Red Bull is an energy drink sold by Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 4.5 billion cans sold each year.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Mateschitz was inspired by a preexisting energy drink called Krating Daeng, which was first invented and sold in Thailand. He took this idea, and to suit the tastes of Westerners, modified the ingredients,^[7] and founded Austrian Red Bull GmbH in partnership with Chaleo Yoovidhya. In Thai daeng means red, and krating is the reddish brown bovine, gaur, an animal slightly larger than the bison. Red Bull is sold in a tall and slim blue-silver can; in Thailand and in some parts of Asia it is sold in a wider gold can with the name of Krating Daeng or Red Bull Classic.^[8] Both are different products produced separately.

Their slogan is "Red Bull gives you wings"^[9] and the product is marketed through advertising, Events (Red Bull Air Race, Red Bull Crashed Ice), sports team ownerships (Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Toro Rosso, EC Red Bull Salzburg, FC Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull New York, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Brasil), celebrity endorsements, and with its record label, Red Bull Records, music.^[10] Red Bull has been the target of criticism concerning the possible health risks associated with the drink.^[11] A restudy by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that in the levels used in popular energy drinks, taurine and glucuronolactone (D-glucurono-gamma-lactone) are safe.^[12] The amounts of guarana, taurine, and ginseng found in popular energy drinks have been found to be far below the amounts expected to deliver either therapeutic benefits or adverse events.^[13]

History[link]

Red Bull cans.

Red Bull cans as sold in PRC

Chaleo Yoovidhya, the self-made Thai billionaire founded T.C. Pharmaceuticals. In the 1970s, it formulated an energy drink prototype called Krathing Daeng, or Red Bull in English. It was popular among Thai truck drivers and laborers.

Chaleo then co-founded a company in 1984 with an Austrian partner who helped turn Red Bull into a global brand. The creation of Red Bull was inspired by the tonic drinks category of Japan and a drink in Thailand called Krating Daeng. Dietrich Mateschitz, an Austrian entrepreneur, developed the Red Bull Energy Drink brand. Mateschitz was the international marketing director for Blendax, a toothpaste company, when he visited Thailand in 1982 and discovered that Krating Daeng helped to cure his jet lag.^[14] Between 1984 and 1987, Mateschitz worked with TCBG Pharmaceutical (a Blendax licensee) to adapt a flavor and marketing strategy for the European market.

At the same time Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya founded Red Bull GmbH; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. Chaleo and Dietrich each held a 49% share of the new company. They gave the remaining 2% to Chaleo's son Chalerm, but it was agreed that Mateschitz would run the company.^[15] The product was launched in 1987 in Austria, in a carbonated format.

In 1992, the product was expanded to its first international markets, Hungary and Slovenia.^[16] It entered the United States market (via California) in 1997^[16] and the Middle East in 2000.^[17] In 2008, Forbes magazine listed both Chaleo and Mateschitz as being the 260th richest people in the world with an estimated net worth of $5.0 billion.^[18][19]

Functionality of Red Bull Energy Drink[link]

Red Bull Energy Drink has been proven to reduce driver sleepiness and to enhance driving performance during prolonged highway driving. This was shown in research from psychopharmacologist Dr. Joris Verster and his colleagues of Utrecht University, The Netherlands. The study was published in the peer reviewed scientific journal Psychopharmacology and has been published with open access at Springerlink.com. ^[20]

Ingredients of Red Bull Energy Drink[link]

Red Bull contains caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B-group vitamins, sucrose and glucose.^[21] Red Bull Sugarfree is like Red Bull Energy Drink but without sugar. The sugars sucrose and glucose have been replaced by the sweeteners acesulfame K and aspartame.^[22]

Red Bull is sold in China in two versions: a regular strength version in a short, wide gold and red can, and an 'Extra' strength version in a taller, thinner, blue and silver can more like sold in western countries. Neither version is carbonated.

Health effects[link]

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. However, caffeine and sugar levels in Red Bull are comparable to coffee and fruit juices respectively. ^[13] Another publication found that "the number of available publications that really go into the details in this topic is also rather poor".^[23]

Commonly reported adverse effects due to over-consumption of caffeine can result in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine intoxication.

Energy Drinks are not sports drinks and have not been formulated to deliver re-hydration. Water should be consumed in addition to Energy Drinks during exercise.

A 2008 position statement issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations made the following recommendations about general energy drink consumption for young athletes:^[24]

1. Water and appropriate sports drinks should be used for rehydration as outlined in the NFHS Document “Position Statement and Recommendations for Hydration to Minimize the Risk for Dehydration and Heat Illness.”
2. Energy drinks should not be used for hydration.
3. Information about the absence of benefit and the presence of potential risk associated with energy drinks should be widely shared among all individuals who interact with young athletes.
4. Energy drinks should not be consumed by athletes who are dehydrated.
5. Energy drinks should not be consumed, without prior medical approval, by athletes taking over the counter or prescription medications.

Cardiovascular effects[link]

A review of the scientific literature on caffeine concluded that moderate caffeine intake (less than 400mg per day) does not adversely affect cardiovascular health. ^[25]

A can of Red Bull, 250ml, contains 80mg of caffeine which is similar to a cup of coffee.

The results of a study showed that the ingestion of one, 250mL can of sugar-free Red Bull, in a sample of 30 healthy young adults, had an immediate detrimental effect on both endothelial function, and normal blood coagulation. This temporarily raised the cardiovascular risk in these individuals to a level comparable to that of an individual with established coronary artery disease.^[11]

Based on their results, researchers involved with the study cautioned against the consumption of Red Bull in individuals under stress, in those with high blood pressure, or in anyone with established atherosclerotic disease.^[26] Red Bull representatives, however, stated that this observed increase in cardiovascular risk was not felt to be different from that associated with drinking a regular cup of coffee.^[27] They also stated that they believed that Red Bull must be safe, as it was felt the only way Red Bull could have such substantial global sales is if various health authorities had concluded the drink safe to consume.

There has been at least one case report of Red Bull overdose causing postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in a young athlete.^[28] A February 3, 2009 article in The Daily Telegraph called, "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".^[29] It was believed, but had not been proven, that she suffered from a rare heart condition called long QT Syndrome.^[29] She was on medication for epilepsy and had an abnormally large heart. A medical examination found that there were no illegal drugs in her system. The article quoted a doctor as saying, "The coroner recorded that the 21 year-old woman died of natural causes." ^[30]

Caffeine content[link]

The caffeine content of a single can of Red Bull is 80 mg/250 ml.^[31][32] This is about the same as a normal coffee, or slightly less depending on the brewing method.^[33] 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.

Legal status[link]

Red Bull did not get market approval in France, Denmark, and Norway^[34] for several years, but the energy drink is now on sale in all 27 EU Member States and in 164 countries globally.

The French approval process started in 1996 with concerns about taurine, a normal body constituent and also naturally present in the human diet (e.g. scallops, fish, poultry). This meant the drink could not be sold as-is in France. Instead, a different recipe that didn't contain the ingredient was introduced. The refusal of market approval was challenged by the European Commission and partially upheld by the European Court of Justice in 2004,^[34] before the French food safety agency relented in 2008 after being unable to prove definitively the existence of any health risk, taurine-related or not.^[35]

Advertising[link]

A common Red Bull Cola campaign car

A 2010 Formula 1 car of the Red Bull Racing F1 Team

Red Bull's AH-1F Cobra helicopter

Red Bull's colours on royal navy's historic flight de Havilland Sea Vixen.

Red Bull racing Formula 1 car

Red Bull has an aggressive international marketing campaign. The numerous sponsored activities range from extreme sports like mountain biking, BMX, motocross, windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, cliff-diving, surfing, skating, freestyle motocross, rally, Formula 1 racing, and breakdancing to art shows, music, and video games. In keeping with their target market of young males, Red Bull has also enlisted help from celebrities, such as Eminem that would appeal to this group (sponsoring the Red Bull "EmSee Battle Rap championships"). It also hosts events like the "Red Bull Flugtag" (German for "flight day" or "flying day") and other such contests. Red Bull also sponsors 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. In addition, the slender container is used to suggest a "sexier" image than some other cola counterparts.^{[citation needed]} Hence, this one energy drink has helped create a market for over 150 related types of merchandise,^[36] like Red Rooster and Blue Lightning.

Red Bull's slogan, "it gives you wings", is widely used in these marketing activities. 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 first recorded as early as 1997.^[37] Even with all of the concerns regarding Red Bull, in 2000 the corporation earned around $1 billion in worldwide sales and Red Bull held 65% of the market share.^[38] In Malaysia, however, Red Bull does not use its "Gives you wings" slogan, but instead a single one-word slogan, Bullleh!, a word play on the Malay word Boleh (lit: Can be done) and the word Bull.

In the PlayStation 3's social gaming platform, PlayStation Home, Red Bull has 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 brought out 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 could be drunk by the worms, giving them the effect of faster movement.

Red Bull is displayed on virtual track-side billboards during gameplay and in the opening cinematic in the video game Wipeout 2097.

Team ownerships[link]

• RB Leipzig – a football team currently playing in the German Regionalliga Nord
• New York Red Bulls (officially Red Bull New York^[39]) – a soccer franchise competing in the United States' Major League Soccer
• Red Bull Racing – a Formula One team based in Milton Keynes, England, World Constructor's Championship winner of 2010 and 2011, and produced the car for the 2010 and 2011 F1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel.
• Scuderia Toro Rosso (Italian translation of Racing Team Red Bull) – Another Formula One team based in Faenza, Italy.
• Team Red Bull – a racing team competing in the US based stock car racing competition NASCAR. The team ceased operations after the Sprint Cup Series' 2011 season.
• FC Red Bull Salzburg – an Austrian football club based in Salzburg and competing in the Austrian Bundesliga
• EC Red Bull Salzburg – a member of the Austrian Hockey League based in Salzburg, Austria
• Red Bull Brasil – a football team currently playing in the Brazilian Campeonato Paulista Série A2 based in Campinas, Brazil

Endorsements[link]

In 2009, Red Bull added mainstream sport athletes to its roster of sports endorsements. Reggie Bush was the first NFL athlete to endorse the product. The announcement was made at the Super Bowl.^[40]

Events[link]

• Red Bull Cliff Diving^[41]
• Red Bull Rampage
• Red Bull Road Rage
• Red Bull Romaniacs^[42]
• Red Bull Crashed Ice
• Red Bull X-Fighters
• Red Bull Air Race World Championship
• Red Bull Flugtag
• Red Bull Paperwings
• Red Bull sports events
• Red Bull Art of Motion
• Red Bull BC One
• Red Bull Cold Rush^[43]

See also[link]

• Felix Baumgartner — stratospheric record parachute jump project
• Jägerbomb
• List of energy drinks
• Vodka Red Bull
• Monster Energy

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Red Bull

• Official website
• Red Bull Energy Drink
• Red Bull's Total Marketing - slideshow by Der Spiegel