Opinion Writer┬áGreg Landon┬átakes a look at the role of Red Bull in Felix Baumgartner’s recent space jump.
For me the most telling images of Felix BaumgartnerÔÇÖs space jump were not aerial shots of the balloon, or the moments he stepped off the platform ÔÇô rather they were photos that showed various Red Bull logos and insignia down each side of his suit. The jump was indeed a memorable moment for both scientific and human progress, but above all, it was one of the most elaborate advertising campaigns in history. It is the pinnacle of Red BullÔÇÖs in-your-face sponsorships of sports and extreme physical events that include two Formula 1 teams, several professional football teams worldwide, the Red Bull Rampage mountain bike competition and the X-Fighters motorcross tournaments. A world record adrenaline jump is a natural progression on these sponsorships deals, and a perfect real world implementation of a slogan that promises to ÔÇÿgive you wingsÔÇÖ.
This isnÔÇÖt an attack on Red Bull, who I actually admire for placing so much hype on such an original stunt that couldÔÇÖve backfired horribly. Instead, I am trying to persuade those who think this was a great independent scientific moment for our generation to realise it was a primarily commercial endeavour. For those wondering who funded FelixÔÇÖs journey, it was chiefly Red Bull, with NASA only partly providing funding for the new and elaborate spacesuit that they will undoubtedly use in future missions. And if youÔÇÖre worried about US taxpayers money being used on a jumped up cliff dive, consider that NASA has had its budget cut for two consecutive years despite inflation. When government funded agencies have their revenue cut, they traditionally turn to the private sector to subsidise new projects.
Red Bull are notoriously strict about releasing financial records so it is almost impossible to determine how much the entire Stratos project cost, although NBC reports that plans for a 2008 jump remarkably similar (yet far less commercial) than BaumgartnerÔÇÖs cost at least $20 million. So the key question seems to be was the massive investment worth it? The answer appears to be a resounding yes. The Red Bull Stratos Facebook page has over 700,000 ÔÇÿlikesÔÇÖ, while the Telegraph reports ÔÇ£more than 3 million tweets were sent about the jumpÔÇØ. With hundreds of thousands of people actively talking about the stunt, the massive expenditure seems justified, as does Forbes headline that ÔÇ£Red Bull Stratos Worth Tens Of Millions Of Dollars In Global ExposureÔÇØ.
Aside from exploding on social networking sites, the jump also shattered YoutubeÔÇÖs record for viewings of a live broadcast with 8 million ÔÇô equivalent to almost the entire population of London watching the same event at the same time. It may have cost Red Bull an arm and leg, but the Austrian firm are used to such expenses with a reported 35 cents of every dollar made being spent on marketing.
The immediate sales generated by the space jump, along with the solidification of companyÔÇÖs ÔÇÿextremeÔÇÖ reputation appear to make the companyÔÇÖs investment in Felix Baumgartner worthwhile. Also, few would dispute the collective sense of pride we showed during this particular world record.
The Red Bull Stratos project will not only propel the name Felix Baumgartner into pub quizzes for eternity, it will also kick start a new wave of publicity and profits for the company that made the whole event possible. Bottom line ÔÇô it was worth it, both in commercial and social terms.
Greg Landon
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