In 2006, a beverage brand uploaded it's first video to YouTube, and in 2008, it launched its signature channel. At the time, it wasn't a YouTube content creator, nor an established leader in the video space. In just over six years, that brand has become the most followed consumer brand on YouTube, the curator of the second most viewed Sports channel on the platform, the brand behind the most successful live streaming event on the web, and the model for how a consumer brand can become a media leader. To kick off 2015, it's main channel topped 1 Billion Views and eclipsed 4 Million Subscribers. This is Red Bull.
With digital-first (and often YouTube-first) content that represents the Red Bull lifestyle, it's videos provide a global audience with a sense of inspiration and countless sharable moments. Driven by its main channel, Red Bull now operates a family of channels, including Red Bull Music, Red Bull eSports, Red Bull Records, Red Bull Racing, and Red Bull Air Race. Capturing events around the world in highlight and storytelling formats, creating digital series based on key influencers and athletes, and capitalizing on out-of-this world (sometimes literally) activations, Red Bull serves up engaging content on a daily basis.
Red Bull has pioneered the way that a brand can tackle YouTube, leading the way for others like GoPro and Nike to make the most of the world's largest digital video platform. It's success has prompted statements such as:
"Brands as publishers? Yeah, right. Unless your business card says "chief Red Bull video guy" your brand is blowing it on YouTube," (Ad Week) and begged the question, "Could Red Bull Become the New ESPN?" (Contently)
Following up to start 2015, Tubefilter sustained Red Bull's dominance as the best brand on YouTube and added that it has leveraged its presence on the platform to "firmly establish its position as more than just an energy drink company – but a true media company."
Red Bull is not simply a content provider, but an established member of the YouTube community. It's a case-in-point for YouTube's investment in content owners, having continued a number of Original series now moving into their 3rd and 4th seasons, and it collaborates with countless YouTube creators, enabling and supporting the work of some of the top talent on the platform.
Above all, Red Bull delivers content that's simply awesome. Q4 2014 was Red Bull's top performing quarter on YouTube thus far, and the best is yet to come.
