#212: Red Bull – Powerful Branding Works

Red Bull has used the same marketing for 20 years. This is the power of a well thought out brand that stays the course. Dave Young: Welcome to The Empire Builders Podcast, teaching business owners the not-so-secret techniques that took famous businesses from mom and pop to major brands. Stephen Semple is a marketing consultant, story collector and storyteller. I'm Stephen's sidekick and business partner, Dave Young. Before we get into today's episode, a word from our sponsor, which is, well, it's us, but we're highlighting ads we've written and produced for our clients. So here's one of those. [OG Law Ad] Dave Young: Welcome back to the Empire Builders Podcast. And I'm Dave Young, and that's Stephen Semple, over at the other microphone. You may not be able to see him if you're listening on a podcast. That makes sense, doesn't it? So the only clue he gave me as the countdown timer started to what this episode is all about is he said, "Gives you wings." I'm like, well, obviously we're going to be talking about Red Bull. I didn't miss that one, did I? Stephen Semple: No, you got it right. Isn't that amazing how powerful that is? Dave Young: "Gives you wings." Yeah. I mean, we tell people all the time. That's just branding. That's just becoming known for some things, right? And the longer you do it, and the more consistently you do it, the easier it is for people to know you by a slogan, "Gives you wings" or "Ba-ba-pa-pa-pa," right? Stephen Semple: "I'm lovin' it." Dave Young: Just a few notes. And now all of a sudden, 60, 70 years of advertising is rolled up into five little notes in your head that brings back all those associations. So Red Bull, man, they're everywhere. Stephen Semple: Well, and they have not changed their advertising in 20 years. Like the whole using the drawings and it gives you wings. They have stuck with that for over 20 years. So when you say doing it over and over again, here's the other part where I got to give them real credit on the "Gives you wings." I could see somebody going, yeah, but it doesn't give you wings. We all get it. Dave Young: That's magical thinking. Come on. Stephen Semple: Magical thinking. And that's why it's powerful. And then the other thing they did is they misspelt wings. They have the extra I in there. Dave Young: Never even noticed that. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And the reason why they did that is it makes it trademarkable. Dave Young: Okay. So the chicken wing places can't infringe on them, right? Stephen Semple: Well, if something's a common phrase, you can't prevent other people from doing it. So they do that little thing and he said, you hardly notice it. So there's a bunch of little clever things that they've done. Dave Young: Well, take us back to the beginning. Stephen Semple: I just want to talk to you about how big in 2023, 12 billion in sales. Dave Young: Man. Stephen Semple: But to date, they've sold a hundred billion units, 12 billion in sales last year. And you think about it, they really have one product. Sure they've got a sugar-free one, and every once in a while they do some seasonal ones, but pretty much they're one product. Dave Young: Is caffeine. Stephen Semple: Yeah. And it's these little 8.4 ounce cans and actually started in rural Thailand. I'm going to butcher this guy's name, because it's a Thai name, I don't know Thai, but was a pharmacist, Chaleo Yoovidhya, I think is how you pronounce his name. And again, I may have that completely, completely wrong. But here's the deal. Dave Young: Okay. Stephen Semple: He's a pharmacist. He has a pharmacy in urban Thailand, and it's 1976. And what he notices is there's these energy tonics coming from Japan, and they're really popular in the cities. And he grew up in a poor rural area and he notices these imports are kind of expensive. And he decides to make his own version of it.