326475 - Red Bull, "It's Not A Drink, It's a Lifestyle".

Source: www.evanstonbikeclub.org

The recipe was recreated by Dietrich Mateschitz in 1987 to better suite Austrian tastes.

Red Bull was launched in Germany in 1994 after meeting with huge success it was launched globally in 1997.

Source: www.elephanttrade.com

Water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrates, carbon dioxide, taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, caramel and riboflavin.

Sucrose and glucose are replaced with acidity regulator sodium citrates and sweeteners (acesulfame potassium and aspartame).

Source: www.energyfiend.com

Red Bull has recently faced much controversy in regards to the health concerns associated with it.

Due to the high levels of taurine and caffeine it has been banned in countries such as; Denmark, Norway, France, Uruguay and Iceland.

It has been proven that caffeine can be deadly when consumed in massive doses, but the amount estimated to prove fatal is 10 grams, which would require 125 cans of the drink.

A study conducted in 2007 by American researchers found that although consumption of Red Bull could increase both blood pressure and heart rates it was only dangerous for those people with heart disease.

Most claims about the dangers of Red Bull and other energy drinks have been proven to be nothing more than urban myths.

Market Share of Red Bull in the U.S. compared to other similar products including; Monster, SoBe Energy Rush, Full Throttle and Rockstar.

Red Bull controlled approximately 60% of the U.S. market in 2006 with 3 billion cans sold worldwide.

Red Bull has managed to maintain their strong market share through advertising and heavy event sponsorship.

Red Bull sponsors many extreme events such as; cliff diving, BMX, skiing and skateboarding.

Instead of traditional advertising, Red Bull relied on a strategy of word-of-mouth or “buzz” marketing. Red Bull focused on getting the word out through various stealth marketing techniques, playing on associations with energy, danger and youth culture, carefully cultivating its mystique. Through its sponsorship of youth culture and extreme sports events, Red Bull developed a cult following among marketing-wary Generation Y-ers, (18 to 29 yr olds) who perceived it as an anti-brand. While it purported to be a sports drink, it was mostly sold in clubs and bars as an alcohol mixer.

(Above) Red Bull’s cartoon character (Below) Brand marketing teams drive these cars.

Red Bull sponsors many great athletes such as Travis Pastrana (shown below right), a freestyle dirt biker who remained undefeated at two Red Bull X-Fighter events.