Red Bull sold a record 12.67 billion cans in 2024, a 4.4% jump from the previous year, cementing its place as the world’s top-selling energy drink and projecting revenues of US$10 billion in 2025. The brand’s rise has also propelled co-founder Chalerm Yoovidhya and family to the top of Forbes’ Thailand’s 50 Richest list for a second straight year, with a net worth of US$44.5 billion.
But with its core audience ageing out and younger consumers seeking healthier, low-sugar options, can Red Bull keep soaring?
Born from a Thai energy drink and reimagined for Western markets in 1987, Red Bull has now sold over 100 billion cans worldwide. Its global dominance was built on bold marketing moves — from extreme sports sponsorships to partnerships with high-octane brands like GoPro and F1. Its long-running backing of Max Verstappen, now a four-time F1 world champ, has further cemented its image as the drink of fearless achievers.
That image, however, is running up against the clean-living values of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Red Bull has faced past controversies over health claims and caffeine levels, and now, shifting preferences are forcing the brand to evolve.
Its response? ‘Organics by Red Bull’, a line of certified organic sodas free from artificial ingredients and the early-2025 global launch of ‘Red Bull Zero’, a no-sugar, no-calorie variant aimed at fitness-conscious consumers. Still, whether these moves are enough to future-proof the brand remains to be seen.Can Red Bull sustain its market dominance as younger consumers increasingly favour healthier, natural options, or will it need to evolve significantly to stay relevant? Campaign Asia-Pacific asked five branding experts to weigh in.
Rajiv Jayaraj, Principal consultant, R3 Media
Red Bull faces a careful balancing act when it comes to health and wellness trends. While it needs to signal awareness of health concerns, its core brand is still built around intense performance, not wellness and wholesomeness. The way the brand has responded shows awareness of the limits of its brand elasticity.
Rather than overhauling its brand, Red Bull is expanding its product lineup with sugar-free options to accommodate shifting preferences while preserving its high-energy identity. Red Bull Zero, launched globally, retains the same packaging, except it uses a slightly lighter blue on the can—signalling the same full-bodied experience with a lighter caloric footprint—maintaining the brand’s integrity.
A helpful parallel here is Coke Zero. Coca-Cola launched a “Zero” version to retain customers who might otherwise exit the category due to sugar concerns, while not diluting its identity. Coke Zero is positioned as the same Coke experience without the sugar. In fact, Coke Zero grew its volume sales by double the rate of growth of the Coca-Cola Company’s total portfolio. This retains the brand’s relevance during consumption occasions without alienating its audience.
Red Bull is well-positioned for continued leadership in a saturated energy drink market. It benefits from decades of brand-building, deep distribution, and cultural embeddedness that new entrants simply can’t replicate. Its acquisition of sports teams and ongoing sponsorship of over 800 athletes expands its reach and relevance.
To stay ahead, Red Bull should continue investing in owned content, global sports properties, and product innovation that stays true to its high-energy image. At the same time, it must stay alert to changing consumer expectations and competitive threats from wellness-oriented energy brands.
Jacopo Pesavento
CEO, Branding Records
Red Bull has always owned the space where people need to perform at their peak: physically, mentally, or emotionally. As Gen Z normalises health consciousness, Red Bull has smartly introduced sugar-free and organic options.
At its core, the brand thrives on ritual—taken before an exam, a performance, a race, a stream. That context still matters.
Looking ahead, Red Bull can broaden its definition of “energy” to include nootropics, mental clarity, and recovery. The key will be evolving alongside changing ideas of performance, aspiration, and identity. Gen Alpha will engage differently — they’ll look for brands that live natively in digital and physical worlds.New opportunities lie in emerging cultural ecosystems: creator networks, immersive sport-tech, augmented experiences, and narratives that elevate mental strength. Red Bull’s future depends on staying plugged into these communities and expanding its role in their rituals.
Mich Lai
Strategy Director of Constant
In my opinion, the competitor is probably coffee. College students and gamers drink it to 'get wired', which isn't what healthy/natural drinks can do. The health risks of drinking (too much) caffeinated energy drinks could be a challenge for them, though, especially if raised to public health concerns. People also tend to grow out of the phase where they would drink Red Bull, so they need to think about how to stick around for longer (and hopefully not through Jägerbombs), unless the strategy is really to keep targeting that specific range of young adults.
Lily Wen
Associate partner, Prophet
In today’s world, overloaded with information and points of view, a successful brand needs to have a stand, a purpose, and a stronger voice. Red Bull doesn’t do it alone, nor by merely blasting its voice on large event sponsorships. Instead, it effectively identifies brands who also desire to “give wings to people and ideas,” and creates impact through collaborations and sponsorships all aligned on a similar strategic intent and brand anchor—e.g., GoPro, F1 Grand Prix, Nitro Circus, Baja 1000, World Surf League, Cliff Diving World Series.
Looking ahead, Red Bull should be more intentional in courting women and subculture communities. Staying relevant means continuously redefining “energy” for each new generation.
Stephen Barry
Managing partner, Stepworks
Red Bull’s strength lies in its consistency. It’s stayed true to its core idea: giving wings to people and ideas, brought to life through adrenaline-fuelled events and community-led marketing. Few FMCG brands articulate and express their identity this well.
The 2018 launch of Organics by Red Bull was interesting and a noticeable departure from its extreme-sports persona. But maybe it made more sense to leverage the Red Bull name than launch a whole new brand. Savvy consumers would figure out it’s the same company anyway. That said, Organics is still a tiny slice of the business, estimated to bring in around US$100 million in 2025, less than 1% of revenue. But Red Bull does not publicly report segment-level figures. Ultimately, enduring, high-performing brands align what they genuinely offer and what audiences desire with a distinct core idea. Red Bull’s continued evolution and success suggest that their brand builders remain attuned to these fundamentals.
Note: Quotes have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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