Red Bull Acquires Reputation of 'Liquid Cocaine' February 14, 2001
News Summary
Thanks to an unusual and highly effective sales strategy, the energy drink Red Bull has earned the reputation of being the equivalent of an over-the-counter amphetamine, Salon.com reported Feb. 2.Although it's an energy drink, Red Bull is popular at bars. Red Bull's marketers have people believing that their product is a party drink, a stimulant, an aphrodisiac and a raver's "smart drink" gone mainstream.
Last year, Red Bull had worldwide sales totaling $1 billion. In the U.S. alone, sales have doubled every year since 1997, when the product was first brought over from Austria, where it originated.
In Europe, Red Bull has become a phenomenon, with sales brisk in stores and pubs for nearly a decade. The drink's success is linked to its association with alcohol and its use as a brand-name mixer.
A number of drinkers call Red Bull "legal cocaine," referring to the euphoric high the product gives drinkers. The Red Bull mixture is mainly sugar and water.
"The idea is to place Red Bull where people need a lift," said Emmy Cortes, spokeswoman for Red Bull North America. "Dance clubs and nightspots are a perfect fit, but we don't encourage drinking Red Bull and alcohol. The idea is that Red Bull is an alternative to alcoholic beverages."
Although the company conducts cross-promotions and contests for bartenders and cocktail servers, Cortes stressed that the company doesn't promote the energy drink as a mixer.
"We don't try to control how people use Red Bull. We are no more concerned about it than Minute Maid is that orange juice is mixed in a screwdriver," said Cortes.
COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE: