Energy drink Red Bull is a brand that closely aligns itself with adventure. And by hosting high-stake, highly visible events, the beverage company has cornered its share of the energy-seeking market. According to company figures, the Austrian brand sold 5.6 billion cans of product in 2014, which marked an increase of 4.2 percent from the number of cans sold in 2013. Red Bull also reported a 1.4 percent boost in sales in 2014 over 2013.
Highlights of last year’s event program included hosting the first Wings for Life World Run in May. The race took place in 32 international locales simultaneously, drawing 35,397 runners and raising roughly $3.8 million for spinal-cord research. In addition to its enormous scale, the race had a unique format. Instead of establishing a finish line, “catcher cars” set out 30 minutes after the races began, chasing runners at increasing speeds. The run ended when cars passed the very last male and female runner in the entire race. The 2015 Wings for Life Run took place on May 3, this time in 35 locations.
Red Bull hosted plenty more sports events in 2014 and 2015, but it also expanded its roster of music-and-art-centered activations. New this year, the Red Bull at Night series kicked off with an edgy event in Los Angeles in February. Meant to inspire guests to find new reasons to go out at night, the activation centered on a four-story multimedia presentation—visible from the crowded highway—that was created by artist Heather Shaw. The series will also travel to other markets, and partner with different artists, down the line.
Red Bull also maintained its presence at major music festivals in 2014. At Chicago’s Lollapalooza in August, the brand set up a homey lounge with soft furniture and product samples; guests who signed up for Red Bull Sound Select (an artist development program) could charge their phones in free lockers within the lounge. And at Miami’s Winter Music Conference in March this year, the three-year-old Red Bull Guest House expanded to a larger space and hosted daily parties with live entertainment.
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