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Branding with wings – the Red Bull way
May 25th, 2010
Marketers are sometimes scornful of large corporations lending their name to promotions and events that really do add value to the brand.
But in the case of Red Bull and the Cliff Diving World Series 2010 such criticism does not apply. In fact, it is a case study on how to get it right!
A recent short break in mid-May found us in La Rochelle on the South West coast of France. Arriving at the historic port early afternoon we were surprised to find the roads closed and many people milling around but assumed that it was a usual Saturday in a tourist location.
We were swiftly told how wrong we were by the hotel receptionist who told us proudly that the town was ‘en fête’ due to the ‘plongeurs’.
To call the guys who so dived so beautifully off one of the historic towers (over 90 feet or 27.5 metres high) merely ‘divers’ is to do them a disservice. Their dives were breathtaking, of Olympic standard and the whole event an amazing spectacle. 
See the videos at Red Bull Cliff Diving Series 2010 La Rochelle May 2010
But in branding terms it was a triumph. Not only were the guys (dressed in Red Bull swimming trunks) gorgeous to look at but when they dived they literally had wings – reinforcing in a visual way the brand message of the drink!
The resulting pictures and videos are stunning but the attention to detail was impressive.
All the cafes had special Red Bull promotions. Everyone could see the action due to the location and the huge television screen linked to a camera above the diving platform.
The usual hospitality village was located away from the main viewing area and the whole event was free.
Despite the massive scale of the competition, next morning virtually nothing remained, all the structures – including the diving platform – having been taken down overnight.
The result was a great event which can only have added to the audience’s positive impression of the brand.
Tags: brand promotions, branding, Events, marketing, PR, promotions