Last but not least: France spreads its wings
Now the French can finally get their energy boost and drink themselves into a frenzy: The energy drink produced by the Austrian company Red Bull had been banned in France for twelve years. Now, after endless back-and-forth, the ban has been lifted.
Now, at last, the French are also allowed to fill up on energy and drink themselves wings: For twelve years, the energy drink produced by the Austrian company Red Bull was banned in France. Now, the ban has been lifted after a long back-and-forth. On Friday, Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz and French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde signed an agreement to this effect. The French health authority had banned the marketing of the energy drink in 1996 because the substance taurine contained in it was classified as a dangerous substance by the food authority. There had never been any evidence of the drink's toxicity, the Ministry of Economic Affairs now emphasized with surprising insight, recalling that Red Bull has already been sold in 25 of 27 countries in the European Union. Now Denmark is the only country in the Union, and the only country in Europe besides Norway, that is reluctant to sell it.In France, Red Bull must now put a notice on the cans saying that the drink could harm children and pregnant women. Right from the start, there have been repeated discussions about the health hazards of the yellowish drink. In Switzerland, too, the company had to wait a long time for approval. In the end, however, this was more beneficial to the business: even today, the brand benefits from the image of its former illegality. Today, however, this image is maintained by a sophisticated marketing concept that focuses on small, innovative events and word-of-mouth advertising. Even the smallest extreme sports events and illegal parties at unusual locations are readily supported by Red Bull. At the beginning of next year, Mateschitz even wants to launch his own satellite TV channel. The channel, which still has no name - rumor has it that the name ÖTV is being sought - will exclusively broadcast high-quality cultural programs. In 2005, the company spent a third of its total revenues on marketing - three times as much as is usual in the consumer goods industry. So now, 21 years after the market launch of the drink often referred to by averse tongues as "gummy bear pudding," France is also to be whipped into a taurine frenzy as quickly as possible.
