share of the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Yoovidhya's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.[12] The product was launched in Austria in 1987.

In 1992, the product expanded to international markets: Hungary and Slovenia.[13] It entered the United States via California in 1997[13] and the Middle East in 2000.[14] In 2008, Forbes magazine listed both Chaleo and Mateschitz as the 250th richest people in the world with an estimated net worth of $4 billion.[15][16]

Red Bull is headquartered in Fuschl am See, an Austrian village of 1500 inhabitants near Salzburg. The building sports no logo and is heavily guarded. The company does not grant any interviews.[17]

In South East Asia, Red Bull and Krating Daeng are often confused for one another as Krating Daeng uses the Red Bull name in their packaging. They are two separate entities marketing for different markets. The main differences are that Red Bull is in a blue silver tall can packaging while the Thailand Red Bull or Krating Daeng is in a smaller gold packaging. They differ in terms of tastes as well. Red Bull Energy Drink has less sugar and is carbonated.

Ingredients

Red Bull contains caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone (as of 2014, Glucuronolactone is no longer on the Red Bull ingredients list), B-group vitamins, sucrose, and glucose.[18] To produce Red Bull Sugarfree, sugars sucrose and glucose have been replaced by the sweeteners acesulfame K and aspartame/sucralose.[19]

The original Red Bull from Austria (carbonated) has been imported to China since 2014. In addition, the local energy drink brand is also called Red Bull. Red Bulls sold in China have two versions: a regular-strength version in a short, wide, gold-and-red can similar to the Thai drink; and an "extra-strength" version in a taller, thinner, blue-and-silver can more like the western version. Neither Chinese version is carbonated.

Products

  • Original (Red Bull Energy Drink)
  • Sugarfree
  • Zero Calories
  • Total Zero
  • Red Edition (cranberry)
  • Blue Edition (blueberry)
  • Silver Edition (lime)
  • Yellow Edition (tropical fruit)
  • Shot (concentrated form)
  • Orange Zero Edition
  • Cherry Zero Edition
  • Simply Cola

Health effects

Claims about the drink's effects and performance have been challenged on various occasions, with the UK's Advertising Standards Authority imposing advertising restrictions in 2001 in response to complaints recorded as early as 1997.[20]

Caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone have been assessed by health authorities for their safety. Health Canada conducted a review of the scientific literature on caffeine, concluding that the general population of healthy adults is not at risk for potential adverse effects from caffeine if they limit their consumption to 400 mg per day.[21]

Taurine and glucuronolactone are human body constituents and present in the human diet from foods such as scallops, fish, poultry and grains. The Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) was published in 2009 at the request of the European Food Safety Authority's commission (EFSA) and evaluated the safety of two particular "energy drink" ingredients, specifically taurine and glucuronolactone, and concluded that the exposure to these said substances at the levels presently used in energy drinks is no safety concern.[10]

In 2009, the EFSA published another scientific opinion in the 'EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies' (NDA), focusing this time on various studies of taurine and its commercial alleged health claims, namely: antioxidant activity, detoxifying properties, and protection of body cells from oxidative damage (defined as per the EFSA: Protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage), energy metabolism (energy-yielding metabolism), ergogenic role in sports and exercise (Delay in the onset of fatigue and enhancement of physical performance).

The EFSA concluded that on the basis of the available data, the cause and effect relationship has not been established between the consumption of taurine and the previously mentioned commercial claims.[22]

A review published in 2008 found no documented reports of negative or positive health effects associated with the amount of taurine used in energy drinks, including Red Bull. Caffeine and sugar levels in Red Bull are comparable to coffee and fruit juices, respectively.[23]

Caffeine

Main article: Caffeine

The caffeine content of a single can of Red Bull is 80 mg/250 ml (32 mg/100 ml).[24][25] This is about the same as one cup of coffee, or slightly less depending on the brewing method.[26] The actual caffeine level in Red Bull can vary depending on country, as some countries have legal restrictions on how much caffeine is allowed in drinks. As is the case with other caffeinated beverages, Red Bull drinkers may experience adverse effects as a result of overuse. Excessive consumption may induce mild to moderate euphoria primarily caused by stimulant properties of caffeine and may also induce agitation, anxiety, irritability and insomnia.[27][28]

Cardiovascular effects

There has been at least one case report of Red Bull overdose causing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in a young athlete.[29] A February 3, 2009 article in The Daily Telegraph titled "Red Bull 'may have triggered heart condition that killed student' " reported the death of a 21-year-old woman who died after drinking four cans of Red Bull as well as alcohol at "social levels".[30] It is believed, but was not proven, that she suffered from a rare heart condition called long QT Syndrome.[30] She was on medication for epilepsy and had an abnormally large heart. A medical examination found no illegal drugs in her body. The article quoted a doctor as saying, "The coroner recorded that the 21-year-old woman died of natural causes."[31]

In March 2014, a girl in the UK had three heart attacks after drinking alcoholic shots containing Red Bull. This is currently under investigation.[32]

Impact on driving

Joris Verster and colleagues from Utrecht University concluded that Red Bull Energy Drink reduces driver sleepiness and enhances driving performance during prolonged highway driving.[33]

Authorities in France, Denmark, and Norway initially kept Red Bull from being sold domestically.[34] However, as of 2014, it is on sale in all 28 member states of the European Union and in 165 countries around the world.

The French food safety agency was concerned about taurine. A Red Bull drink that did not contain taurine was introduced. The French refusal of market approval was challenged by the European Commission, and partially upheld by the European Court of Justice in 2004.[34] The French food safety agency relented in 2008, because it was unable to prove a definite health risk, taurine-related or not.[35]

In Kuwait, Ministry of Commerce banned Red Bull for people under 16 after allegedly causing heart attacks for a 16-year-old and a 21-year-old national Squash team player. Chris Lowe is the current Vice President in Europe for Red Bull.[36][37][38][39][40][41][42]

Litigation

In 2013, Red Bull told the Redwell brewery, a Norfolk micro brewery to change its name or face legal action, because it sounded too similar to Red Bull. The eight man brewery in Norwich was told its name could "confuse" customers and "tarnish" its trademark.[43] The two companies reached a settlement permitting Redwell to continue using its name.[44]

In 2014, Red Bull faced a $13 million settlement addressing two consumer class action lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The listed Plaintiffs were Benjamin Careathers, David Wolf, and Miguel Almarez who sued the company for Red Bull's marketing and labeling claiming that the company violated 'express warranty and unjust enrichment' since their products were first launched. The Court hearing took place the morning of May 1, 2015 in an attempt to determine approval for the settlement. Customers that submitted claims then have the opportunity to receive a $10 cash reimbursement or Product Option of $15 in Red Bull products[45] within 150 days of the approved appeals.[46]

Advertising

Red Bull's TAH-1F Cobra helicopter assembled by Chuck Aaron
Red Bull's colours on De Havilland Aviation's ex-Royal Navy de Havilland Sea Vixen.
A 2010 Formula 1 car of the Red Bull Racing F1 Team

Red Bull's slogan was "it gives you wings" until they were hit with a 13 million dollar class action lawsuit.[47] It was later changed to "No Red Bull, no wings"[citation needed]. Red Bull's international marketing campaign targets young men mostly with extreme sports. These range from mountain biking, BMX, motocross, windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, cliff-diving, surfing, skating, freestyle motocross, rally, Formula 1 racing, to breakdancing. Red Bull uses music and videogames, and has enlisted celebrities, such as Eminem (sponsoring the Red Bull "EmSee Battle Rap championships"). It hosts events like art shows and the "Red Bull Flugtag" (German for "flight day" or "flying day"). Red Bull owns association football teams, with clubs in Austria, Germany, the United States and Brazil featuring the Red Bull trademark in their names. By associating the drink's image with these activities, the company seeks to promote a "cool" public image and raise brand power. The energy drink has created a market for over 150 related types of merchandise,[48] like Red Rooster and Blue Lightning.

In the PlayStation 3's social gaming platform, PlayStation Home, Red Bull developed its own in-game island, specifically advertising its energy drink and the Red Bull Air Race event (for which the space is named) released in January 2009. In late November 2009, Red Bull produced two new spaces, the Red Bull Illume space, and the Red Bull Beach space featuring the Red Bull Flugtag, both released on the same day. In January 2012, Red Bull released its first personal space called the "Red Bull House of Skate" featuring an indoor skate park.

In the video game Worms 3D, Red Bull allows worms to move more quickly than normal. Red Bull is displayed on virtual track-side billboards during game play and in the opening cinematic in the video game Wipeout 2097.

Red Bull House of Art

The Red Bull House of Art is an art fellowship program that was launched by the Red Bull.[49][50] The program is held in multiple cities, most notably the Red Bull House of Art programs in Detroit, Michigan and São Paulo, Brazil, and the program typically consists of a three-month period during which time six to eight participants will create new artwork with the intent to display it in a final exhibition.[51][52] During the fellowship the artists receive unlimited access to the galleries and a stipend for art supplies.[53]

The program has received criticism as being an "elaborate advertising scheme",[54] as some of the artwork has been used in Red Bull advertising campaigns.[55]

Team sponsorships and acquisitions

Sponsorships

Audi A4 DTM, which won the Manufacturers' championship in 2004
The Citroën rally car, which won the manufacturers' title in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
A Red Bull sponsored racing bike
A Sauber C15 from 1995 in display at Red Bull Hangar-7
A VW Touareg during the Dakar Rally, which won the event in 2009, 2010 and 2011

Endorsements

In 2009, Red Bull added mainstream sport athletes to its roster of sports endorsements.

Events

Red Bull Flugtag Stockholm 2010
Red Bull Flugtag Stockholm 2010

Locations

See also

References

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