Who-the protagonist

The late Dietrich Mateschitz, co-founder of energy drinks company Red Bull.

What?

Since gaining a foothold in petrol stations and as an alcoholic mixer in clubs and bars in the late 1980s, Red Bull has grown to become the world’s third most valuable soft drink brand (in 2021 its value stood at $8.1 billion). The Austrian brand’s soft drink range includes the original product, Sugar Free and Total Zero formulations, as well as various flavoured editions such as cactus fruit. Estimated to reinvest over 30% of revenues in marketing, Red Bull is perhaps better known for its activities outside of selling its core product. To name but a few, projects range from a music academy and e-sports, to sponsoring over 800 top athletes, to owning multiple sports teams around the world, including the hugely successful F1 team Red Bull Racing, which has won multiple constructors’ and drivers’ championships - all of which produce engaging content promoted via Red Bull Media House.

Why?

Two new brand extensions threatened to alienate its loyal consumers and dilute Red Bull’s carefully cultivated anti-brand brand image. The two products in question were the functional fashion line AlphaTauri and The Organics by Red Bull, a collection of premium sodas. Whilst Red Bull wanted to disrupt and innovate with AlphaTauri and The Organics, it is unclear who the target customer is and to what degree the parent brand and its organisation can support a non-energy drink and high-end fashion line.

When

AlphaTauri was formed in 2016, and Red Bull’s second F1 team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, was rebranded as Scuderia AlphaTauri in 2019. Meanwhile, in 2018, Red Bull Simply Cola was the latest product to be added to The Organics portfolio, after its initial failure in 2008 as part of Red Bull’s standard range.

Where?

Mateschtiz hails from Austria, with Red Bull’s global headquarters based in the country in Fuschl. But, Red Bull is a worldwide entity, with 13,610 employees (as of the end of 2021) around the world and it is one of the most recognisable brands on the planet.

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