6 ms·

Red Bull's Billionaire Maniac

89 points by forcer 15y ago

petercooper 15y ago
The success of Red Bull defies logic in one important regard: It doesn't taste very good. That's like saying beer, oysters, caviar, or Coca Cola don't taste very good - it's entirely subjective. I like the taste of Red Bull a great deal and I'm fussy.
- waqf 15y ago
  Now a followup question, and it shouldn't be taken as a hostile one because I agree with you entirely: Would you like the taste more or less if it didn't cost $2 a can?
  - petercooper 15y ago
    There's an element of brand in there, for sure. But.. I'm a bit of an energy drink junkie and I've tried almost all of them over the years. Red Bull is a bit like the Coca Cola of energy drinks to me. It might not be the absolute best tasting one but it's the best to fit almost any situation. That is, a specialty cola can taste better than Coca Cola for a once-off, but you'd find it too sickly on a long-term basis. That's where I stand with Red Bull. It's not the best but it's the most consistent and most palatable I've found. I can't put my finger as to how much the brand plays into that but acknowledge I'm as human as anyone else and that it undoubtedly reinforces my preference.
ohashi 15y ago
He doesn't come off as a maniac at all. I rather enjoyed his philosophy and his success speaks for itself. He sold a crappy tasting drink for more money than anyone would have imagined possible. The guy is brilliant.
- hugh3 15y ago
  My favourite passage from a James Bond book: Doctor No said, in the same soft resonant voice, "You are right. Mister Bond. That is just what I am, a maniac. All the greatest men are maniacs. They are possessed by a mania which drives them forward towards their goal. The great scientists, the philosophers, the religious leaders - all maniacs. What else but a blind singleness of purpose could have given focus to their genius, would have kept them in the groove of their purpose? Mania, my dear Mister Bond, is as priceless as genius. Dissipation of energy, fragmentation of vision, loss of momentum, the lack of follow-through - these are the vices of the herd." Doctor No sat slightly back in his chair. "I do not possess these vices. I am, as you correctly say, a maniac"
  - sayemm 15y ago
    Awesome passage, thanks for sharing it. Maniacs exemplify "the anatomy of determination" - http://paulgraham.com/determination.html http://paulgraham.com/determination.html
atgm 15y ago
It really bothers me how, over the last 10-15 years, caffeine has gone from something people use to jump-start their day to some kind of... fad drug. People brag about how many cups of coffee they inhale every day, how many liters of soda they can drink in one sitting, how many bottles of bawls they have on a shelf, or how many cans of red bull they need to chug to stay awake after their all-nighters, but even worse than that is how many people just acknowledge this as a normal thing. Especially among geeks and gamers. Edit: For example, quotes like this: "It's an efficiency product. I'm talking about improving endurance, concentration, reaction time, speed, vigilance, and emotional status. Taste is of no importance whatsoever." He makes it very clear that he doesn't think of it as a soft drink, but as a performance-enhancing drug. Yet people are out there pounding it because it's "cool."
- JonWood 15y ago
  The trend to use caffeine like a drug is particularly concerning amongst young people. I volunteer with a local youth group, and recently some of them have started downing a couple of Red Bulls (or more likely a cheap clone) before arriving. The effect it has on them is ridiculous - kids who usually aren't too much trouble become completely uncontrollable. A bit of running about at that age is healthy, but the excess energy means they spend literally 3 hours charging around the place, with arguments far more likely to happen because they're wired. I'm not generally one for regulation of substances which don't harm other people, but I think there at least needs to be some publicity given to the fact that saturating yourself with caffeine and other additives is really bad for your heart.
- VMG 15y ago
  Also the evidence that caffeine is a cognitive enhancer isn't very good. It seems that the boost people feel from a cup of coffee is just the relief from the symptoms of coffee withdrawl. Quote > "That alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to an above normal level. BBC Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6422279.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6422279.stm Podcast: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2010/3073994.htm http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2010/3073994.h... I stopped drinking coffee after learning about this but I still drink black tea.
antonp 15y ago
> Mateschitz, 67, has been a patron saint for more than two decades to late-night partiers, exam-week undergrads, long-haul truckers, and, above all, extreme-sports athletes everywhere. I would think that the overwhelming presence of the brand on extreme-sports events has more to do with demographics of the tv-audience than with 'athletes' liking the drink.
- mkuhn 15y ago
  I think the remark in the article was more about how Red Bull helps finance a lot of these extreme sports and the athletes that compete within. Without Red Bull a lot of these things would not see any sponsorship.
- bauchidgw 15y ago
  i once talkes with the former coo of red-bull: the first (unpaid) marketing success of red-bull was when a F1 (cars driving in circles) team leader (i think it was ferrari) held a victory speech while holding a red bull in his hand. they just took it from there...
- JanezStupar 15y ago
  Certainly. Inside the extreme sports circles - being sponsored by RB is seen as acknowledgment of ones excellence in his field. In a sense the RB helmet is the ultimate status symbol and sign of the elite. Also these athletes and the sports are incredibly cheap for RB and at the same time RB is the only thing keeping them alive.
pclark 15y ago
I try not to care too much about what I do and do not consume, but even I avoid Red Bull.
- e40 15y ago
  Agreed. I'm proud to say I've never consumed a single "energy drink."
helipad 15y ago
The beauty of Red Bull's marketing is its focus. One product, a few versions. Original, sugar free, small shots - that's about all I know of. How many other companies make billions with essentially just one product?
- chopsueyar 15y ago
  Coca-cola?
  - mkuhn 15y ago
    Taking a look at this Wikipedia Article listing Coca Cola Brands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coca-Cola_brands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coca-Cola_brands you will realize that Coca Cola, the company, is much more than just Coca Cola, the drink.
    - chopsueyar 15y ago
      So, are you saying Coca Cola makes less than a billion dollars per year from Coca Cola alone? PS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_GmbH#Sport_ownership http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_GmbH#Sport_ownership PPS The Red Bull product page has 4 different drinks, unless you believe Coke and Diet Coke are the same product, why would Red Bull Energy Drink and Red Bull Energy Drink Sugarfree be the same product? PPPS My open source hair-splitting machine written in Python is almost complete.
      - rfrey 15y ago
        You're probably just having some fun with semantics, but I'm sure helipad meant to say, "how many companies with essentially one product make billions?"
        chopsueyar 15y ago
        Red Bull makes 4 products.
- 15y ago
jonknee 15y ago
"It wouldn't be Red Bull if it didn't start harmless and end up as a catastrophe," Heh. Here's a photo of the Threesixty bar: http://v2.lscache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/43859516.jpg http://v2.lscache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panorami...
- zwieback 15y ago
  I like the next sentence even better: "And architects are really only paid discussion partners anyway." Applies to SW development too.
  - jonknee 15y ago
    I'm friends with too many architects to enjoy that one. There are certainly architects out there that serve as paid discussion partners (and I don't doubt that Red Bull uses them), but by and large it's an artform.
    - SoftwareMaven 15y ago
      It is an art form, but the work is commissioned. When I commission a sculpture, I get to give a lot of input about what I want, but I want the artist to make it beautiful. Just like in software, if both sides don't respect the other, the output will be atrocious (which appears to be ok with Red Bull).
JabavuAdams 15y ago
I use it occasionally if I need to stay up late, or crunch, but it typically takes me half a week to recover. OTOH, I'm not sure whether the "recovery" is from the Red Bull, or the after-effects of sleep deprivation. In general, I recognize the insidious and far-reaching effects of sleep deprivation, but I still do it sometimes. :\.

89 points by forcer 15y ago

The success of Red Bull defies logic in one important regard: It doesn't taste very good. That's like saying beer, oysters, caviar, or Coca Cola don't taste very good - it's entirely subjective. I like the taste of Red Bull a great deal and I'm fussy.

waqf 15y ago
Now a followup question, and it shouldn't be taken as a hostile one because I agree with you entirely: Would you like the taste more or less if it didn't cost $2 a can?
- petercooper 15y ago
  There's an element of brand in there, for sure. But.. I'm a bit of an energy drink junkie and I've tried almost all of them over the years. Red Bull is a bit like the Coca Cola of energy drinks to me. It might not be the absolute best tasting one but it's the best to fit almost any situation. That is, a specialty cola can taste better than Coca Cola for a once-off, but you'd find it too sickly on a long-term basis. That's where I stand with Red Bull. It's not the best but it's the most consistent and most palatable I've found. I can't put my finger as to how much the brand plays into that but acknowledge I'm as human as anyone else and that it undoubtedly reinforces my preference.

ohashi 15y ago

He doesn't come off as a maniac at all. I rather enjoyed his philosophy and his success speaks for itself. He sold a crappy tasting drink for more money than anyone would have imagined possible. The guy is brilliant.

hugh3 15y ago
My favourite passage from a James Bond book: Doctor No said, in the same soft resonant voice, "You are right. Mister Bond. That is just what I am, a maniac. All the greatest men are maniacs. They are possessed by a mania which drives them forward towards their goal. The great scientists, the philosophers, the religious leaders - all maniacs. What else but a blind singleness of purpose could have given focus to their genius, would have kept them in the groove of their purpose? Mania, my dear Mister Bond, is as priceless as genius. Dissipation of energy, fragmentation of vision, loss of momentum, the lack of follow-through - these are the vices of the herd." Doctor No sat slightly back in his chair. "I do not possess these vices. I am, as you correctly say, a maniac"
- sayemm 15y ago
  Awesome passage, thanks for sharing it. Maniacs exemplify "the anatomy of determination" - http://paulgraham.com/determination.html http://paulgraham.com/determination.html

atgm 15y ago

It really bothers me how, over the last 10-15 years, caffeine has gone from something people use to jump-start their day to some kind of... fad drug. People brag about how many cups of coffee they inhale every day, how many liters of soda they can drink in one sitting, how many bottles of bawls they have on a shelf, or how many cans of red bull they need to chug to stay awake after their all-nighters, but even worse than that is how many people just acknowledge this as a normal thing. Especially among geeks and gamers. Edit: For example, quotes like this: "It's an efficiency product. I'm talking about improving endurance, concentration, reaction time, speed, vigilance, and emotional status. Taste is of no importance whatsoever." He makes it very clear that he doesn't think of it as a soft drink, but as a performance-enhancing drug. Yet people are out there pounding it because it's "cool."

JonWood 15y ago
The trend to use caffeine like a drug is particularly concerning amongst young people. I volunteer with a local youth group, and recently some of them have started downing a couple of Red Bulls (or more likely a cheap clone) before arriving. The effect it has on them is ridiculous - kids who usually aren't too much trouble become completely uncontrollable. A bit of running about at that age is healthy, but the excess energy means they spend literally 3 hours charging around the place, with arguments far more likely to happen because they're wired. I'm not generally one for regulation of substances which don't harm other people, but I think there at least needs to be some publicity given to the fact that saturating yourself with caffeine and other additives is really bad for your heart.
VMG 15y ago
Also the evidence that caffeine is a cognitive enhancer isn't very good. It seems that the boost people feel from a cup of coffee is just the relief from the symptoms of coffee withdrawl. Quote > "That alertness you feel is you getting back to normal, rather than to an above normal level. BBC Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6422279.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6422279.stm Podcast: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2010/3073994.htm http://www.abc.net.au/rn/allinthemind/stories/2010/3073994.h... I stopped drinking coffee after learning about this but I still drink black tea.

antonp 15y ago

> Mateschitz, 67, has been a patron saint for more than two decades to late-night partiers, exam-week undergrads, long-haul truckers, and, above all, extreme-sports athletes everywhere. I would think that the overwhelming presence of the brand on extreme-sports events has more to do with demographics of the tv-audience than with 'athletes' liking the drink.

mkuhn 15y ago
I think the remark in the article was more about how Red Bull helps finance a lot of these extreme sports and the athletes that compete within. Without Red Bull a lot of these things would not see any sponsorship.
bauchidgw 15y ago
i once talkes with the former coo of red-bull: the first (unpaid) marketing success of red-bull was when a F1 (cars driving in circles) team leader (i think it was ferrari) held a victory speech while holding a red bull in his hand. they just took it from there...
JanezStupar 15y ago
Certainly. Inside the extreme sports circles - being sponsored by RB is seen as acknowledgment of ones excellence in his field. In a sense the RB helmet is the ultimate status symbol and sign of the elite. Also these athletes and the sports are incredibly cheap for RB and at the same time RB is the only thing keeping them alive.

pclark 15y ago

I try not to care too much about what I do and do not consume, but even I avoid Red Bull.

e40 15y ago
Agreed. I'm proud to say I've never consumed a single "energy drink."

helipad 15y ago

The beauty of Red Bull's marketing is its focus. One product, a few versions. Original, sugar free, small shots - that's about all I know of. How many other companies make billions with essentially just one product?

chopsueyar 15y ago
Coca-cola?
- mkuhn 15y ago
  Taking a look at this Wikipedia Article listing Coca Cola Brands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coca-Cola_brands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coca-Cola_brands you will realize that Coca Cola, the company, is much more than just Coca Cola, the drink.
  - chopsueyar 15y ago
    So, are you saying Coca Cola makes less than a billion dollars per year from Coca Cola alone? PS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_GmbH#Sport_ownership http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull_GmbH#Sport_ownership PPS The Red Bull product page has 4 different drinks, unless you believe Coke and Diet Coke are the same product, why would Red Bull Energy Drink and Red Bull Energy Drink Sugarfree be the same product? PPPS My open source hair-splitting machine written in Python is almost complete.
    - rfrey 15y ago
      You're probably just having some fun with semantics, but I'm sure helipad meant to say, "how many companies with essentially one product make billions?"
      - chopsueyar 15y ago
        Red Bull makes 4 products.
15y ago

jonknee 15y ago

"It wouldn't be Red Bull if it didn't start harmless and end up as a catastrophe," Heh. Here's a photo of the Threesixty bar: http://v2.lscache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/43859516.jpg http://v2.lscache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panorami...

zwieback 15y ago
I like the next sentence even better: "And architects are really only paid discussion partners anyway." Applies to SW development too.
- jonknee 15y ago
  I'm friends with too many architects to enjoy that one. There are certainly architects out there that serve as paid discussion partners (and I don't doubt that Red Bull uses them), but by and large it's an artform.
  - SoftwareMaven 15y ago
    It is an art form, but the work is commissioned. When I commission a sculpture, I get to give a lot of input about what I want, but I want the artist to make it beautiful. Just like in software, if both sides don't respect the other, the output will be atrocious (which appears to be ok with Red Bull).

JabavuAdams 15y ago

I use it occasionally if I need to stay up late, or crunch, but it typically takes me half a week to recover. OTOH, I'm not sure whether the "recovery" is from the Red Bull, or the after-effects of sleep deprivation. In general, I recognize the insidious and far-reaching effects of sleep deprivation, but I still do it sometimes. :\.