Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink made by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH and launched in 1987, a date usually taken as the start of the energy drink category. Its commercial success and its sports sponsorship strategy have made it one of the most recognisable soft drink brands in the world.
History
The drink has its roots in a Thai product. In 1976, the entrepreneur Chaleo Yoovidhya introduced a drink called Krating Daeng in Thailand, which proved popular with truck drivers and manual workers. Around 1982, the Austrian Dietrich Mateschitz, then working for the German manufacturer Blendax, travelled to Thailand, met Chaleo and found that the drink had helped him recover from jet lag.
In 1984 the two founded Red Bull GmbH in Fuschl am See, near Salzburg, each contributing savings of US$500,000. Mateschitz adapted the formula to Western tastes, mainly by carbonating it, and launched it in Austria on 1 April 1987. To set it apart from the Thai original, he positioned it as a premium drink linked to sport and urban culture rather than as a working-class beverage.
During the 1990s the brand spread to Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and other markets, and it is now sold in a very large number of countries. The company remains headquartered in Fuschl am See, and the Yoovidhya family still holds a majority stake.
Culture
Red Bull is closely associated with extreme sport and urban youth culture. The company has organised and sponsored competitions in skiing, surfing, motocross, parkour and breakdance, and has created its own events, such as the Red Bull Flugtag, a contest for homemade flying machines. Its slogan, "Red Bull gives you wings", has become widely recognised, although it does not refer to any specific product feature.
The group owns or sponsors football clubs in Austria, Germany, the United States and Brazil, as well as the Formula One team Red Bull Racing. In recent years its portfolio has grown to include clubs such as Atlético de Madrid, which joined in 2025. Its presence in video games, music and its own media, such as The Red Bulletin magazine, reinforces a brand image that extends well beyond the drink.
The formula contains caffeine, taurine, sugars and B vitamins, and the label states the high caffeine content, comparing it with a cup of filter coffee. Sugar-free and zero-calorie versions now exist, along with limited-edition flavours.