Red Bull Energy Creates an Unmistakeable Designed Moment

After hearing Red Bull's presentation at OmniShopper last week, we were inspired to discuss further the process of turning memorable moments into brand loyalty. For simple context, we will be diving deeper into the following thought by our own Aaron Keller:

“The Red Bull presentation with InfoScout was a waterfall dive into what Red Bull knows and (strangely enough) doesn't know about the crazy people who buy their drinks. It surprised us how much was unknown for such a dynamic brand like Red Bull. Yet, we shouldn't be, the shopper insights world needs to be scaled to match the number of unique places you can shop. Red Bull is certainly bought in a large variety of venues and consumed in an even larger contrast of spaces and places. The point seemed to be, even with all the resources Red Bull has, it is still a constant and deliberate hunt to find more knowledge on the human being consuming your brand.”

If you were asked the question "What is the most dynamic brand in the world right now?", Red Bull might be your answer. Founded in 1987, the Austrian company began by introducing a new product into a completely new beverage category: energy drinks. They sponsor a variety of extreme athletes from all over the world; ranging from mountain bikers, skateboarders, rally car drivers, air racers and more. Red Bull even built a world-renowned Avant Garde Airplane hanger in Salzberg, Austria, to house their vast collection of stunt planes. Why not? Every brand needs their own airplane hanger that is marveled for not only the planes in it, but the architecture of the hanger as well. So rad.

Fast-forward 29 years later and Red Bull is not merely an energy drink company any longer, they are a lifestyle brand. One that continues to break barriers. From creating a new beverage category to sponsoring a world record-breaking stratosphere skydiver, Red Bull is a brand that dares to be different.

Red Bull has built a lifestyle brand that specializes in sponsoring events and athletes that shatter the definition of normal. Red Bull does not do ordinary; they do extraordinary. With events like flügtag (German for flight day), a day where ordinary people create extraordinary flying contraptions that don’t actually fly, Red Bull has created a spectacle out of something very obvious. Don’t believe us? Look it up and be entertained.

In the midst of all the fanfare, it is curious to think about their original product for a second: the energy drink. Despite the Red Bull beverage being bought across many venues and consumed in an even larger amount of spaces and places, Red Bull themselves does not fully understand who buys their beverages. Shocking, you say? Hardly.

Red Bull wants to be recognized as an extreme lifestyle brand, not simply an energy drink company. With this in mind then, we would like to point out that even with all the resources Red Bull has, it is still in a constant and deliberate hunt to find more knowledge on the human being consuming their brand.

Insert Capsule and The Physics of Brand (PoB) designed moment.

First, let us engage in a PoB Thought Experiment: “What else would you need to know about your current and potential customers and competitors to achieve your brand’s full potential?”

As the authors write, “Brands send out signals into the world that are sensed by people. If designed, these signals are incorporated into emotionally compelling and memorable moments.” Perhaps the Red Bull brand has spent a large amount of time, energy and assets creating memorable moments that relate to their extreme sports lifestyle, rather than the impact the energy drink itself leaves on the impressionable memory of a shopper. Red Bull has indeed invested more in their brand experience than in their product. Red Bull has created a holistic experience around their brand that started with a product, but now, is run by the lifestyle. Why market a product when you could create an unmistakable designed moment lifestyle?

Red Bull is living their brand and continually learning.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic of brand-thought communication. Please reach out if you would like to discuss this in more detail. Connect with us on Twitter @physicsofbrand and #AskPoB