The $13 million story behind 3 ‘i’s
Hey, guess what.. Red Bull gives you wiiings. Yep, you read that right, that’s wings with three ‘i’s. But before that, the famous energy drink’s slogan was #Gives you wings? So, what changed?
In 2012, Benjamin Careathers filed a lawsuit against Red Bull, claiming that the company’s marketing slogan was deceptive and misleading. While we all know that drinking Red Bull won’t literally give you wings, Careathers argued that this slogan implied that the drink had unique qualities that could enhance physical and mental abilities, and should give a higher energy boost than an average cup of coffee. However, a can of Red Bull Energy Drink only contains 80 mg of caffeine while, a typical 8 oz. cup of coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine.
The judge agreed, and Red Bull paid $13 million to settle the lawsuit. Moreover, under the terms of the settlement, individuals who had purchased Red Bull products between January 1, 2002, and October 3, 2014, were eligible to receive either a cash reimbursement or Red Bull product vouchers. Talk about a sweet deal!
Benjamin Careathers v. Red Bull shed light to the issue of deceptive marketing claims and served as a reminder for companies to be more cautious about making exaggerated claims about the benefits of their products. So, next time you grab a can of Red Bull, remember the $13 million story behind those triple ‘i’s