Brand Champion of the Year Finalists- Red Bull and Southwest Airlines

 

A while back I mentioned that this Friday is the one year anniversay of the brand champions blog. Over the past year every Monday and Friday I have recognized an individual, department or organization as the Brand Champion of the Day. In commemoration of the one year anniversary, this Friday I am going to recognize the Brand Champion of the Year.

Based upon the nominations that I received, the number of visitors that I received over the past year on Brand Champion of the Day postings and the qualities that I think represent a champion brand, two finalists have been chosen. These two brands do a magnificent job of aligning their internal culture with their external reputation, and understand how to bring their mission, vision and values to life.

The two finalists are Southwest Airlines and Red Bull. Let me know this week which of these two exemplary brands is deserving of recognition as the Brand Champion of the Year and I will post the winner on Friday. Red Bull or Southwest Airlines?

Comments

[Catherine]

My vote is unanimous...Southwest Airlines is the Brand Champion of the world!! There is just no question. This airline can weather any storm-even oil hedge funds! They took an idea, trained their people correctly and kept it simple and smart. One aircraft type, no third party advertising junk with reservations etc, no overhead expenses with advance seat assignments and finally, an easy to navigate web site. I haven't even touched on how well they treat their employees, who by the way are mostly unionized. So it CAN BE DONE and Southwest Airlines Rocks!!!!

[Matt]

Very well said! Nearly all of those positive features about Southwest Airlines apply to Red Bull as well.

From day one, Red Bull has earned its place at the top. Red Bull is not only the number one brand of energy drinks, but they created the entire market! They harnessed an idea, and ran with it. Never once slowing down or looking back. Countless competitors have followed in their footsteps but can only look up to such a brand and envy their superiority and great success. Not only does Red Bull focus on the fast growing world of extreme sports, they believe in and support everyone from college students to professors, music, dance, culture, etc. all over the world! Southwest is a great company and I will not show any negativity towards them, but they do not quite deserve to be brand champion of the year. They have been lucky in their success, and have made some smart moves as many other followers have such as Rockstar Energy Drinks or Monster Energy Drinks, but at the end of the day, everyone knows who is and always will be at the top where they belong.
Brand Champion of the year should be granted to the brand that has given 110%, driven by endless innovation, knowledge, and unique traits that are matched by none other. They were the first to take the huge risk, and they took each step in the right direction which has all paid off in full. This brand is clearly Red Bull.

[Pat]

Red Bull is by far the Brand Champion! What you said about Red Bull U is right on. The entire way Red Bull markets itself is completely revolutionary and unlike anything else. They have changed the rules of how to not only market a energy drink or beverage, but just a product in general. Not to mention, every time a big test is tomorrow Red Bull is always there to give me some Wings!!!

[Ryan Wittig]

My vote hands down is Red Bull. Red Bull has not only created the energy market, and maintained the top spot in the market since the beginning, but have also created a lifestyle of the brand for many to embrace. The Red Bull Air Race, Flugtag, Soapbox Derby, and X-Fighters, are just a few things created by Red Bull to allow the everyday person to engage in the exciting atmosphere that the brand itself embraces. Its is almost impossible now to see any type of extreme sport without seeing Red Bull involved in some way or another. When drinking a Red Bull, not only do people get the pleasures of the beverage itself, but are also able to feel like a part of the lifestyle that Red Bull has created as the image around their signature blue, red, and silver can.

[Ben]

There is no doubt Red Bull takes the cake. The company is not simply a brand... It is a cultural revolution. Red Bull has energized the world since the late 80s, and is now embarking on the daunting task of refreshing the world with Red Bull Simply Cola. While embarking on this journey, one can at a time, they have entertained, inspired, and confused us. Rock on Red Bull.

[Jesse Lash]

While I recognize that Southwest has done a great job as a company in establishing key leaders who know how to successfully lead a business in a difficult industry, the issue of "Brand Champion" is a completely separate one.

Red Bull is, by leaps and bounds, the Brand Champion, not because of how successful the company is, nor because they have both started a market and have led it since it's creation. Red Bull is the brand champion because of the entrepreneurial culture the company operates on day by day. This Red Bull University you mentioned is one of the key aspects of the entrepreneurial nature of Red Bull. Every student in this University is trained to be the Brand Manager on his or her campus. They are taught the core brand values of a premium energy drink; they are taught to be witty, charming, and professional, and they are taught to BE Red Bull. Then, they are practically let loose on their college campus to manage the brand on their own, with help from their supervisor when needed. Any and all projects, parties, and priorities on campus for Red Bull are determined by the student, who then has the full ability to professionally incorporate the premium aspect of Red Bull as they feel most adheres to the company’s core values.

Red Bull is a lifestyle, and its employees are the main example of how to live this lifestyle to the fullest. Every day, on almost every major college campus across the US, the Student Brand Managers are living the Red Bull brand and proving why Red Bull is THE “Brand Champion.”

[Andrei P.]

So many strong points have been made on both parts of Red Bull and Southwest, but what strikes me the most in this comparison is Matt's recap on how Red Bull created its own market with the blind jump it did many years ago into the unknown of the potential of an "energy drink".

It is hard to find another company that is as involved in so many different areas on a global scale, than Red Bull. With its extraordinary investment of its time and effort into meshing with its self-created market through some of the craziest, maybe even a little ridiculous style events, such as their uniquely created Red Bull Rampage and Red Bull Air Race, they relate with the intense and adrenaline junkies of the world. But the lifestyle that Red Bull encompasses isn't simply the daredevils and the extreme, but the studious, the socialites, the athletic, the gamers, the business-person, the bread-winners as their product delivers what they need, Energy.

Now, Red Bull also reaches the health-conscious and those in need of refreshment - Red Bull has just entered the "Cola" market, giving Coca-Cola and Pepsi a run for their money with an all natural - Red Bull Cola.

This isn't an energy drink, nor a Cola-flavored Red Bull, nor a Red Bull-flavored Cola. It is simply an all natural Cola. (No High Fructose Corn Syrup, No Phosphoric Acid, No Artificial Flavors). Yet another innovative idea put into action especially with so much recent attention on following a "healthy" lifestyle. Genius.

Red Bull entertains with all the athletes they sponsor, teams that they own, events that they create, enables lifestyles to be followed with the energy it creates in both liquid form and within each of those sharing into this product. Red Bull has come such a long way, starting from scratch with just an idea, this expansion of the energy drink giant brings even more interest and exposure to the betterment Red Bull brings to the table. Red Bull is on the forefront of now another market, raising the bar for all other innovative companies... Brand Champion.

[Dan]

I don't even know the slogan for Southwest, everyone knows that "Red Bull gives you WIIINGS!" Red Bull is the premium product that we all long for that always gives you 100% satisfaction. Southwest might be great at what they do but name one company that is innovative, witty and have beautiful girls working for them and the most extreme athletes under their bulls and sun

[Laura]

Red Bull is THE Brand Champion, hands down. Just the simple logo of Red Bull creates a huge impression on people across the entire WORLD. Consumers know exactly what the logo stands for: success, innovation, and wit. Red Bull has made their logo so desirable and so exclusive that people are willing to pay hundreds to get their hands on branded hats and clothing that is only distributed to the Red Bull athletes. How many people have you heard about that are doing the same with the Southwest logo? If you hear of someone, please let me know!!

[Kevin M]

Complete Ingenuity.
Non-stop innovation.
Everlasting involvement in sport AND culture.
A lifestyle that is unlike any other, constantly creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for anyone who enters its bubble.
A company that goes beyond a "Product" and has developed an entire WORLD.
This.Is.Red.Bull.
I'd say they simply created their own market, but that would be an understatement. Red Bull has created a brand that has set such a high bar on creativity and straight up kick-ass-ness, that they should be crowned the Numero UNO Brand CHAMPION of the UNIVERSE.
Starting with their simplistically complex grass-roots marketing schemes, to their globally involved events such as Red Bull Can You Make It (www.redbullcanyoumakeit.com), this is a brand that will always keep you on your feet and keep you guessing.
What's next from Red Bull? No one knows... But I'll assure you of one thing, when they do it, they do it right, no doubt.

With Wiiings,
Kevin

[Daniel R]

Not even a close call...
Red Bull deserves a category all its own! As everyone already mentioned, Red Bull gave birth to a billion dollar industry and despite COUNTLESS competitors trying to take the throne, Red Bull has managed to remain on top. Southwest certainly didnt invent flying, and they didnt even bring anything that innovative to the table. People get truly attached to Red Bull as a brand and identify themselves as a "Red Bull guy/girl" Have you ever heard of someone walking around proudly displaying the fact that they are a Southwest customer? Im not knocking on Southwest as an airline, they are great, but to even put them in competition with Red Bull is to compare a Ferrari to a Toyota.

[Nicole]

I fully support all the before statements about Red Bull, it is truly a culture and lifestyle driven by innovation and creative marketing strategies. No other company has been able to touch every generation and be known to just about anyone. If you were to ask some one to list the first airlines that came to thought, Southwest might show up in the top 3, if you asked for energy drinks, Red Bull would most likely be the first one listed.

I screen printed a T-shirt with the image of the bull and 3 stages of a person growing wings. There were no words printed with the image. After just a few moments, the person interpreting the image understood it to be "Red Bull Gives You Wiiings." From a 60 year old man to a 15 year old girl, each person picked up almost immediately the meaning. This is not because my imaging skills are amazing but because the bull and wings have become an icon and symbol of Red Bull and the Red Bull culture. No other company is able to market their brand that successfully and make it an icon recognizable to just about everyone in the world.

[Taylor]

Red Bull has so much going for it, it's hard not to consider it the Brand Champion of the Year. It's all been said before, but I'll say it again. It single-handedly created a billion dollar industry, and remains at the pinnacle of this industry. It's ever increasing effect on action sport and culture will not go unnoticed.

The brand is recognized worldwide, not just because of Red Bull's ability to "give you wiiings" but because it is a symbol of pushing the envelope, breaking barriers, doing things that were once thought impossible. That sort of idea applies to everyone, and is especially effective on the current generation. They're genius.

[Chuk W]

Redbull has a freakin F1 Team... Nuff said.

[Kevin M]

AND a SOCCER team!

AND a NASCAR team!

AND an AIR FORCE!

AND an ART SHOW!

shall I go on.....?

[Michael H]

Red Bull takes this one with ease. No disrespect to Southwest, it is and always will be a GREAT airline. However the bottom line is that it is still simply an airline.

Redbull, however, has transcended its own identity as a beverage company and has gone to cultivate an entire image. The only reason Red Bull would not win this is if someone were to interpret Red Bull as more than a brand, but also as a lifestyle.

[Ashley B]

Red Bull provides energy that doesn't cost nearly as much as jetfuel. Now that's a real brand. Red Bull should most definitely win Brand Champion of the Year.

[Alexa Hansson]

There is something to be said about the unsurpassed participation and proactive attitude that Red Bull employs with their brand. Its notable that more than simply the majority of the responses on this topic are in full fledged support of the product, as well as the brand. There must be some be some genuine appreciation for the company for such an outcome.

With that said, my vote is clear and fully supportive of the energy drink- and emerging cola-community!

[Rob Jones @ RIT]

Red Bull. Southwest Airline is in a failing industry and Red Bull dominates a growing energy drink industry that it made as big as it is.

[champion sportswear]

I agree with you Red Bull airline still failing industry but there drink is continuously increasing its worth and popularity.