Red Bull North America, Inc.
Crisis Communications Plan as at April, 2012
Table of Contents
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Introduction:
This Red Bull crisis communications plan is intended to provide the information
needed in order to make communication, and employee interaction during a crisis as
easy as possible. In addition, this plan details the Red Bull established policies
related to the implementation and management of the crisis communication plan.
This document summarizes the plan, provides contact information in the event of an
actual or potential crisis situation, and outlines policies for all employees involved.
Plan Goal: This plan will ensure that Red Bull has sufficient resources and supplies
in place to quickly and effectively meet the needs of their internal and external
audiences prior to, and during a crisis.
Plan Integration: The Red Bull crisis plan focuses on the role of internal and
external communication during a crisis. This plan provides detailed instructions on
the steps to take if such a crisis were to occur, the roles and responsibilities of the
crisis communications team, the internal reporting procedures, the correct way to
deal with the media and the communications flow for employees to follow. We will
use multiple mediums to reach as many internal and external target audience
members as possible with accurate and timely information.
Plan Objective: The primary focus of this plan is to communicate facts as quickly as
possible and update information frequently as circumstances change in order to
ensure the safety and continuation of the Red Bull community and services.
Notification: As soon as notification of the crisis has occurred, the Chief Executive
Officer and Chief of the public relations department should be notified immediately in
order to coordinate the implementation of the crisis communications plan.
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PURPOSE
In the event that traces of cocaine are found in Red Bull products, the company will
immediately recall the products and ban sales. The Red Bull Chief Executive Officer
will make a statement to the media within 30 minutes of the crisis notification
informing the public of what is being done and what will be done in the future. Our
open and honest transfer of information to the media and necessary agencies will
eliminate confusion among our publics. To eliminate future problems of ingredient
mishaps, Red Bull will continue to be transparent in their natural ingredients
advertising, and ensure the safety of all Red Bull customers.
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OBJECTIVES
We will make every effort to:
1. Implement the Crisis Communications plan as quickly and effectively as possible
within one hour.
2. Notify the internal and external target audiences promptly regarding what exactly
occurred, what Red Bull is doing to fix it, and how it will be avoided in the future.
3. Inform all necessary emergency organizations that might be involved with the
situation.
4. Ensure the safety of current and potential Red Bull customers.
5. Frequently update the media, clients and employees as the situation changes
through the Red Bull website, Twitter, Blog, and Facebook page.
6. Maintain honesty with the media regarding all known information.
7. Ensure the ingredients in the making of Red Bull Cola align with the advertising
efforts of being 100 percent natural.
8. Change the ingredients of concern to the public while maintaining the natural Red
Bull Cola flavoring.
9. Gain public confidence by providing information that is accurate, timely, credible,
and pertinent.
10. Keep the public calm by acknowledging concerns of uncertainty, recognizing the
publics’ fears, and explaining the process being taken.
11. Distribute our findings to the media and all publics.
12. Develop ways to alleviate future problems and implement necessary changes as
soon as possible.
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Acknowledgement Page
I acknowledge, by signing this document that I have personally, and completely
read, and understand my role if a crisis should occur at Red Bull. Further, I
understand that by signing this document, I am stating that I will fully perform the
duties delegated to me in the Red Bull crisis communications plan to the best of my
ability.
Carrie Inman, Owner
Date
____________________________
__________
Dietrich Mateschitz, Founder & Managing Partner
Date
____________________________
__________
Dieter Mateschitz, Owner
Date
____________________________
__________
Greg Jacobs, Head of Distribution
Date
____________________________
__________
Chris Mater, Vice President Marketing
Date
____________________________
__________
Dave Allen, Director of Compensation and Benefits
Date
____________________________
__________
Scott Bradfield, Director of Moving Images
Date
____________________________
__________
Ben Haines, Director Business Systems
Date
_____________________________
__________
Joanna Keeling, Director of Human Resources
Date
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____________________________
__________
Tim Krieglstein, Marketing Director
Date
_______________________________
__________
Crisis Scenario
The coca leaves that are a part of Red Bull Cola’s recipe are not properly
purified, and therefore, the drink contains traces of cocaine. The drink contains
only small amounts and does not pose a serious health threat to those that
consume it. However, agencies discover this contamination through rigorous and
comprehensive testing in a few markets and Red Bull Cola is pulled off of the
shelves and even banned in some places. It is not known how many Red Bull
Cola cans contain traces of cocaine or where the contaminated cans are being
sold. Red Bull is one of the most popular energy drinks in the world, with 4.5
billion cans sold each year, so the affected cans have the potential to reach
thousands of consumers globally. Red Bull Cola consumption is especially high
among young adults, but people of all ages buy and consume Red Bull
products.
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Prodromes
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Concerns have been raised about the safety of energy drink products in the
past.
There have been several cases where Red Bull & other energy drinks have
been linked to medical conditions including, but not limited to: increased risk
of heart disease, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, rhythm problems,
strokes, stomach problems, liver problems, kidney failure, and tooth/dental
concerns.
There have been several reports of deaths that were possibly caused by
energy drink consumption.
Red Bull has previously been banned in other countries, such as France,
Turkey, Uruguay, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada.
Product tampering has been reported with other major companies including:
Mountain Dew’s rodent in the soft drink, PepsiCo’s syringe in the can, Tylenol
tampering, Wendy’s finger in the chili, Jello Pudding 2010 customers
replacing pudding mix with sand & salt.
Concerns have been raised about the effects of energy drinks on children’s
systems, particularly the amount of sugar present and the connection with
childhood obesity.
Concerns raised about the level of taurine & caffeine present in Red Bull
products.
Questions have been raised about the addictive properties of Red Bull & the
risky behavior exhibited by individuals who consume Red Bull or other energy
drink products.
Questions have been raised about Red Bull ingredient quality starting with a
rumor that taurine comes from bull semen.
Environmental concerns have been raised about the Red Bull product,
including questions about the safety conditions of workers & where the
ingredients are sourced.
Red Bull has had to create a section of their site dealing with counterfeit
products.
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Statement from Management to Employees
Dear …....................................:
As you may have already heard a special report that was released today
brought to light troubling allegations of …................................... I would like to
personally assure you that we are handling this situation with the utmost care. Red
Bull prides itself on making the best, and safest products, and we will stop at nothing
to get to the bottom of this issue. As such, an investigation into the root of this issue
is underway. Production of Red Bull Cola has also been temporarily ceased and a
full-scale recall of all possibly tainted products has been issued.
These measures may seem swift and heavy handed, but we must ensure the
highest level of quality and safety for our customers. While production of Red Bull
Cola is on hold, we will be temporarily closing our plants for cleaning and evaluation
of safety measures. Rest assured though, you will continue to be paid a daily rate
and a slight bonus as a sign of our appreciation to your dedication to Red Bull.
In this difficult time I would like to thank you, our most trusted advocates, for
remaining loyal to Red Bull. I know that this is a difficult time, but we will pull through
this situation and emerge stronger together. Thank you again for your continued
support, and we look forward to resolving this issue so we can all get back to work.
Sincerely,
Dietrich Mateschitz
Founder & Managing Partner,
Red Bull GmBH
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Crisis Communication
Department of
Red Bull North America, Inc.
Plan Team
Communications
James Hampson, Primary Spokesperson and Director of Crisis Personnel
_______________________________
__________
Signature
Date
Ellisse Johnston, Monitor Dark Site and Social Media
_______________________________
__________
Signature
Date
Kayla Inserra, Monitor Traditional Media Sources
_______________________________
__________
Signature
Date
April Kaminsky, Supervisor of Media Command Center
_______________________________
__________
Signature
Date
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Phone Tree
The initial person who witnesses the event or receives the initial phone call will
contact the CEO first. Once the CEO is notified, the first three individuals on this
phone tree are notified. Then, the rest of the starred individuals will be contacted.
Following that, the Human Resources and Marketing Directors will contact the
remaining listed individuals. Finally, district and branch managers will notify their
employees.
**Carrie Inman, Owner
1 (641) 322-9219
carriei@redbull.com
**Dietrich Mateschitz, Founder & Managing Partner
1 (310)-460-5154
1 (310) 393-4647
dietrich.mateschitz@us.redbull.com
**Dieter Mateschitz, Owner
1 (310) 393-4647
dieter.mateschitz@us.redbull.com
*Greg Jacobs, Head of Distribution
1 (310) 460-5404
greg.jacobs@us.redbull.com
*Chris Mater, Vice President Marketing
1 (415) 794-0518
christopher.mater@us.redbull.com
*Ben Haines, Director Business Systems
1 (310) 460-5480
ben.haines@us.redbull.com
*Joanna Keeling, Director of Human Resources
+44 (02074340100
joanna.keeling@uk.redbull.com
*Tim Krieglstein, Marketing Director
+44 (2074340100
tim.krieglstein@uk.redbull.com
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*Mark Schneider, Director
1 (310)-393-4647
mark.schneider@redbullusa.com
Information Technology
*Davip Steinmetz, Director of Operations
1 (310) 393-4647
davip.steinmetz@redbullusa.com
*Andrea Dorsett, Media Relations
1 (214) 957-5990
andrea.dorsett@us.redbull.com
*Donovan Dresti, Field Marketing Manager
1 (310) 460-5600
donovan.dresti@us.redbull.com
*Ryan Fitzpatrick, Digital Media
1 (310) 460-5024
ryan.fitzpatrick@us.redbull.com
Dave Allen, Director of Compensation and Benefits
1 (310) 393-4647 x 5856
david.allen@us.redbull.com
Scott Bradfield, Director of Moving Images
1 (310) 393-4647
scott.bradfield@us.redbull.com
Brian Kuz, Director of Insights
1 (310)-393-4647
brian.kuz@redbullusa.com
Ramiro Medina, Director, Talent Acquisition
1 (310)-393-4647
ramiro.medina@us.redbull.com
Helmut Wahl, Director of Motorsports Marketing
1 (310) 460 5308
helmut.wahl@us.redbull.com
Scott Alexander, Digital Marketing Manager- Sport Marketing
1 (310) 460-5600 x 5506
scott.alexander@us.redbull.com
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Rocky Arredondo, Field
1 (602) 524-7640
rockwell.arredondo@us.redbull.com
Marketing Manager
Melissa Bachtel, Public Relations & Communications Professional
1 (310) 393-4647
melissa.bachtel@us.redbull.com
Adam Bebout, Event Marketing Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
adam.bebout@us.redbull.com
Jennifer Belongia, Media Relations TWIN CITIES
1 (310) 393-4647
jennifer.belongia@us.redbull.com
Micah Bingeman, Category Development Manager
1 (310) 460-5356
micha.bingeman@us.redbull.com
Eric Bondi, International Sales Systems Specialist
1 (310) 460- 5012
eric.bondi@us.redbull.com
David Brooks, Moving Images Distribution Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
david.brooks@us.redbull.com
Karyn Catone, Manager, HRIS
1 (310) 460-4626
karyn.catone@us.redbull.com
Elynor Chiu, Project Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
elynor.chiu@redbullusa.com
Eddie Cho, User Services Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
eddie.cho@us.redbull.com
Tony Cordasco, Field Marketing Manager Las Vegas
1 (702) 260-0015
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tony.cordasco@us.redbull.com
Julia Ferdinand, Field Marketing Manager OC
1 (310) 393-4647
julia.ferdinand@us.redbull.com
Lee Garner, Systems Engineer
1 (310) 460-5460
lee.garner@us.redbull.com
Jeff Hall, National Accounts Manager
1 (704)-243-0696
jeff.hall@us.redbull.com
Maribel Hines, Manager Talent Acquisition & Development
1 (310) 460-5170
maribel.hines@us.redbull.com
Jake Joseph, Sales Manager
1 (323) 658-8330
jake.joseph@us.redbull.com
Sameer Joshi, Business Intelligence Architect
1 (310) 393-4647
sameer.joshi@redbullusa.com
James Kelly, Field Marketing Manager- Denver
1 (720) 524-6675
james.kelly@us.redbull.com
Stephanie Krause, On Premise Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
stephanie.krause@redbullusa.com
Sunil Kumar, Business Analyst
1 (310) 393-4647
sunil.kumar@redbullusa.com
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Alex Kurgan, Senior
1 (310) 393-4647
Network Engineer
alex.kurgan@redbullusa.com
Ann Langley, F&A Assistant
1 (469) 362-8913
ann.langley@us.redbull.com
Dan Leja, District Manager
1 (310) 393-4647
dan.leja@us.redbull.com
Simon Lim, Demand Planner Manager
1 (716) 688-2638
simon.lim@us.redbull.com
Jeanette Lloyd, Philadelphia Field Marketing Specialist
1 (267) 253-6552
jeanette.lloyd@us.redbull.com
Hari Maddali, Notes Admin
1 (310) 460-7112
hari.maddali@us.redbull.com
Paul McGhiey
Information Technology
1 (310) 393- 4647
paul.mcghiey@us.redbull.com
Aiden McKenna, Logistics Manager
+44 (2074340100
aidan.mckenna@uk.redbull.com
Sarah Meredith, Team Manager
1 (850) 264-7703
sarah.meredith@us.redbull.com
Jordan Miller, Motorsports Media Relations Manager
1 (310) 460-5040
jordan.miller@us.redbull.com
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Situational Analysis
History
The Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz who partnered with Thai
businessman Chaleo Yoovidhya created the Red Bull energy drink in Austria in
1987. Mateschitz’s vision was to form a company selling its own energy drink
worldwide at a premium price. Red Bull extended its market into Hungary and
Germany in 1993, and planned to use word-of-mouth advertising to sell the
product. The “buzz” marketing and controversial ingredients proved successful in
an appeal to a younger crowd. By 1997, Red Bull had extended its market
throughout Europe and into the United States.
Ingredients
Red Bull contains taurine, 80mg of caffeine, glucuronolactone, sucrose, and
glucose. Taurine is the most controversial ingredient. However, the low amounts
of taurine in Red Bull and other popular energy drinks are far below the amounts
expected to cause adverse effects.
Strengths
One of Red Bull’s greatest strengths is its leadership in the energy drink market.
Red Bull is the industry leader throughout the world holding 42.6 percent of the
market share. Compared to other energy drinks such as Full Throttle, Monster,
Rockstar, and Burn the Red Bull energy drink is the most recognizable
worldwide. Red Bull’s marketing efforts are another one of the company’s
greatest strengths as they implement numerous promotions, well-targeted
campaigns, and sponsorships. For example, Formula 1 partnered with Red Bull
aiming to expand Red Bull’s brand awareness and increase consumer
consciousness. The company has created a strong brand identity and slogan,
“Red Bull Gives you Wings” that is recognized globally. Red Bull has also
marketed itself as the hip and trendy drink with controversial ingredients, which
has actually helped sales among teenagers and young adults.
Weaknesses
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Red Bull charges
approximately $2.50 for an
8.3 fluid ounce can
demonstrating above average
prices within the energy drink market. This is in comparison to competitors, such
as Monster, that charge approximately $2.00 for a 12 fluid ounce drink. Another
weakness demonstrated by Red Bull is the company’s lack of innovation and
improvement. Many of Red Bull’s competitors have their own unique selling point
leaving Red Bull behind in marketing and advertising. Red Bull also only markets
one branded product, the Red Bull energy drink, showing reliance on a very
small product base. In addition, Red Bull lacks a patent on their recipes making it
easy for any individual to copy it.
Opportunities
Red Bull has numerous international marketing campaigns, ranging from extreme
sports campaigns to enlisting celebrities and hosting events. Red Bull sponsors
association football teams in various countries and has created a market for over
150 related types of merchandise. The continuation of these advertising efforts
and promotions demonstrate the positive opportunities available to Red Bull in
the future. The extension of their product line aiming to retain the market share
provides further opportunities for the company. Due to sponsoring countless
sporting events and well-targeted campaigns, Red Bull aims to increase
consumer recognition. New Ventures and social media contests in partnerships
with Facebook provide opportunities for the company as well.
Threats
While there are no documented reports of negative or positive health effects
associated with the amount of taurine in Red Bull, the high levels of caffeine and
sugar present in Red Bull energy drinks are known to cause a variety of adverse
health effects. Health concerns regarding the harsher rules from government on
high caffeine drinks pose a threat to the sales of Red Bull products globally.
Consumer awareness of the health related issues and their well-being may
cause consumers to begin drinking alternative beverages that are associated
with a healthier lifestyle. For example, organic energy drinks may begin to steal
Red Bull’s market share.
Strategic Considerations
Issues, concerns, problems:
1) Have any people been injured or killed?
2) Are Red Bull and Red Bull Cola safe for human consumption?
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3) How is an illegal drug
making its way into Red Bull
Cola?
4) Can Red Bull notify the
public without causing a massive drop in sales?
5) Are Red Bull manufacturing plants secure enough?
6) Will Red Bull face lawsuits following the case?
Critical Management Decisions:
1) Shut down Red Bull manufacturing plants immediately.
2) Set up the crisis media information center and begin to send out press
releases immediately.
3) Set up a crisis hot line immediately.
4) Release a social media blast of information quickly.
5) Get TV, radio, and newspaper bulletins to appropriate media outlets.
6) Issue a recall of all Red Bull products that could be tainted.
7) Notify proper local authorities and national agencies.
8) Contact stores and distributors in the area of the incident to request their
assistance in destroying the potentially tainted products.
9) Speak to the media.
How to Reach the Correct Publics:
1) Distribute a press release to all major local and national newspapers, radio
stations, and television stations by email or fax.
2) Disseminate Red Bull’s message through social media and blogs.
3) Call business owners within affected area to ask for support.
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III. OPERATIONAL RESPONSE/ACTION STEPS
List of the essential operational steps that must be taken to get the situation
under control:
1. Activate the Phone Tree (CEO first) and ensure the crisis command center &
crisis hot line are set up.
2. Ensure the Red Bull dark site has been activated.
3. Contact the plant where Red Bull Cola products are manufactured and halt
production.
4. Send out the initial press release & social media postings.
5. Have a series of employees contact the emergency response locations and
federal agencies alerting them of the suspected issue.
6. Have news releases sent to all major media outlets; including television, radio,
print, wires to spread word about the issue & alert the media that testing has
already begun.
7. Recall & destroy all Red Bull products currently on the shelves, keeping two
cans per lot number for testing.
8. Release TV/Radio bulletins to appropriate media to ensure the public is aware
of the crisis & steps being taken.
9. Within thirty minutes of the crisis beginning have the CEO communicate to the
media through a prepared statement.
10. Have the CEO contact The American Beverage Association concerning the
crisis.
11. Ensure the testing process has been started on the Red Bull products to
check the validity of the claim.
12. Keep in contact with the emergency response personnel, and monitor for
reports of people becoming ill/dying from the Red Bull products.
13. Within an hour of the crisis, send out second press release with the most upto-date information.
14. Within an hour-and-a-half have the designated spokesperson communicate
any new information to the media & explain the Red Bull Distribution and
Manufacturing process.
15. Have designated social media director continue the dialogue on social media
sites, blogs & company website. Updates should be posted every thirty minutes.
16. Ensure that the designated spokesperson communicates any updates to the
media every thirty minutes.
17. Contact each vendor/store that sells or distributes the Red Bull product in
question to apologize and discuss possible reimbursement.
18. When the testing is complete promptly release the results to the media.
Key Themes/Specific Messages
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Themes:
consumers and markets
·Safety of Products and Consumers
·Preventing injury, illness, and death
·Self-examination and improvement
·Maintaining high standards
·Loyalty and dedication to
·Quality of Red Bull products
Messages:
· Red Bull takes these allegations very seriously and is now working to fix the
current situation and prevent such problems from happening in the future.
· Red Bull’s first concern is the safety and well-being of all of its consumers and
patrons.
· Red Bull promises to evaluate the situation thoroughly and find ways to improve
the company in every aspect heading into the future.
·Red Bull remains committed to producing and providing products and services
of the utmost quality.
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Questions & Answers
General Questions about Red Bull & Product Offerings:
Q: What is Red Bull Cola?
>>>This is a member of the Red Bull family but is not an energy drink. The
ingredients for this product are 100 percent natural, and are listed on the back of
the Cola can. Our product contains both coca leaf extract and kola nut.
Q: What are the intentions of your products? / What is the purpose for your
product?
>>Red Bull energy drink was developed for people who want to have a clear and
focused mind, perform physically and are dynamic and performance-oriented
whilst also balancing this with a fun and active lifestyle. The purpose for Red Bull
products are to improve efficiency, endurance, concentration, reaction time,
speed vigilance, and the emotional status of users.
Q: Where are most of the major decisions made?
>>>The major decisions are made at Red Bull’s headquarters in Fuschl, in
Austria or at Hangar-7, which is Mateschitz's private airplane complex a few
minutes outside Salzburg.
Q: Why do people purchase this product when it doesn’t taste good?
>>As with most energy drinks, people purchase them for the perceived benefits,
not for taste. Look at five-hour energy shots for instance.We are selling a product
that improves efficiency, endurance, and concentration, not a soft drink product.
Q: What percentage of the market share does Red Bull hold?
>>>Red Bull holds 46 percent of the market share for energy drinks.
Q: Where did the idea for the energy drink & the company originally come
from?
>>>The idea for the energy drink came from Mateschitz’s business trip to
Thailand where he tasted an energy drink known as Kratang Daeng, and became
inspired to create a similar energy drink. Mateschitz modified the original product
and changed it to suit western ideals, and Red Bull was born.
Q: What is the Red Bulletin?
>>>Red Bulletin is Red Bull’s offbeat magazine that discusses travel, action,
music, lifestyle, music & the arts. It is available by subscription, online at $12.00
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for a full year subscription,
or $59.88 for a regular
subscription. This
magazine is only available for
those within the United States, or United States possessions. There is also a free
application available for iPhone.
Q: How does Red Bull Media House tie into your overall company scheme?
>>>The Red Bull Media House is the centre of the global Red Bull media network
across all relevant media channels & products. It serves as a link between the
consumer-centered side of the business, the energy drink, and the experiential
side, which includes how we, at Red Bull live our lives, enjoy ourselves, and
participate in sports.
Q: Why is your company using prominent figures in society to promote a
potentially dangerous product?
>>>Red Bull products are not inherently dangerous when normal consumption is
practiced, and using prominent figures is a common technique for all products as
they serve to form a connection to something familiar, the prominent figure, and
the advertised product.
Q: Why are athletes being used to promote a product that they are
suggested not to consume?
>>>Athletes often promote products that they themselves do not consume; it is
about building brand familiarity to stand out from the sea of competition.
Q: Did you know that your product was affectionately referred to as “speed
in a can” or “liquid cocaine”?
>>>Yes.
Q: How many markets is Red Bull active in?
>>>Red Bull is active in 161 countries currently.
Q: Why did Mateschitz try to foster rumors about Red Bull’s content
instead of trying to quash them?
>>The attempt to foster rumors about Red Bull’s content was strategic marketing
to make the brand interesting, which would make people want to put their hands
on it.
Q: How much caffeine is in your product?
>>>The amount of caffeine in one Red Bull energy drink matches the amount of
caffeine in one 250 ml cup of coffee, which is 80 mg.
Q: How much taurine is in your product?
>>>There are 1,000 milligrams of taurine in one 8 oz can of Red Bull.
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Q: How many people
consume your product
each year?
>>>Approximately 4.631 billion Red Bull cans were sold in 2011.
Q: What is your main age demographic?
>>>Red Bull’s main age demographic is the young male.
Q: What is the organizational focus of Red Bull?
>>>Red Bull is a multifaceted organization that is focused on providing an
engaging, integrated experience for its consumers. This is done by Red Bull’s
expansion into the world of sponsorships, development of a media program, and
more.
Q: Is Red Bull stretched too thin to ensure quality in all products?
>>>No, each division of Red Bull has it’s own management that is specifically
responsible for development, and maintenance of that particular endeavor. Red
Bull remains committed to quality of our product, and the safety to consumers.
Q: How does your Red Bull Wings program work?
>>>The Red Bull Wings program works by pulling the top entrepreneurial,
knowledgeable, and charming individuals across the 50 markets in the United
States. These team members share their love of Red Bull to consumers at
unexpected times & unique times to promote brand loyalty. The Wings team
members work to create meaningful missions to energize people when they need
it most.
Q: Will your company do anything in the future to try and shed this image?
>>>Red Bull has been moving towards a more well-rounded image by focusing
on it’s sports promotions, and the Red Bull Media House to create fully-integrated
experience for it’s target users.
Q: Does your company care about how dangerous your product can be?
>>>Red Bull is committed to providing a quality product, and rates the safety of
our consumer quite highly.
Q: When will you stop trying to keep a trendy image and care about the
negative effects of your product?
>>>Red Bull’s first priority is to the safety and quality of our products, we
welcome any concerns from our consumers and strive to develop better, and
safer processes. While we are at the forefront of the energy drinks market, we
are still concerned with the safety of our consumers.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Q: Who primarily
products?
are college students, and other young urbanites.
purchases Red Bull energy
>>>The primary purchasers
Q: Have you ever been subject to a fine & what steps were taken?
>>>Red Bull was subject to a recycling fine in the United Kingdom for failing to
recycle package waste. The fine was paid in full, by Red Bull.
Q: Have you dealt with public concern over your advertisements? If so,
how have you responded?
>>>In cases where concern has been raised, we have modified our
advertisements.
Q: Is Red Bull taking advantage of the fact that there is no regulation on
energy drinks in the US to enhance sales of your product?
>>>No, Red Bull has been enacting advertising campaigns that are in line with
other major energy drink sellers who also sell their products in the United States.
Q: How many athletes and sports do you underwrite/support?
>>Currently Red Bull supports in varying capacity, approximately 500 athletes in
97 sports, with 100 of them located in the U.S.
Q: Who are some of the prominent athletes?
>> Some of the prominent athletes for Red Bull are Thierry Henry- soccer star,
Shaun White-snow boarder, and Canadian ice-climber Will Gadd.
Q: Why does Red Bull focus on dangerous/more risky sports?
>>>At Red Bull, we are firm believers that the greatest rewards come to those
who branch out and challenge themselves. This spirit was embodied by our
founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who took a chance on developing the Red Bull
energy drink, and all of our subsequent development as leaders in the energy
drinks market.
Q: Have there been any complaints about your competition?
>>>Yes.
Q: What is the crucial ingredient to your product?
>>>Taurine
Q: How has your company dealt with entry into additional foreign markets?
>>>In order to gain entry into additional foreign markets, Red Bull has shared the
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
results of studies on their
products with health
authorities each time it
has sought to enter a new
country, and most governments have approved the drink for sale.
Q: What about in the countries where Red Bull is banned?
>>>Red Bull will modify the product offering, and/or ingredient list to satisfy the
requirements of the foreign government.
Q: How does Red Bull explain the 1991 and 1999 sudden deaths of Swedes
& an Irish teen who had all consumed Red Bull?
>>>No connection has been found, the data remains inconclusive regarding
taurine consumption via energy drinks.
Questions about Health Effects of Red Bull Products:
Q: What are the effects of taurine? And at what level of consumption do
they take effect humans?
>>>Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid, that is a required building block
for proteins. Taurine is considered to be essentially safe at normal amounts for
adults and children.
Q: How does Red Bull interact with alcohol?
>>>The Red Bull masks the taste of the alcohol, and the caffeine masks the
influence of the alcohol, which may cause individuals to misjudge their levels of
intoxication. However, this is not a problem for individuals who responsibly
consume Red Bull products.
Q: What is your company planning to do about the health problems
associated with your energy drinks? If so, what?
>>>Consuming an energy drink is a risk, and for individuals concerned with the
Red Bull product ingredients, they can visit the Red Bull website, and learn more
about how to safely consume them. If additional measures are taken, we will
share them with the media in a timely fashion.
Q: How many deaths have been linked to your product?
>>>Several deaths have been attributed to individuals over consuming Red Bull
product.
Q: Are you aware of the impacts of caffeine on the human body?
>>>The impacts of caffeine on the human body are not seen at normal levels of
Red Bull product consumption, as it simply contains the same amount of caffeine
as one cup of coffee. This information was confirmed by the European Food
Safety Authority in their 2009 report. Additionally, according to Health Canada,
their research states that 400 mg of caffeine can be consumed by a normal adult
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
without adverse affects
being seen.
Q: How many people have gone to the hospital for energy drink related
incidents?
>>> Approximately 7,301 people visited emergency rooms for energy drink
related incidents according to a 2009 DAWN report. This is a cumulative figure
including multiple energy drink brands.
Q: Are you aware of the health impacts that your product has?
>>>Yes.
Q: Why does your company continue to sell this product considering all of
the health risks?
>>>When consumed responsibly the health risk of consuming Red Bull products
is minimal.
Q: What are the effects of Red Bull on children & pregnant women?
>>>Red Bull is not recommended for children or pregnant women to consume as
the amount of caffeine could be harmful for them.
Questions about Product Manufacture process:
Q: Where is your product manufactured?
>>>Red Bull’s manufacturing base is located in central Europe.
Q: Where is the main plant and any other plants?
>>>The main Red Bull manufacturing plant is in Austria.
Q: What safety precautions are in place to prevent product tampering?
>>>Red Bull’s products are manufactured in a fully machinated process, which
does not allow for product tampering. No human hands touch the Red Bull
product from the start of manufacture until they are placed on shelves.
Q: What is the manufacturing process for your Red Bull products?
>>> At the production facilities in Austria, creation of Red Bull Energy Drink
follows what’s known as the wall-to-wall principle- meaning that production and
filling take place on the same site. The can is manufactured in one part of the
factory, while the drink is prepared in another. Can and content are united in the
filling unit.
Q: How is Red Bull distributed?
>>> The Red Bull cans are transported, whenever possible by ship and rail.
Transportation by truck is the last resort when there’s no other means of deliveryand it remains our priority to allocate ever more transport to rail and shipping.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Q: Has Red Bull done
over-consuming the
anything to stress not
product?
>>>Yes, Red Bull’s website does stress not over-consuming the Red Bull energy
drink products, and any & all television commercials state that individuals sould
consume this product responsibly.
Q: Where does the coca leaf come from that you use in your product?
>>>I am not qualified to release this information at this time.
Q: What specific function does the coca leaf play in the drink?
>>>Coca leaf serves as a flavoring agent in the Red Bull Cola product.
Q: Are there any hazardous chemicals present besides coca?
>>No, there are no hazardous chemicals present in the Red Bull Cola product.
All of our ingredients are 100 percent, all-natural. The coca leaf in and of itself is
not dangerous or hazardous for human consumption either as the illegal cocaine
alkaloid has been removed before the product is manufactured.
Q: How is the coca leaf cleaned/processed?
>>>The coca leaf is chemically cleaned to remove the illegal cocaine alkaloid
before the product is used to manufacture Red Bull Cola.
Q: What are the dangers of using coca leaves in Red Bull production?
>>>There are no dangers of using coca leaves in Red Bull production, the illegal
cocaine alkaloid that is of concern is only 0.8 percent of the plant’s makeup and
is removed during the processing stage before the Red Bull Cola product is
manufactured.
Questions about Red Bull CEO:
Q: What makes Mateschitz qualified to manufacture and sell energy drinks
when he was nothing more than a glorified toothpaste salesman?
>>>Mateschitz is considered to be one of the foremost marketing professionals
and has much corporate experience after having worked for P&G and Unilever.
Q: How can you trust a company when your founder is known to be
secretive and a known recluse?
>>>The disinterest of Red Bull’s founder participating in a media circus is not
indicative of the trustworthiness of Red Bull as a company.
Q: Mateschitz has been quoted as saying “taste is of no importance
whatsoever” how do you explain this?
>>>When was the last time someone purchased an energy drink purely for
taste?
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Q: Why does your
media on normal
founder/CEO avoid the
occasions? Does he have something to hide?
>>>Mateschitz believes that the life of the CEO should remain out of the public
eye, and prefers the focus to be on the Red Bull products & promotions.
Q: Is the CEO not at all concerned with the “normal person”?
>>>It is Mateschitz very commitment to the normal person that prompted the
development of Red Bull energy drinks, which allow otherwise regular people to
experience enhanced endurance, concentration and other benefits from
consuming these products.
Q: Your CEO has stated that the Red Bull, Red Bull events, and Red Bull
athletes are blurry on purpose, why are there no specific distinctions?
>>>Red Bull aims to create an integrated experience with their product, by
blurring those lines it enhances the user experience.
Q: Will the juggernaut that your CEO has built survive?
>>>I’d prefer not to speculate on the future status of Red Bull at this time.
Q: Will the company stay the same in the future or how will it adapt?
>>>I’d prefer not to speculate on the future status of Red Bull at this time.
Q: What is your CEO’s net worth?
>>>According to Forbes, his net worth is $5.3 billion.
Questions Specific to this potential crisis:
Q: Knowing the laws concerning cocaine, how do you allow this to remain
in your product?
>>>Red Bull was not aware of the suspected cocaine presence, however, as
soon as we became aware of the issue, we issued a full recall of the Red Bull
product in question, and will be conducting a full investigation regarding this
issue.
Q: What product areas have been affected?
>>>At this time, solely Red Bull Cola has been affected by the alleged results of
this report.
Q: How do you see this affecting your other endeavors?
>>>I’d prefer not to speculate on this at this time.
Q: Should I be worried, as a consumer within the United States?
28
1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
>>>At this time,
consumers within the United
States should not be
concerned. However, as a
precautionary measure, we have issued a complete recall of the product in the
United States.
Q: How much cocaine was found in your product?
>>>Less than 0.13 milligrams of cocaine were found in our product.
Q: Can that amount of cocaine cause harmful effects on people?
>>>This amount is not enough to cause harm to anyone who may come into
contact with it.
Q: Did you know that cocaine was present in your product prior to the
report being released?
>>>No.
Q: What are you doing to get the product off the shelves?
>>>We have issued a complete recall of Red Bull products, which was
distributed via news release, social media posting, and posted on our official
website. In addition, Red Bull employees will be contacting our distributors and
vendors to personally confirm that the Red Bull products have been removed
from the shelves.
Q: What are you doing to test the product?
>>>After conducting the recall, we took two cans per lot number and took them to
the United States Food and Drug Administration for testing. The results of this
testing will take several weeks, and once they are available they will presented to
the media, and Red Bull consumers.
Q: Have you considered lessening the amount of caffeine or taurine in your
product to alleviate concerns?
>>>The amount of caffeine or taurine within the Red Bull products are not
enough to cause harm to a Red Bull consumer, who consumes the product in a
normal manner.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
MEDIA DIRECTORY
LOCAL RADIO NEWS PERSONNEL
Station/Channel
KFI/ 640 AM
Address
News Director
3400 E. Olive Ave.
Burbank, CA 91505
Gary Hoffmann
Phone/Fax
(818) 840-4444
KACB/ 790 AM 3321 S. La Cienega Blvd. Stephen K. Bannon (800) 222-5222
Los Angeles, CA 90016
KFWB/ 980 AM
4200 Radford Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
Scott Diener
KNX/1070 AM 570 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Andy Ludlum
(323) 569-1070
KTLK/ 1150 AM 3400 E. Olive Ave., Suite 550 Greg Ashlock
Burbank, CA 91505
KPCC/89.3 FM
KPFK/90.7 FM
474 S. Raymond Ave. Paul Glickman
Pasadena, CA 91105
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West
North Hollywood, CA 91604
(818) 655-2000
(818) 559-2252
(626) 583-5100
Ernesto Arce
(818) 985-2711
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
LOCAL TELEVISION NEWS PERSONNEL
Station/Channel
KCBS/ 2
Address
News Director
4200 Radford Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
KNBC/ 4
3000 W. Alameda Ave.
Burbank, CA 91523
KTLA/ 5
5800 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
KABC/ 7
500 Circle Seven Dr.
Glendale, CA 91201
6121 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
KTTV/ 11
1999 S. Bundy Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
KVEA/ 52
(818) 655-2000
Erin Dittman
(818) 840-4431/
(818) 840-3535
Tim Delarm
(818) 863-7777
Scott Diener
(323) 467-9999
Kingsley Smith
701 S. Mount Vernon Ave.
San Bernardino, CA 92410
3000 W. Alameda Ave
Burbank, CA 91523
Scott Diener
Deborah Wilkinson (323) 460-5500
KCAL/ 9
KVCR/ 24
Phone/ Fax
Ken Vincent
Al Corral
(310) 584-2000
(909) 384-4444/
(909) 885-2116
(818) 840-4444/
(818) 260-5222
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
LOCAL NEWSPAPER PERSONNEL
Paper
Address
Burbank Leader
Editor
Dan Evans
Phone/Fax
221 N. Brand Blvd.,
Second Floor,
Glendale, CA 91203
Frequency
818-637-3200
Daily
Daily Pilot
Editor:
John Canalis
1375 Sunflower Ave. 714-966-4600
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Daily
Coastline Pilot
Editor:
John Canalis
P.O. Box 248
949-302-1469
Laguna Beach, CA 92652
Daily
Glendale News Press 221 N. Brand Blvd., 818-637-3200
Editor:
2nd floor,
818-637-3247
Dan Evans
Glendale, CA 91203
Huntington Beach
Independent
Editor:
John Canalis
1375 Sunflower Ave. 714-966-4600
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Los Angeles
Business Journal
5700 Wilshire Blvd., 323-549-5225
Suite 170,
323-549-5255
Los Angeles, CA 90036
LA Daily News
City Editor:
Harrison Sheppard
21860 Burbank Blvd.
Suite 200
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
LA Magazine
Editor-in-Chief:
Mary Melton
Daily
Daily
Weekly
818-713-3000
5900 Wilshire Blvd., 323-801-0100/
10th Floor
323-801-0105
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Daily
Monthly
Los Angeles Sentinel 3800 Crenshaw Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90008
323-299-3800
Weekly
323-299-9896
LA Times
Calif. Editor
Ashley Dunn
213-237-5000
202 W. First St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Daily
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Long Beach
Press-Telegram
Editor:
Carolina Garcia
300 Oceangate
562-435-1161
Long Beach, CA 90844
Daily
Pasadena Sun
727 Foothill Blvd.,
626-219-0330
Editor:
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Dan Evans
Daily
Santa Monica
Daily Press
Editor-in-Chief
Kevin Herrera
1640 Fifth St.,
Suite 218
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-458-7737
310-576-9913
Daily
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Local Blogs
URL
News Director
Phone/Fax
Bay Area News
Blog
http://www.insidebayarea.com/blogs
Kathleen Kirkwood,
Breaking News
Editor
510-2086423
Voice of San Diego
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/cafesan-diego/
Andrew Donohue,
Editor
619-3250526
California Fire
News
http://calfirenews.com/
Daryl Osby
323-8812413
California Watch
http://californiawatch.org/
Robert Salladay
916-5044085
LA Weekly
http://blogs.laweekly.com/
Robert Simm
310-5747379
LA Daily News
http://www.dailynews.com/blogs
Carolina Garcia
818-7133883
Sacramento Bee
http://www.sacbee.com/blogs/
Edward Siggs
916-3211000
San Diego Tribune
Blog
http://www.utsandiego.com/weblogs/
Bianca Gonzalez
619-2605081
San Francisco Bay
Guardian Blog
http://www.sfbg.com/blog
Tim Redmond
415-2553100
San Luis Obispo
Blog
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/
Judy Salamacha
916-2342342
San Francisco
Weekly
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/
Bob Cuddy
415-5368122
San Francisco
Culture Blog
http://sfist.com/
Lindsay Grove
415-8346378
Sillicon Valley
Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/blogs
Laurence Mayfeld
408-9205444
Ventura County
Star
http://web.vcstar.com/blogs/
Bill Locey
510-2134525
Blog
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Communicating with
Key Publics
This crisis communications team can use the following list, as a way to identify all of the
concerned audiences that Red Bull will need to notify during a crisis. Identify individuals
or groups that the media will seek out. How and when you will communicate with these
audiences during the crisis must be determined beforehand.
Key Publics
Method Of
Contact
Employees/Volunteers/Interns
1. In person (if onsite)
2. Phone Tree
Board Members
Phone Tree
Key Management
1. In person (if onsite)
2. Phone Tree
Families
1. In person (if onsite)
2. Phone Tree
Shareholders
Phone
Financial Partners
1. E-mail
2. Postal mail
Media
1. News Releases
2. Press
Conference
3. Spokesperson
contact
Clients
1. In person (if onsite)
2. Phone Tree
Suppliers
1.E-mail
Potential Employees/Volunteers
1. E-mail
2. Social Media
State emergency officials
Phone
Business Community
Phone
Responsible
Party
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fg
Internal
External
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Employees, Volunteers
and Interns
All Red Bull employees
must be informed about the
crisis situation before it is released to the media. The Crisis Communications
team must determine the most effective way to communicate with their
employees during a crisis. Through the use of staff meetings, email, social
media, phone trees, etc., all Red Bull employees must be informed at the same
time through the same means of communication about the crisis. Once each
employee, volunteer, and intern is notified they should be given a statement to
read if approached by the media.
Board Members
Board members should be notified upon notification of the crisis. They should be
contacted via telephone explaining the details of the crisis known thus far, what is
being done and how a similar situation will be avoided in the future. An electronic
version of this crisis plan can be sent to them as well.
Key Management
If the key management staff is on-site, they should be notified in-person of the
details of the crisis and what is currently being done. If they are not on-site, they
should be notified by telephone immediately and provided with a prepared
statement if approached by the media.
Families
Families should be notified in-person if they are on-site. If they are not on-site,
they should be notified by telephone and provided with a prepared statement in
case the media approaches them. They should be knowledgeable of all the
details of the crisis as currently known by the business in order to accurately
respond to media questions.
Shareholders/Financial Partners
It is important for the shareholders of the company to understand the details of
the crisis before they hear it through the news media. They should be wellinformed of the potential damage that the crisis may cause, how it may affect
them in the future, and how the company is dealing with the media.
Media
A press conference should be held informing the media simultaneously of the
recent events that have transpired. A statement from the company’s CEO and/or
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
spokesperson will be
given at the start of the press
conference. A question
and answer session may be
held after the statement is read, depending on the details and information known
at the time of the press conference.
Clients/Customers
Clients and customers should be notified through the distribution of a press
release written by the company. The press release should be written within 30
minutes of the crisis notification, and distributed to the media and multiple news
sources. Customers should feel a sense of loyalty from Red Bull during this time.
If there is an email list of customers they should all be notified by email in order
to expedite the communication process and flow of information. Customers can
also be notified through social media platforms of the crisis and what is currently
being done to fix the problem.
Suppliers
Suppliers should be notified through email and postal mail of the current crisis,
and can be sent an electronic version of the crisis communications plan. If Red
Bull plans to recall items, stop sales temporarily, or stop sales all together the
suppliers must be informed in order to plan accordingly.
Potential Employees/Volunteers
Potential employees and volunteers should be notified by email if possible, and
through numerous social media platforms. Frequently updating social media
platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, along with creating a blog specifically
relating to updates of the crisis will show transparency among the company and
loyalty to potential, current, and former employees.
State Emergency Officials
State emergency officials should be notified by telephone of the recent events in
order to accurately answer potential media questions.
Business Community
The business community should be notified by telephone of the recent events in
order to accurately answer potential media questions.
Pre-gathered Information:
Opening statement (generic for press conference)
Hello and thank you for being here. Today, a special report featuring
…................................... was made public. I want to tell you personally that these
results are shocking to us at Red Bull. We hold ourselves to the highest standard
and continuously work to produce the best energy drinks on the market. This
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
high standard leaves no
room for endangering the
health and safety of those
most important to Red Bull:
our customers. We find this egregious error in.…...............(insert issue)..............
is completely unacceptable and a full-scale investigation is currently underway to
determine the cause of this problem. In the mean time, production of all Red Bull
products has ceased until we can verify the root of the problem and how we can
fix it. We have also issued a complete recall of all batches of the Red Bull Cola
brand that may have been affected. I want thank you for your time and assure
you that we at Red Bull will not stop until ….................................... is completely
fixed and our product is truly the best on the market. Thank you for your time. I
will take questions now.
Red Bull North America, Inc.
1470 Stewart St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA
Phone (001) 310 393-4647
Fax (001) 310 230-2361
Contact: Kayla Inserra
919-601-2247 (Office)
919-234-2314 (Fax)
kai5032@psu.edu
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
_____________ FOUND IN RED BULL
SANTA MONICA, Ca., DATE- Cans of Red Bull Cola were stripped from shelves
in (Location) on (Date) after (explain situation).
A (what happened) at (exact location) involving (who) occurred today.
(Explain the steps being taken to fix the problem.)
“Quote from an expert goes here”
Red Bull, is accredited by, and follows all health procedures set forward by
the United States Food and Drug Association. Red Bull keeps detailed health
records as required, as well.
Red Bull strives to create the safest and all around best product in the
energy drink business. Those concerned about health effects (explain the health
effects involved if any and how they can be treated).
-more-
Red Bull
Add 2-2-2
The incident (insert whatever the incident is) is currently being
investigated. Information will be released to the public as soon as it becomes
available.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
For more
information you can call our
hotline at 1 (800) 733-2855, check our website at www.redbullusa.com, or follow
Red Bull on Twitter at @redbull frequently updates for the latest breaking news
and useful tips.
-30-
Red Bull North America, Inc.
1470 Stewart St.
Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA
Phone (001) 310 393-4647
Fax (001) 310 230-2361
Contact: Kayla Inserra
919-601-2247 (Office)
919-234-231(Fax)
kai5032@psu.edu
40
1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
TRACES OF COCAINE FOUND IN RED BULL
SANTA MONICA, Ca., May 25- Cans of Red Bull Cola were stripped from
shelves in six German states on Monday morning after a German health
institute’s chemical ingredient testing found 0.13 micrograms of cocaine per can
in the product. There are no serious health threats expected in connection to the
minimal levels of cocaine detected in the Red Bull Cola.
"There is no scientific basis for this ban on Red Bull Cola because the
levels of cocaine found are so small," Fritz Soergel, the head of the Institute for
Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in the city of Nuremberg. "It is not
even cocaine itself. According to the tests we carried out, it's a non-active
degradation product with no effect on the body."
-more-
Red Bull
Add 2-2-2
For precautionary purposes six states in Germany banned Red Bull Cola
products. No other stores worldwide are banning the Red Bull Cola product as
Asia Pacific Marketing Director, Daniel Beatty, said the firm strongly disputed any
findings.
41
1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Red Bull
consistently uses natural
ingredients in the production of Red Bull Cola including coca, cardamom and
Kola nuts. The coca leaves in the ingredients are only used as a flavoring agent
after the illegal cocaine alkaloid is removed. Therefore, there is no danger in
continuing to consume Red Bull Cola drinks, as all the ingredients used are safe
to drink. For negative effects to be felt, over 12,000 liters of Red Bull Cola would
have to be consumed.
For more information contact Kayla Inserra at 919-601-2247, visit our
website at www.redbull.com, or follow our Twitter @redbull for frequent updates
on the recent events and useful tips.
-30-
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
1740 Steward Street, Suite 320
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 393-4647
Fax: (310) 230-2361
Contact: James Hampson
Public Relations & Communications Professional
Phone: 1 (310) 393 4647
Email: james.hampson@us.redbull.com
Red Bull North America, Inc. Fact Sheet
-Red Bull GmbH was co-founded by Dietrick Mateschitz and Chaleo Yoovidhya
in 1987.
-A total of 4,204 cans of Red Bull were sold worldwide in 2010.
-The company employed 7,758 people in 161 countries.
-Red Bull is present in over 160 countries and since its inception in 1987; around
30 billion cans of Red Bull have been consumed.
-Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical to adapt Thai energy drink, Krating
Daeng, for Europe.
-Red Bull GmBH opened sales of European Red Bull in Austria in 1987.
-Red Bull was the first type of carbonated energy drink ever produced.
-Red Bull began a viral marketing scheme around the slogan “Red Bull Gives
You Wings.”
-Red Bull expanded quickly through the late 1980s and early 1990s.
-Opened the U.S. corporate headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif. in 1997.
-Red Bull sponsors extreme sports leagues, including BMX
-Team Red Bull has competed in NASCAR and Formula One events.
-Red Bull also sponsors numerous traditional sporting teams.
Hosts the annual Red Bull Art of the Can competition in Cincinnati, Ohio.
-Sponsors the Mobile Energy Team (MET) of college marketers.
-Over 5,000 students gain firsthand experience every year participating in Red
Bull programs.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Red Bull North America,
Inc.
1740 Steward St., Suite 320
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 393-4647
Fax: (310) 230-2361
Contact: April Kaminsky
Public Relations & Communications Professional
Phone: 1 (310) 393 4647
Email: april.kaminsky@us.redbull.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RED BULL NORTH AMERICA, INC. COMPANY BACKGROUNDER
SANTA MONICA, Ca., May 25- The Austrian company Red Bull GmBH makes
Red Bull Cola. The company was co-founded by Dietrich Mateschitz in
1987. Around that time, Mateschitz was a marketing director for Blendex, a
German toothpaste company. In 1982, he visited Thailand and discovered that
Thai energy drink Krating Daeng, literally meaning “red bull”, helped cure his jet
lag.
Between 1984-87, Mateschitz worked with TC Pharmaceutical to adapt
Krating Daeng for the European market while co-founding Red Bull GmBH with
Krating Daeng owner, Chaleo Yoovidhya. Each invested $500,000 of savings,
and took a 49 percent stake in the new company. They gave the remaining 2
percent to Chaleo’s son, but it was understood that Mateschitz would run the
company.
-more-
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Red Bull
Add 2-2-2
The Austrian version of Red Bull was launched in 1987, and was carbonated but
not as sweet as the original Thai recipe. This was the launch of both a
completely new product and also of a new product category.
At its inception, Red Bull distributed free cases of the drink to college
students in an attempt at viral advertising. This strategy proved wildly successful
and resulted in a huge boost in sales. Red Bull has since focused its marketing
at young urbanites through several sports and entertainment advertising
campaigns. Red Bull’s current mottoes, “Red Bull Gives You Wings,” and “No
Red Bull, No Wings” bring attention to the stimulating properties of the drink.
Red Bull took great pride in “giving wings” from its very first days, and the
company has spread around the world very quickly. In the first few years, sales
continued to increase in Austria, and Red Bull also arrived in foreign markets for
the first time- Singapore in 1989 and Hungary in 1992. Authorization to sell Red
Bull products in Germany was granted in 1994. The United Kingdom soon
followed in 1995, and in 1997, the United States business was launched in
California.
-more-
Red Bull
Add 3-3-3
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
campaigns, Red Bull’s efforts
Since the initial
have expanded to include the sponsorship of extreme sports including cliff diving,
BMX, skiing, mountain biking and skateboarding. In the 1990s, Red Bull
sponsored Olympic gold medal rower, Xeno Muller, and currently sponsors skier
Tanner Hall, who won X Games gold in half-pipe skiing.
Red Bull also owns and runs the Flutag, meaning “flight day” in German, a
competition where entrants launch themselves off a 10-meter ramp in homemade
flying machines into a body of water. Other Red Bull events include a soapbox
derby called the Red Bull Soap Box Race held in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Red Bull
Art of the Can Competition where creative works are made using the Red Bull
can, and the Red Bull BC One individual break dance competition.
Red Bull’s sponsorship has also been present in a number of other sports
for some time, particularly in the world of motor sport. Red Bull has been
prominent on several European racing circuits. Since 2007 Team Red Bull has
competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The company has sponsored
several racing drivers, including NASCAR driver Brian Vickers, and Formula One
drivers Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi.
-more-
Red Bull
Add 4-4-4
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Red Bull is also
now sponsoring the
Cyberathlete Professional League and its own air-racing event called the Red
Bull Air Race. Red Bull does not pay their athletes to wear or promote their logo.
Red Bull has also extended its presence to purchasing and re-branding a
number of sports teams. These teams include Red Bull Racing (formerly Jaguar
Racing) in motor sport, and Red Bull Salzburg (formerly SV Austria Salzburg),
and the New York Red Bulls (formerly MetroStars) in soccer.
In addition to sport sponsorships, Red Bull has developed the Mobile Energy
Team (MET) program that consists of primarily college students, who drive
specifically designed racers and complete daily missions that include sporting
events, businesses, colleges and shopping centers. Members of the MET’s are
trained to inform potential consumers about Red Bull’s products.
-more-
Red Bull
Add 5-5-5
Red Bull is very active in the community and prides itself on its charitable
efforts. For the past few years it has been a sponsor of the Don’t Walk Charity
Fashion Show in Scotland. Don’t Walk is a student-run show that is aimed at
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
raising awareness and
contributes its profits to a
nominated charity each year. Red Bull helps with this event with its sponsorship;
a provision is that there is a Red Bull VIP area where Red Bull and its related
products are handed out to those attending in an attempt to promote the
company’s image to the student population.
Red Bull also distributes and markets a number of other drinks including Simply
Cola, the Carpe Diem range of herbal beverages, and the Sabai Wine Spritzer.
A total of 4,204 billion cans of Red Bull were sold worldwide in 2010, a 7.6
percent increase from 2009. At the end of that same year, the company
employed 7,758 people in 161 countries. Additionally, over 5,000 students are
gaining firsthand work experience every year participating in Red Bull programs.
-more-
Red Bull
Add 6-6-6
Today, Red Bull is present in over 160 countries and since its inception in
1987; around 30 billion cans of Red Bull have been consumed. The company is
aware that the production and distribution has an environmental impact and is
also aware of its responsibility to help keep the world clean. Red Bull is
constantly striving to find more and more ways to keep the environmental impact
of its materials at an absolute minimum.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Red Bull is
continually looking to improve
both the overall company and the products and services provided to its patrons.
The Red Bull headquarters are based in Fuscki am See, not far from Salzburg,
Austria.
-30-
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Dietrich Mateschitz
Dietrich Mateschitz is the co-founder
and managing partner of Red Bull GmBH.
Mateschitz was born on May 20, 1944
and is an Austrian businessman of Croatian
descent. He holds a marketing degree from
Hochshule fur Welthandel, now known as the
Vienna University of Economics and
Business Administration.
Prior to founding Red Bull, Mateschitz
started his career at Unilever where he
marketed detergent. He then worked at Blendex, a German cosmetics company
that was later bought by Proctor & Gamble. It was on a business trip to Thailand
for Blendex toothpaste that Mateschitz discovered Krating Daeng, the
predecessor to Red Bull.
Mateschitz co-founded the Red Bull energy drink company in 1984 with
Thai partners Chaleo and Chalem Yoovidhya. The company was launched in
Austria in 1987, and has since become the world leader in energy drinks. In 2007
alone, 3.5 billion energy drinks were sold. He currently holds 49 percent of the
company’s shares.
Red Bull is known for its advertising, just as Mateschitz is known as a
marketing specialist. In 2004, he bought a Jaguar F-1 race team, and bought a
former F-1 circuit A1 ring, which he renamed Red Bull Ring and opened in 2011.
Continuing to expand Red Bull’s presence, Mateschitz bought the Austrian
football club SV Austria Salzburg, and Minardi with Gerhard Berger in 2005,
Metrostars of New York in 2006, renaming them to Red Bull Salsburg and Red
Bull New York respectively. In 2007, Mateschitz continued this trend by founding
Red Bull Brazil, and in 2009 founded a German football club called RB Leipzig.
Mateschitz has never been married, but has one son, and currently
resides in Salzburg, Austria. He also owns Laucala Island located off of Fiji.
According to Forbes magazine, Mateschitz is considered to be among the 400
richest people on Earth. While he owns Seitenblicke, Austria’s top Society
magazine, Mateschitz prefers to spend time out of the spotlight, and enjoys
utilizing his pilot license to fly a Falcon 900 and Piper Super Cub.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Santa Monica, California
Emergency Press
Conference Notification
Press Advisory
On the Web:
Public Contact:
http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/
Media Contact (001) 310 393-4647
+43 662 6582
___________________________________________________________________
________
No. 006-12
DATE, 20XX
Red Bull North America, Inc. holds emergency press conference at
(Location)
To ensure safety nationwide, Red Bull officials will host an emergency
press conference at (Location) on (Date) to discuss (Situation at hand.)
The press conference will begin at (Time) in (Exact Location.) All media
are welcome to attend, and a question and answer session will be held with Red
Bull spokesperson (Name) after the conclusion of the press conference.
Parking will be available for all media at (Parking Options.)
For more information contact Kayla Inserra at 919-601-2247 or visit our
website at www.redbullusa.com.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Santa Monica, California
Emergency Press Conference Notification
Press Advisory
On the Web:
Public Contact:
http://www.redbullusa.com/cs/Satellite/en_US/
Media Contact (001) 310 393-4647
+43 662 6582
___________________________________________________________________
________
No. 006-12
May 25, 2012
Red Bull holds emergency press conference in Santa Monica, California
To ensure safety Nationwide Red Bull officials will host an emergency
press conference at (Place) to ensure the accurate dissemination of information
among media personnel.
The emergency press conference will be held at (Location) on May 25,
2012 across from (Building). The press conference will begin promptly at 9 a.m.
(Pacific Time Zone) and will last approximately one hour.
Parking for all media will be available all day at (Location)
For more information contact Kayla Inserra at 919-601-2247 or visit our
website at www.redbullusa.com.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
MEDIA SPOKESMEN
The media spokesperson represents the company and speaks on behalf of the
company. Two or three back-up spokespeople should be on-call at any given
time in case the original spokesperson is unavailable.
Primary Spokesperson: James Hampson
Office Phone: 1-310-393-4647 ext. 3458
Cell Phone: 610-451-6272
Home Phone: 610-693-8372
E-mail: james.hampson@us.redbull.com
Secondary Spokesperson: April Kaminsky
Office Phone: 1-310-393-4647 ext. 3457
Cell Phone: 412-526-3332
Home Phone: 412-831-1970
E-mail: april.kaminsky@us.redbull.com
Third Spokesperson: Kayla Inserra
Office Phone: 1-310-393-4647 ext. 7698
Cell Phone: 1-919-601-2247
Home Phone: 1-919-388-4386
E-mail: kayla.inserra@us.redbull.com
Fourth Spokesperson: Ellisse Johnston
Office Phone: 1-310-393-4647 ext. 3456
Cell Phone: 814-753-0400
Home Phone: 310-236-0738
E-mail: ellisse.johnston@us.redbull.com
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Media Convention Center
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 South Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(800) 448-7775
The Los Angeles Convention Center offers premiere facilities and first-class
services in the event of an emergency at Red Bull. The LACC is located within 15
miles of the Red Bull North America, Inc. corporate office and within easy driving
distance of Los Angeles International Airport. The LACC is equipped with Internet
connectivity hotspots and large meeting rooms able to house numerous
reporters. A capable kitchen staff is available if the crisis should last multiple
days.
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Crisis Supply List
-Pre-made copies of crisis plan (50)
-Mobile Internet hot spot cards and modems (4)
-Telephones (10)
-Fax Machine
-Color Printer (2)
-Copy Machine
-Paper Reams (100)
-Pens (100)
-Dry Erase Board
-Two boxes of dry erase board markers
-Folding tables (5)
-Folding chairs (50)
-Stapler (3)
-Paper Clips (300)
-Scissors (3)
-Coffee Machine
-Coffee (4 containers)
-Cream
-Sugar
-Spoons
-Tea bags (4 boxes)
-Plastic/Styrofoam cups (300)
-Water cooler
-Portable microphones (4)
-AA/AAA Batteries (4 packs each)
-Red Bull Banner
-Red Bull back drop
-Flashlights (5)
-Microwave
-Microwaveable dinners (25)
-Legal pads (200)
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
List of Emergency Personnel
Los Angeles Police Department
150 N. Los Angeles St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
911 (213) 928-8223
Media Relations: 213-486-5910
Los Angeles Fire Department
200 N. Main St., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 978-3580
Media Relations: 213-978-3820
Fax: 213-978-3712
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
757 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90095
310-267-9119 (West), 310-267-9120 (East)
Media Relations: 310-794-2265
Los Angeles Medical Center
8700 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-423-3277
Media Relations: 310-423-4768
Los Angeles Department of Public Health
313 N. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-240-7816
Media Relations: 213-240-8144
City of Los Angeles Poison Control
24/7 hotline: 800-876-4766
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361
Federal Agencies Contact Information
American Beverage Association
Phone: (202) 463-6732
Fax: (202) 659-5349
Consumer Product Safety
Commission
Phone: (301) 504-7923
American Heart Association
Heart Attack National Center: Phone:
(800) 242-8721
Stroke National Center:
Phone: (800) 787-8984
Federal Trade Commission
Agency staff directory:
Phone: (202) 326-2000
Organization directory:
Phone: (202) 326-2222
American Medical Association
Phone: (312) 464-4430
Food and Drug Administration Los
Angeles district office:
Phone: (949) 608-4407
Fax: (949) 608- 4456
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
Phone:(800) 800-3855
Food and Nutrition Service
Phone: (703) 305-2062
Center for Disease Control and
Prevention
National Center for Environmental
Health and Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry:
Phone: (770) 488-7100
Food Safety and Inspection
Service
Phone: (402) 344-5000
Fax: (402) 344-5005
International Trade Administration
Office of Public Affairs:
Phone: (202) 482-3809
Center for Nutrition Policy and
Promotion
Phone: (703) 305-7600
Fax: (703) 305-3300
National Institute of Health
Drug abuse and addiction
department:
Phone: (301) 443-1124
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1470 Stewart St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA Phone: +1310 393-4647 Fax: +1310 230-2361