Your Startup Guru

The RedBull Flugtag is an entertaining spectacle and a genius public relations event all designed with its branding in mind.

Last weekend I attended the RedBull Flugtag in Long Beach.  It was an entertaining spectacle with lots of energy and a massive audience.  The highlight of the event?  To watch little more than shoddily made objects fall into the harbor.

Would such an audience turnout for out for an event held by, say Lipton Tea?  Imagine the Lipton Flugtag.  Do you think hundreds of people would sign up to spend many hours to build something that will last for seconds in front of tens of thousands of people?  If Lipton sponsored such an event, do you think tens of thousands of people will even show up?

This is because the event (or more accurately) public relations event, is dependent on the brand image of the brand (i.e. RedBull) is maintaining (or pursuing if the brand is trying to reposition itself).  People associate RedBull with action, irreverence, fun.  Lipton?  Not quite as much.  However, Lipton has market awareness strengths they can flex that RedBull is ill-fitted for.

How you advertise, where you advertise, the contents of your advertisement is highly contingent on your brand image.

Pop quiz:  What is the difference between marketing and public relations?