When brand is everything: protecting IP at Red Bull

01-02-2010

Now an instantly recognisable product, Red Bull works hard to protect its brand wherever it may be threatened. Jorge Casals talks to WIPR about how the company manages this battle

Owing to its global market penetration and reach, the Red Bull brand is protected in 203 countries— nearly the entire world. And not just the name ‘Red Bull,’ but also the different elements of the can and brand design.

Red Bull rigorously takes action against infringing rival products based on its ‘Red Bull’, ‘Red’, ‘Bull’ and colour enforcement strategies, including its slogans. The company always seeks to invoke the wellknown trademark argument as any decision stating that the Red Bull Brand is well-known actually strengthens the brand and expands the scope of protection for future cases.

As a result, the company has a reputation for entering into cutting-edge cases in order to push the limits of its protection. At the heart of this strategy is the idea of legal sustainability. “This safeguards the brand value, because a brand that is not well protected cannot build up any value and/or gets quickly diluted,” Casals explains.


Red Bull, trademark, protection, enforcement

WIPR