 | |
 Headquarters inFuschl am See,Salzburg, Austria | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Founded | 1984; 41 years ago (1984) |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | Am Brunnen 1, 5330 Fuschl am See, Salzburg, Austria |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | |
| Brands | |
| Services | |
| Revenue |  €11.227 billion (FY 2024)[1] |
| €1.3 billion (2018) | |
| €650 million (2018) | |
| Owners |
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Number of employees | 15779 (2022)[3] |
| Subsidiaries | |
| Website | www |
Red Bull GmbH (German pronunciation:[ʁɛtˈbʊl]) is an Austrianmultinationalprivateconglomerate company that created theRed Bull range ofenergy drinks.[4] It is also known for itswide range ofsporting events andteams. The headquarters of Red Bull GmbH are located inFuschl am See,Salzburg.[5]
Red Bull GmbH was founded in 1984 by Austrian entrepreneurDietrich Mateschitz and Thai entrepreneurChaleo Yoovidhya. While employed by the Germanconsumer goods manufacturerBlendax (later acquired byProcter & Gamble) in 1982, Mateschitz discovered during a business trip to Thailand that a local energy drink namedKrating Daeng—produced by Chaleo's company, T.C. Pharmaceuticals—helped relieve hisjet lag.[6] Recognizing its potential appeal to Western markets, Mateschitz entered into a partnership with Chaleo to adapt and introduce the drink internationally.
Under the terms of their agreement, both partners invested US$500,000 to establish Red Bull GmbH. Each held a 49% ownership stake, while the remaining 2% was assigned to Chaleo's son,Chalerm. Mateschitz was appointed to oversee the company's management and global marketing strategy.[7]
Between 1984 and 1987, Red Bull GmbH reformulated Krating Daeng to suit European tastes by adding carbonation and reducing sweetness. The resulting product was launched in Austria in 1987 under the nameRed Bull. The drink rapidly gained popularity, particularly among young urban professionals, and became synonymous with an active and energetic lifestyle. During the early 1990s, the company expanded throughout Europe, entering the United States market in 1997. Within its first year, Red Bull captured roughly 75% of the American energy drink market.[7]
As Red Bull's global success grew, so did the fortunes of its founders. By March 2012, both Chaleo Yoovidhya and Dietrich Mateschitz were estimated byForbes to have personal net worths exceeding US$5.3 billion each.[8][9]
By 2022, Red Bull had expanded its distribution network to over 171 countries and sold more than 11.5 billion cans worldwide, cementing its position as the world's most-consumed energy drink.[10]
In addition to its flagship energy drink, Red Bull GmbH has diversified into other beverage lines, includingSimply Cola, theCarpe Diem range of herbal soft drinks, and the Sabai Wine Spritzer, developed in partnership withSiam Winery in Thailand.[citation needed]
In 2018, Red Bull introducedOrganics by Red Bull, a line oforganicsoft drinks made mostly withoutcaffeine.[11]
The Red Bull company also distributes and markets a number of other drinks includingSimply Cola, theCarpe Diem range of herbal soft beverages and the Sabai Wine Spritzer (the latter in association with the Siam Winery in Thailand).[citation needed]
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Initially, Red Bull distributed free cases of the drink to college students in an attempt atviral advertising. This strategy was wildly successful, resulting in the rapid proliferation of sales. Red Bull has since become known for its sleek marketing targeted atyoung urban professionals through various sports and entertainment-based advertising campaigns.
Since 1992, Red Bull is known for making a series of animated commercials under the slogan "Red Bull gives you wings", featuring squint-eyed large-nosed characters who grow a pair of wings after drinking the product. To this day, the campaign has been broadcast in over 170 countries worldwide. The commercials were directed by artistsTibor Hernádi and Horst Sambo with the collaboration of Johannes Kastner, the owner of German-based agency Kastner & Partners.[12]
Red Bull uses music andvideo games, and has enlisted celebrities, such as American rapperEminem (sponsoring the Red Bull "EmSee Battle Rap championships").[13] It hosts events such as art shows and the "Red Bull Flugtag" (German for "flight day" or "flying day").[14]
Red Bull Media House is a media company specialized in sport, lifestyle, music and games.[15]
The company publishes several magazines:The Red Bulletin (lifestyle),Servus (food, health and gardening);Terra Mater (nature, science and history);Bergwelten (alpinism) andSeitenblicke (celebrities).
Other Red Bull Media House divisions areRed Bull TV, Red Bull Photography, Benevento Publishing,Red Bull Music Academy,Red Bull Records,ServusTV and Red Bull Music Publishing.
Red Bull has developed the MET (Mobile Energy Team) program. The teams consist of mostly college students, who drive specially designed Red Bull "Racers". The racers are detailed with the Red Bull logo and most carry an oversized can of Red Bull on their chassis (Suzuki Vitara, MiniCooper, SportTrac, etc.). The METs complete daily missions that include sporting events, businesses, colleges, shopping centres, etc. The Mobile Energy Team is trained to know the properties of the energy drink thoroughly and present them to consumers.
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The company operates numerous historic fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft[16] in their promotions under theRed Bull Air Force[17] andThe Flying Bulls[18] names:
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The brand is promoted via various music-related activities. In 2007, the company launched its own record labelRed Bull Records. It runs the Red Bull Studio recording facility, in Santa Monica.[citation needed] TheRed Bull Music Academy organises music workshops and festivals around the world.
The brand also organises and sponsors the famous Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos, a series ofbattle rap competitions held in many Spanish speaking countries.
In 2013, it started a talent development program called Red Bull Sound Select. Randy Randall, ofNo Age, said he was okay working with Red Bull as the company is not owned by a larger company and the branding of the events is relatively low key.[19] In the same year, the Red Bull Amplifier was launched with help from Sidekick Studios. It plans to assist digital startups by giving access to its audience, events, and facilities. In return Red Bull gets associated with trendy startups.[20][21]
Red Bull Arts is a visual artsfellowship program launched by Red Bull in 2013 under the name Red Bull House of Arts.[22][23] The program has multiple locations, including Detroit, Michigan; São Paulo, Brazil; and formerly New York City.[22][24][25] The program typically consists of a three-month period during which six to eight participants create new artwork to be displayed at a final exhibition.[24][26] During the fellowship, artists receive unlimited access to the galleries and a stipend for art supplies.[27] Some of the artwork has been used in Red Bull advertising campaigns.[22][28]
Art of the Can is international art competition in which artists are asked to create works using Red Bull cans.
In thePlayStation 3's social gaming platform,PlayStation Home, Red Bull developedits own in-game island, specifically advertising its energy drink and theRed Bull Air Race event (for which the space is named) released in January 2009.[29] In late November 2009, Red Bull produced two new spaces, theRed Bull Illume space, and the Red Bull Beach space featuring the Red Bull Flugtag, both released on the same day.[30] In January 2012, Red Bull released its first personal space called the "Red Bull House of Skate" featuring an indoor skate park.[31]
In the 2010s, Red Bull began sponsoringesports competitors and video game personalities, including AmericanHalo 3 playerRichard "Ninja" Blevins,[32] SpanishLeague of Legends playerEnrique Cedeño "xPeke" Martinez,[33] and SwedishSuper Smash Bros. playerWilliam "Leffen" Hjelte.[34]
The brand also sponsors several esports teams, includingDota 2 teamOG (winners ofThe International in2018 and2019),G2 Esports,Cloud9 andT1 (winners of theLeague of Legends World Championship a record 5 times).[35][36][37] It formed aLeague of Legends team, Red Bulls, which competed in the EuropeanLeague of Legends Challenger Series in 2017 before folding in 2018.[38][39]
The brand also sponsors severalfighting game players who compete inTekken andStreet Fighter.
In theFormula One Esports Series, Red Bull won the drivers championship in 2026-24 and 2025, and the constructors championship in 2019, 2020 and 2025.
Red Bull has used sports sponsorships as an advertising vehicle for most of its existence. The company first started sponsoring athletes in 1989, initially focusing onmotorsports andextreme sports, and later grew to include more mainstream sports such as basketball and soccer.[40][41][42] As of 2016, the company sponsored more than 750 individual athletes and more than a dozen teams.[43]
These range frommotorcycle racing, such asMotoGP,Superbike World Championship,Dakar Rally,[44]motorcycle speedway,mountain biking,[45]aerobatics,BMX,[46]motocross,[47]windsurfing,[48]snowboarding,[49]skateboarding,[50]kayaking,[51]rowing,[52]wakeboarding,[53] cliff-diving,[54] BASE jumping,[55]parkour,[56]surfing,[57] skating,[58] freestyle motocross,[59]rallycross,[60]Formula 1 motor racing[61] andNASCAR racing[62] tobreakdancing.[63]
In the 2000s, the company expanded its sporting team ownership tofootball, includingRed Bull Salzburg,RB Leipzig andNew York Red Bulls.[41] The company also owns ice hockey clubsRed Bull Salzburg andEHC Red Bull München.
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In 1995, Red Bull sponsored its first motorsports team, the Swiss Formula One teamSauber. In late 2004, the company purchasedJaguar to becomeRed Bull Racing for 2005,[64] The next year it expanded with as second team namedScuderia Toro Rosso (Italian forTeam Red Bull) by buying theMinardi team. The latter team was later renamedScuderia AlphaTauri and currentlyRacing Bulls. Both teams have scoredGrand Prix victories, with Red Bull Racing winning the2010,2011,2012,2013,2022 and2023 Constructors' Championship. Two Red Bull Racing drivers have won the Drivers' Championship;Sebastian Vettel won the championship in2010,2011,2012, and2013, withMax Verstappen winning the2021,2022,2023 and2024 Formula One Drivers' Championships.
Red Bull Racing usedRenault engines between 2007 and 2018, before beginning a partnership withHonda that lasts until the end of 2025. In 2021, Red Bull founded its own power unit division,Red Bull Powertrains, which will begin producing its own power units for the Red Bull-owned teams in 2026 with backing fromFord. Red Bull Racing chief technical officerAdrian Newey has been credited with designing highly-successful cars that are capable of championship contention.[65] TheRed Bull Racing RB19, designed by Newey, is one of the most dominant cars in Formula One history, winning 21 out of 22 races in the 2023 season.
According to former Red Bull Team PrincipalChristian Horner in theNetflix original seriesFormula 1: Drive to Survive, Red Bull is in a unique position wherein they have four drivers (two atRed Bull Racing and two atScuderia AlphaTauri). He also stated that the two AlphaTauri drivers are Red Bull contracted drivers.
In 2010, the Red Bull Racing engineerAdrian Newey designed a prototype racing car, theRed Bull X2010, for the video gameGran Turismo 5.[66]
In 2022, Red Bull announced a full-on production of a hypercar called RB17, also designed by Newey.[67]
In 2006, Red Bull announced they would be sponsoring theNASCARTeam Red Bull. They debuted in theNextel Cup Series atLowe's Motor Speedway. The team was shut down in December 2011 and its assets acquired byBK Racing.[68][69]
In January 2025, Red Bull announced their return toNASCAR (for the first time since the closure ofRed Bull Racing Team in 2011) by sponsoringShane van Gisbergen (a former driver for Red Bull-sponsored Triple Eight in the Supercars championship) andConnor Zilisch withTrackhouse Racing for certain races in the2025 NASCAR Cup Series.[70][71]
TheStock Car Brasil team WA Mattheis was sponsored by Red Bull between 2009 and 2016;Cacá Bueno has won the 2009, 2011 and 2012 championships. The AustralianSupercars Championship'sTriple Eight Race Engineering has also been sponsored by Red Bull since 2013.Jamie Whincup has won three titles in 2013, 2014 and 2017 and team-mateShane van Gisbergen won the championship in 2016, 2021 and again in 2022 at theGold Coast 500.
In motorcycling, Red Bull is a title sponsor ofRed Bull KTM Factory Racing andHonda Racing in several disciplines. It also sponsors events such as the motorcycleErzberg Enduro, where less than two percent of entrants finish the course.
In 2007, Red Bull and MotoGP launched a motorcycle racing series for up-and-coming young riders with no previous Grand Prix motorcycle racing experience. This class was called theRed Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, and since then a number of newcomers have progressed to the 125cc/Moto3 championship in MotoGP. Prior to the 2013 season, the two-strokeKTM 125 FRR engine was used. 2013 saw the engine change to the four-strokeKTM RC250RBR, following the introduction of the four-stroke Moto3 class.[72]
Red Bull andAjo Motorsport partnership began in 2012 in Moto3, evolving into a dominant force in Grand Prix racing. The collaboration, built on a shared vision of talent development, expanded to Moto2 in 2017 and is now a key part of KTM's MotoGP program.Aki Ajo, the team's founder, will lead the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing MotoGP team in 2025, marking a new chapter in their history.[73]
Red Bull has also sponsored numerous motorsports teams worldwide, including theAbtAudi Sport team inDeutsche Tourenwagen Masters,[a] theKamaz Master in theDakar Rally,VW Race Touareg Team,Peugeot Sport, the Citroën, Volkswagen, M-Sport Ford and Škoda teams in theWorld Rally Championship, theSEAT team in theWorld Touring Car Championship, theNeel Jani andPKV Racing teams inChamp Car,Rhys Millen'sPontiac inFormula D,Arden International[b] in theGP2 Series,TOM'SToyota andMugenHonda at differing periods inSuper GT andSuper Formula, and the Red Bull Cheever Racing Team in theIRL.
Red Bull also has sponsored various racing drivers including NASCAR driverBrian Vickers andKasey Kahne and Formula One driversChristian Klien andVitantonio Liuzzi. Red Bull is also sponsor to young Canadian racing prodigyRobert Wickens and teammateJohn Michael Edwards in theChamp Car Atlantic Series, as well as rally driverTravis Pastrana, MotoGP ridersDani Pedrosa,Marc Márquez,Pol Espargaro,Brad Binder,Stefan Bradl,Joan Mir andJack Miller, American Superbike (AMA) ridersEric Bostrom,Ben Bostrom andJake Zemke and British Superbike (BSB) ridersJonathan Rea,Eugene Laverty and Ryuchi Kiyonari.
In 1999 it started sponsoring theFlying Bulls, a Czechaerobatics team.[74][75] The company promoted theRed Bull Air Race World Championship from 2003 to 2019.[76]
The 2005DARPA Grand Challenge, a competition fordriverless cars, was won by a student team fromStanford. The Team's robotically drivenVolkswagen Touareg "Stanley" was sponsored by Red Bull.
Since the initial viral marketing campaign, Red Bull's efforts have included sponsoringextreme sport events includingcliff diving,BMX,skiing,flying, downhill and free-ride mountain biking andskateboarding. In the 1990s, Red Bull sponsored the rowerXeno Müller, who won an Olympic gold medal in the single sculls in 1996.[77]
Red Bull also owns and conducts theFlugtag ("flight day" inGerman), a competition where entrants launch themselves off a 10-metre ramp in homemade "flying machines" into a body of water (reminiscent of theBirdman Rally); its own version of thesoapbox derby called theRed Bull Soap Box Race; the Red Bull Crashed ice, a world tour, in the winter extreme sporting event, ice cross downhill, which involves downhill skating in an urban environment, on a track which includes steep turns and high vertical drops.
Red Bull is now sponsoring theCyberathlete Professional League.
Red Bull sponsors the Red Bull Rope Masters competition with the National Double Dutch League for the Annual Holiday Classic at the Apollo Theatre in New York City, an event often dominated by teams from Japan featuring fusion double-dutch (set to hip-hop or contemporary music), and they sponsor other regional events.
The company has also been highly active inassociation football. On 6 April 2005, Red Bull bought the Austrian club SV Austria Salzburg and renamed it toRed Bull Salzburg, a move which has been heavily criticised by supporter groups within Austria and across Europe. They also purchasedFC Liefering as Salzburg's feeder club.
In2005, Red Bull purchased the MetroStars, a team inMajor League Soccer representingNew York City, fromAnschutz Entertainment Group and renamed the franchise; Red Bull New York is the name of the Red Bull subsidiary that operates the team, while the squad itself is known as theNew York Red Bulls. Anschutz Entertainment Group was about to begin building the MetroStars their own stadium, but groundbreaking was delayed a month as AEG completed the sale of the team. The company paid for the team's new stadium, Red Bull Arena (now known asSports Illustrated Stadium), which had its match opener 20 March 2010.
In 2007, Red Bull established the lower-divisionRed Bull Brasil team in the city ofCampinas,São Paulo. As the plan to reach theCampeonato Brasileiro Série A in 10 years failed, Red Bull became owners ofSérie B sideClube Atlético Bragantino in March 2019 and renamed the team toRed Bull Bragantino.[78] Red Bull Bragantino became the champion of the2019 edition of Série B, and was promoted to the Série A for the 2020 edition.
In June 2009, the company purchased the football licence of German fifth division clubSSV Markranstädt based nearLeipzig, renaming themRB Leipzig for the 2009–10 season onwards. The company stated that its goal was to reach the country's first division, theBundesliga, within ten years; this goal was ultimately achieved, with RB Leipzig winning four promotions in seven seasons to secure Bundesliga football starting in2016–17 season.[79] RB nominally stands for RasenBallsport ("Lawn Ball Sports"), to avoid corporate sponsorship restrictions.[80] RB Leipzig has been divisive and the subject of protests by some fans but has also experienced rapid success, climbing through the German football divisions to get a place in the top-flight German Bundesliga and earning berths in theUEFA Champions League in2017–2018 and 2019–2020, the latter trip ending with a semi-final loss toParis St. Germain.[41][81]
In May 2024, Red Bull bought a minority ownership inLeeds United and became their principal shirt sponsor.[82]
In August 2024, the company took over Japanese sideOmiya Ardija from previous ownersNTT, marking them as the company's first Asian club in their portfolio.[83]
In October 2024, the company announced to purchase a future minority ownership stake atParis FC.[84]
In January 2025, was announced that Red Bull became main sponsors ofAtlético de Madrid until 2027.[85]
Red Bull also sponsors several other Premier League clubs, includingNewcastle United,West Ham United,Crystal Palace F.C., andEverton F.C..[86]
Red Bull SalzburgFC Liefering(Red Bull Salzburg reserve team)
Red Bull Bragantino
RB Leipzig
RB Omiya Ardija
New York Red BullsNew York Red Bulls II(reserve team)
Leeds United – minority interest
Paris FC – minority interestRed Bull Bragantino II(reserve team) — dissolved in 2024
Red Bull Ghana — dissolved in 2014Red Bull sponsor a number of individualrugby union players including South AfricanWorld Cup winning captainSiya Kolisi[87], Ireland internationalMack Hansen[88] and England internationalJack Nowell.[89]
In August 2025, Red Bull completed the purchase of EnglishPrem clubNewcastle Falcons.[90]
The first team sponsored by Red Bull wasice hockey'sEC Salzburg, the city's team in theAustrian Hockey League, during the1987–88 season.[91] Red Bull acquired the club outright in 2000 and renamed itRed Bull Salzburg.[91] Since 2014, Salzburg has also hosted the company's joint ice hockey and soccer academy.[92]
Red Bull became the title sponsor ofDEL teamEHC München in 2012, and took full ownership the following year.[93] It also financed the team's newarena,SAP Garden.[94]
Red Bull sponsors numerous cyclists includingDanny MacAskill, Fabio Wibmer,Wout van Aert and Pauline Ferrand Prevot.
In January 2024 Austrian Federal Competition Authority (FCA) announced Red Bull GmbH's planned acquisition of a controlling interests of 51% in RD pro cycling GmbH & Co KG and RD Beteiligungs GmbH, the owner of the professional road cycling team BORA-Hansgrohe.[95]
The FCA approved the acquisition on 29 January 2024. Bora-Hansgrohe's managerRalph Denk stated "the foundations of our partnership with Red Bull are now officially in place. This is the green light we've been waiting for to go ahead with the formalities and many specific parts of the collaboration."[96]
Red Bull covers the costs to organise theWings for Life World Run since its first edition in 2014. This permits that the entry fees for the participants can entirely be given to the nonprofit Wings for Life foundation.[97]
The company sponsors theLos Angeles ClippersNBA team and Red Bull 3X, a series of men's and women's3x3 basketball tournaments.[98][99]
The Thai unit and its Philippine partner has been responsible in forming, licensing, and funding theRed Bull Barako basketball team in thePhilippine Basketball Association (PBA) since 2000. It has become one of the more successful sports teams in thePhilippines, winning three championships in the PBA.
Red Bull sponsors theFIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.
They have also sponsored England cricketer Ben Stokes, and their branding is visible on the back of his bat.
The sponsorship of Exeter Chiefs and England winger Jack Nowell has seen him become the first player with branding on a scrum cap.
In 2021, Red Bull sponsoredHoang Anh Gia Lai fromV.League 1.[100]
Austrian Formula One driverGerhard Berger was the first athlete to be sponsored by Red Bull in 1989.[101] Many of the company's early sponsorships were in lesser-known or extreme sports, including OlympicrowerXeno Müller, who won a gold medal at the1996 Atlanta Olympics in thesingle scull race andBASE jumpers Frank "Gambler" Gambalie, Miles Dashier, andShane McConkey.[102][103] In the 2010s, Red Bull began expanding its athlete base to include athletes from more mainstream sports, including Austrian tennis playerDominic Thiem,[104] Brazilian skateboarderLetícia Bufoni,[105] American skierLindsey Vonn,[106] and AmericanMajor League Baseball playerKris Bryant.[107]
Current and former Red Bull events includeACF Nationals (2009),Air Race World Championship (2003–2019),Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix,Art of Motion,BC One,Big Wave Africa, Cape Fear,Cliff Diving World Series,Crashed Ice,Dolomitenmann,Drifting World Championship,Flugtag,Frozen Rush,Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix,King of the Air,King of the Rock Tournament,Last Man Standing,MotoGP Rookies Cup,Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas,New Year No Limits,Paper Wings,Rampage,Red Bull 400,Red Bull Joyride,Road Rage,Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye,Soapbox Race,Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix,Stratos,Street Freestyle World Champions (2019),Trolley Grand Prix,Unleashed (2015),Wings for Life World Run,X-Alps,Xcbusa,Hardline, andX-Fighters.
Red Bull hosts the Red Bull Legends Parade, a special event held during Formula 1 race weekends at theRed Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. In this parade, Formula 1 racing legends ride their historic car around the circuit, providing a unique experience for fans.[109] In motorcycle racing, Red Bull and MotoGP has announced a Legends Parade event to be held during the Austrian GP. This is the first MotoGP event of its kind and will feature a number of top riders. They will ride historic motorcycles and relive the MotoGP vibes of yesteryear for a nostalgic experience. Several riders have been confirmed to participate in the Legends Parade.[110][111]
Red Bull owns several sports venues, including football stadiums and racing circuits. The most famous stadiums inLeipzig, home of RB Leipzig, andSalzburg, home of FC Red Bull Salzburg. They also own the racing circuit that hosts Formula 1 and MotoGP races. RHere are some of the major venues owned or associated with Red Bull:
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
