Red Bull's unconventional marketing efforts single-handedly turned a foul-tasting energy drink into a huge global business, created an entirely new category of beverage (the foul-tasting energy drink) and earned the company a place in the marketing halls of fame as a "miracle brand." So writes Alex Wipperfürth in his recent book Brand Hijack, a good read peppered with useful insights into grassroots-marketing campaigns.
Styled after energy drinks popular in Asia, Red Bull contains synthetic Taurine, an acidic chemical found in Ox bile (hence the name) that supposedly enhances the effects of caffeine, though there's been no studies to confirm this.
Because of Taurine, Red Bull had to be approved by the food-and-drug authorities in each country where it was sold. Launched initially in Austria, the drink endured a five-year approval period before it was accepted into Germany. While frustrating, the wait proved to be a huge marketing boon: Red Bull was subject to myriad rumors about its ingredients and legality -- was it "speed in a can," an over-the-counter Viagra? Was Taurine extracted from bull's testicles?
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Unconventional Marketing
- Exploring unconventional marketing strategies can help businesses turn a product with unfavorable qualities into a global success.
- Grassroots-marketing Campaigns
- Leveraging grassroots-marketing campaigns can lead to increased brand recognition and loyalty.
- Creating New Beverage Categories
- Introducing a new category of beverage, such as a foul-tasting energy drink, can disrupt the market and attract a unique customer base.
Sectors Adopting This
- Energy Drinks
- In the energy drinks industry, there is an opportunity to market unique and unconventional products that resonate with consumers.
- Food and Beverage
- The food and beverage industry can benefit from exploring innovative ingredients and flavors to create disruptive products.
- Marketing and Advertising
- The marketing and advertising industry can help businesses develop and implement unconventional marketing strategies to differentiate their brands and products.
