January 25, 2024 – Red Bull

It’s another Throwback Thursday on WLGZ! This week, we’re featuring the year 1987, which is the year Red Bull was first introduced.
Red Bull was derived from a similar energy drink introduced in Thailand in 1976. While doing business in Thailand, an Austrian named Dietrich Mateschitz bought a can and was amazed when it cured his jet lag. He partnered with the drink’s inventor and created a product that would suit Westerners’ tastes. Red Bull was first launched in Austria on April 1, 1987. The company repositioned energy drinks as trendy and upscale, first introducing them at Austrian ski resorts. The drink was introduced in the U.S. in 1996.
Most of the effects energy drinks like Red Bull have, like increased attention and reaction speed,  come from caffeine content. One can of Red Bull has about the same caffeine as a cup of home-brewed coffee. Experts argue about the possible effects of the other ingredients in the drinks, and warn that excessive or repeated consumption can lead to cardiac and psychiatric issues.
Red Bull’s international marketing is largely tied to extreme sports. Instead of a traditional marketing approach, the company has generated awareness with extreme events like the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series and the Red Bull Air Race, among others. They also pull some pretty incredible stunts, like their Stratos space diving project in 2013. Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner few around 24 miles into the stratosphere over New Mexico aboard a helium balloon. Wearing a special pressure suit, he performed a free fall and then parachuted to Earth, becoming the first human to break the sound barrier without any form of engine power.
Red Bull is the most popular energy drink as of 2020, and it’s the 3rd most valuable soft drink brand after Coca-Cola and Pepsi. More than 100 billion cans have been since its launch, including more than 11.5 billion in 2022. Learn more here.