Red Bull Energy Drink

Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

Prepared By:
Charles Johnston
Kaitlin Bennett
Rebecca DiCola
Nicole Veri
Ryland Thiel
• Canadian retail market for energy
drinks is worth approximately $44
million
• Red Bull holds approximately 50%
market share worth $22 million
• Consumers often confuse energy
drinks with sports drinks such as
Gatorade and PowerAde.
 Factors Influencing the Energy Drink Market

• Seen as addictive, drug-infused

beverages with negative health
implications
• Major beverage corporations are
weighing into the energy drink market
with their own variations
• Today’s youth and young adults are
facing increased responsibilities
 Market Share

• Red Bull – 50%

• Hansens Natural – 18%
• Coca-Cola (Rockstar,
Full Throttle) – 17%
• Pepsi (Amp, No Fear) – 10%
• Independent/Regional – 5%
 Target Market Match
• Young Athletes
• Sobe No Fear
• Mountain Dew Amp
• The Man’s Man
• Monster
• Full Throttle
• Females
• Tab
• Rockstar
 Real Competition
• Multi-dimensional corporations
that are market leaders in several
other sectors that have the ability
to advertise infinitely because of
their substantial budget and
brand leadership.

Pepsi Coca-Cola
 Who?
• Women 16-35, comfortable personal
income
• Aggressively pursuing goals
• Reject some social conventions
(housewife, marriage)
• Urban, or want to be
• Secondary target males, similar
demographics – also teens, but
inadvertently
 What?
• Red Bull is the current market leader
• Independent, European origin
• Catchy, well-known label, small can
• Berry-flavoured, carbonated, available
sugar-free
• Restorative, vitalizing effects –
increases mental awareness
• All natural ingredients
• TASTES BETTER THAN COFFEE
 When?
• January 1, 2007-Dec 31, 2007
• Pulse some media Jan-Aug
• outdoor, transit and magazines
• Heavy Sept-Dec: Back to school,
winter season, holiday obligations
• Prime time television
 Where?

• National campaign
• Focus on urban markets
 How?
• Transit, outdoor, print, television
• Reach is key – moderate
frequency to avoid annoying
overplay
• Female oriented channels
• Message should support
independence
• Event marketing/sponsorship
 Target Market Strategy
• 1 year national campaign
• climax in the fall and continue at a high intensity
through the busy holiday season
• To maximize total impressions and utilize a
broad range of channels, a pulse approach
will be used in scheduling media
• A profile match strategy will be implemented
• women’s magazines such as Elle Canada and Lou Lou
• television programs such as Canada’s Next Top
Model, and Desperate Housewives
 Reach/Frequency/Continuity
• Brand awareness and image are
necessary to succeed
• Campaign must connect with the
target to encourage trial purchase
and eventually brand loyalty
• Frequency to ensure the
consumer recognizes the
product’s new image
 Market Coverage
• Trendsetting areas - major urban
markets
• Reaching the trendsetting female
is the main concern of the
campaign and the extent of
coverage will rely entirely on the
substantial budget
 Timing
• Energy drink sales decline in the
fall
• campaign will focus heavily on
promoting Red Bull from
September 1st to December 31st
• prime time television ads will be
prominent as well as the already
existing pulse flight of outdoor, transit
and magazine advertising
• To communicate that Red Bull can
restore mental awareness and
energize a busy, independent person
• Communicate that Red Bull is an
effective, good tasting substitute for
other caffeinated beverages (coffee,
tea, pop); and it contains all natural
ingredients
• To communicate that Red Bull is an
independent, edgy brand
 Creative Strategy
• Red Bull is now a mature brand
• Advertising must start to focus on new
markets such as women aged 16-35

• Continue to acknowledge the

company’s independent and edgy
roots
• Red Bull Must not appear too mainstream!
 Image
• Show attractive women consuming
Red Bull as a substitute for coffee and
other energy supplements
• The target market will see how effectively Red
Bull fits into their busy lifestyle
• Highlighting the small can and the well-known
Red Bull label will also create brand awareness
in association with the female market
• There must be a clear contrast
between the average, dull woman and
the successful, vibrant Red Bull drinker
 Tone & Style
• Humor will be used to stress the
advantages of Red Bull over other
energy supplements and competitive
brands
Appeal Techniques
• The positive aspects of Red Bull will be
presented in contrast to the negative
aspects of the alternatives
• demonstrated visually as well as implied
 Slogan
• The previous slogan “Red Bull gives you
wings” will be replaced by:
“Charge up on Red Bull”

• Effectively presents Red Bull as a slightly

different brand than in the past
• Television spot will end with a 3 second
video/sound byte featuring a red animated
bull charging across the screen with
appropriate sound accompaniment
• will eventually become a trigger to remind consumers
of the effects of Red Bull energy drink
 Television

• Still a staple in any major media

campaign
• Television allows a demonstration
of the advantages of Red Bull
• Good reach and proven impact.
 Magazines
• The only print media utilized in
2007
• Provides critical brand awareness
• Clear and precise demographic
selectivity
• Geographic flexibility across
many urban markets
 Outdoor & Transit
• Growing in popularity
exponentially
• Potential for gross exposures far
outweighs the lack of target
market selectivity
• Both mediums can supplement
secondary male and teen market
exposure
 Sales Promotion
• Must encourage the first purchase
of the product in store
• Make the new target market
aware of the product and its
benefits
• $800 000 set aside for design,
creation, and distribution of sales
promo materials and co-operative
advertising costs
 Sales Promotion

• Large displays integrated into the

cooler shelves that hold the
product
• Freestanding units at the point of
purchase
 Sales Promotion

• Bull hoof-print stickers placed on

the floor leading from the door to
the freestanding rack or coolers
• Bull sound when you step on the
last footprint
 Getting Involved
• Effectively build the Red Bull brand in
association with female culture
• Target market is among the world’s
most intelligent and critical consumer
segments
• Red Bull brand must make substantial,
visible contributions to causes
affecting the modern woman
 Getting Involved
• Red Bull will announce a donation of
$1million to the Canadian Breast
Cancer Foundation
• the most publicized issue affecting women
worldwide
• funds have been earmarked as part of the
marketing budget
• Following the public announcement of the
donation, every can of Red Bull sold in Canada
will be stamped with the pink ribbon
 Getting Involved
• Red Bull becomes a key national
sponsor of the CIBC Run for
the cure
• have a presence at the main event on
September 30, 2007
• Individuals dressed in Red Bull apparel
will be handing out free product
samples as well as Red Bull branded
merchandise
 Magazines
• 2 consecutive partial-page ads
followed by a full page ad
• Full calendar year
• Fashion Magazine, Lou Lou,
Hello!, Elle (Canadian Edition)
• Magazine Total: $1 454 988
 Fashion
Rate ($CAN)
# of
Occurrences
(yearly) Total
Magazines
2/ 3 Page 16 200 24 388 800
Full Page 17 960 12 215 520
# of Total: 604 320
Lou Lou Occurrences
Rate ($CAN) (yearly) Total
Page 9074 24 217 776
Full Page 12 627 12 151 524
# of Total: 369 300
Hello! Occurrences
Rate ($CAN) (yearly) Total
Page 2075 24 49 800
Full Page 3024 12 36 288
# of Total: 86 088
Elle Canada Occurrences
Rate ($CAN) (yearly) Total
2/ 3 Page 10 370 24 146 400
Full Page 12 200 12 248 880
Total: 395 280
Magazine Total: 1 454 988
 Out-of-Home
• Urban Markets: Toronto, Montreal,
Vancouver etc
• Street-level standard posters
• Space in each city will be
purchased for 12 weeks but only
run four weeks at a time on a
rotating schedule
 Out-of-Home

4 week Rate
City ($CAN) Total (12 weeks)
Toronto 107 800 323 400
Ottawa 30 800 92 400
London 17 850 53 500
Montreal 52 500 157 500
Calgary 22 960 68 800
Edmonton 21 150 63 450
Vancouver 52 885 158 655
Halifax 8 200 24 600
Total: 942 305
 Out-of-Home
• One large spectacular billboard
(40’ x 30’) at the Yonge & Dundas
Eaton Centre Media Tower in Toronto
• Out-of-Home Total: 1 002 785

Cost per 8 weeks

WeeklyCirculation ($CAN) Total (16 weeks)
700 000 30 240 60 480
Out-of-Home Total: 1 002 785
 Transit
• Interior posters – full showing
• Space in each city will be
purchased for 12 weeks but only
run four weeks at a time on a
rotating schedule
• Transit Total: $301 815
 Transit

4 week Rate
City ($CAN) Total (12 weeks)
Toronto 107 800 323 400
Ottawa 30 800 92 400
London 17 850 53 500
Montreal 52 500 157 500
Calgary 22 960 68 800
Edmonton 21 150 63 450
Vancouver 52 885 158 655
Halifax 8 200 24 600
Total: 942 305
 Television
• Target Female Audience, aged 16-35
• September-December only
• Prime-time programs:
• The Bachelor
• America’s Next Top Model
• The O.C.
• Desperate Housewives
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
• Television Total: $2 237 600
 Television
# of
Occurrences
Program Name Rate ($CAN) (yearly) Total
Wife Swap 7428 8 59 424
The Bachelor 8000 8 64 000
AmericaÕ s Next 2614 16 41 824
Top Model
CSI: New York 13 040 16 208 640
The O.C. 13 776 16 220 416
Supernanny 7726 16 123 616
NBC Saturday 4254 16 68 064
Night Movie
Extreme 27 360 16 437 760
Makeover: Home
Edition
Desperate 35 160 16 562 560
Housewives
GreyÕ s Anatomy 28 206 16 451 296
TelevisionTotal: 2 237 600
 Spending by Medium
• Mass Media Total: $4 997 188
$301,815

$1,454,988
$1,002,785
Magazines
T elevision
Out-of-Home
T ransit

$2,237,600
 Media Timeline

Jan Feb Mar A pr May Jun Jul A ug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Transit

Out-of -Home

Magaz ine

Television
 The New Red Bull Brand
• Target Female Audience, aged 16-35,
but acknowledges the old target
• Focus on gross exposures for brand
awareness
• Integrate into “female culture”
• Use a variety of media, primarily to
support PR and sales promotion
themes