Running head: RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

Red Bulls Brand Loyalty with Sponsorships: Extreme Sports and Music Festivals
Zo M. Kaufman, Morgan K. Missigman, and Connor R. Reavy
Grand Valley State University

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

Abstract
The purpose of this primary research was to see if Red Bull creates brand loyalty through their
sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals. The research team found this to be true
according to the survey questionnaire sent out to various student groups, as well as the focus
group conducted with college-aged students. The research found supported that college-aged
adults see a correlation between Red Bulls extreme sports sponsorships and a loyalty to the
brand. Research concluded that when Red Bull sponsors events, such as music festivals and
extreme sports, it gives the brand a positive image. The research proved that even though
participants in the survey thought of the brand positively, they did not necessarily like drinking
the energy drink because of health concerns. The research team conducted a focus group in class
which consisted of four college-aged females and four college-aged males. The moderator
opened with icebreakers and then prompted participants with questions from the moderators
guide. The focus group revealed that most participants had a positive brand association with Red
Bull due to the brands sponsorship of extreme sports events and music festivals. The survey
results showed that 42.8% of people said that they agreed with the statement that Red Bulls
sponsorships of extreme sports and music festivals gives the brand a positive image. This goes
along with the fact that 75.5% of survey respondents thought of Red Bulls sponsorships when
they thought of extreme sports. Through primary research, the hypothesis that Red Bulls
sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals has generated not only brand loyalty to these
events, but also a more positive brand image among consumers was proven.

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

Red Bulls Brand Loyalty with Sponsorships: Extreme Sports and Music Festivals
In recent years, Red Bull has been a key sponsor of extreme sports events and music
festivals around the world. Specifically, the Red Bull brand has attempted to associate with
prominent events like the X Games, Lollapalooza, as well as the Red Bull Air Races. The
purpose of this primary research paper is to examine whether or not Red Bulls sponsorship of
extreme sports and music festivals has established greater brand loyalty to these events. In
addition to analyzing Red Bulls efforts to create brand loyalty, this paper identifies the impact
that Red Bulls sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals has had in promoting a more
positive brand image. Research on this topic is important because its essential that the company,
Red Bull, evaluate if their marketing and advertising techniques at major events has benefited the
brand as a whole. Research was conducted for a CAP 115 class at Grand Valley State University.
The hypothesis is that Red Bulls sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals has
generated not only brand loyalty to these events, but also a more positive brand image among
consumers.
Method
Focus Group
Procedure. To begin testing the hypothesis, the researchers created a document to
identify the intended target population to research, as well as a recruitment plan to achieve
relevant information (See Appendix A for Target Population and Recruitment Plan). In this
particular study, the target population was GVSU Greek organization students, sororities and
fraternities, ages 18-24, as well as GVSU international students ages 18-24. Once a target
population and recruitment plan was created, the researchers developed a question concepts
document to obtain the best results (See Appendix B for Question Concepts). This document

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

explored the specific types of relevant questions that would be asked to focus group participants.
Based on the question concepts, the researchers developed a moderators guide that was
strategically followed during the focus group held in class. Within the moderators guide was a
list of specific questions that aided in the research process to find out whether Red Bulls
sponsorship creates brand loyalty (See Appendix C for Discussion Guide). The questions picked
were based on what research was needed. For example, a question asked was: Do you associate
Red Bull with sporting events? This question allowed the team to find out whether or not peers,
college-aged adults 18-24 years of age, directly associated Red Bull to sporting events. The
research team also developed questions that were opened-ended. For example, the moderator
asked the focus group, Do you drink energy drinks? This allowed for the participants to answer
a more general question that would transition into the main topic, which was the association of
Red Bull with extreme sporting events and brand loyalty. The research team was then able to ask
more in-depth and probing questions that will be discussed in the following section.
Participants. The moderator began the discussion with an icebreaker and names to make
the participants comfortable. This helped with allowing the participants to feel welcomed in the
discussion. The focus group consisted of four males and four females. The majors of the
participants included AD/PR, Marketing, as well as Film/Video. The participants were very
responsive when the moderator prompted the questions. Everyone seemed ready to contribute to
the question with answers that came from themselves or from bouncing ideas off one another. No
one was interrupted and it ran smoothly (See Appendix D for Organized Focus Group Results).
The responses generated had ranged from differing ideas to similar ideas when it came to
thoughts on Red Bull. Most people came to a consensus that Red Bull was a cool brand, but

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

that the energy drink tasted bad and was unhealthy. Although this was the association with the
brand, the positive image of Red Bull still held true within the participants responses.
Survey
Procedure. In order to determine the correlation between Red Bulls sponsorships with
extreme sports and music festivals and the effect they have on brand loyalty, a survey was
constructed and taken (See Appendix E for Survey). The platform used to build the survey was
surveymonkey.com. On the homepage, the center +Create Survey link was selected. After
selecting the +Create Survey, the creator was brought to the setup page, where they chose the
Build a New Survey from Scratch option and titled the survey Red Bulls Brand Loyalty with
Sponsorships. After titling the survey, the platform brought the creator to the Design Survey
tab and the questions were imported through the Builder option.
To get the best results, the ten questions chosen for the survey were created to receive the
most specific responses while still being close-ended. The questions were similar to questions
asked in the focus group. Questions incorporated measuring the perception and preference of
Red Bull related to energy drinks, sponsorships, and brand image.
Participants. Along with carefully selecting questions used for the survey, deciding what
audience to take the survey was thoroughly considered. GVSU sorority and fraternity students
ages 18-24, along with GVSU international students ages 18-24 were the target audience. This
target audience was selected because of their knowledge of energy drinks, as well as the fact that
they are the target market of energy drink brands. The best targets to get the most answers were
Grand Valley State Universitys Greek organizations and international students.
A survey invitation was created that stated what the survey was, who it was created by,
why it was created, and how long it would take to complete (See Appendix F for Survey

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

Invitation). The participants were notified that the survey was voluntary, but encouraged to take
it. They were also notified that their responses would be confidential. Surveys were distributed
through Facebook pages only open to current GVSU sorority and fraternity members, as well as
current GVSU international students. The survey was only available for one week to participate
in, and one research member consistently monitored the number of responses.
After the survey was closed, the group took the recorded data from the focus group and
survey to use for further research on Red Bulls brand loyalty from sponsorships. The
researchers used the focus group and survey responses to compile three themes, metathemes, and
supporting evidence (See Appendix G for Themes, Metathemes, and Supporting Evidence).
After creating the themes and metathemes document, the researchers dissected the responses
once more to form a cognitive map (See Appendix H for Cognitive Map). Once all of the
documents were formed, the researchers analyzed their focus group and survey findings.
Results
Red Bull emphasizes the importance of sponsorships to form brand loyalty. The results
gathered from the focus group and online survey highlighted the effectiveness of Red Bulls
sponsorships with extreme sports and music events.
Focus Group
The focus group results came from four male and four female participants. Half of the
participants consume energy drinks and prefer Red Bull because of taste, convenience of having
campus representatives, and availability. Red Bull was the first brand stated when asked what
brands they think of when they hear the phrase energy drink. Majority of the participants had
negative feelings towards energy drinks, but positive feelings towards the Red Bull brand. They

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

agreed that energy drinks are handy, not healthy, and mostly used for special circumstances,
for example studying at the library late at night.
The main discussion began by asking the participants their music genre preference. The
mixed responses included rap, country, salsa, and everything in between. After the participants
responded with what their personal preference was, the moderator continued by asking what
styles of music they associate with Red Bull. Results included electronic, rap, and all kinds of
music from anyone who performs. Along with music genres, the participants also associated Red
Bull with music events like the Lollapalooza Music Festival. Another category that Red Bull was
associated with was sporting events. Participants instantly shared their association between Red
Bull and snowboarding events like the X Games. They shared that they associate the brand with
non-traditional, adventurous, and extreme sports.
Similar to the sponsored events, the focus group participants believe that Red Bull wants
to cater to young, adventurous, athletic, and people with fast paced lifestyles. They agreed that
Red Bull has a clean image and is a happy brand, whereas other energy drink brands, like
Monster, have a dark brand image. The majority of the focus group participants believed that
Red Bulls events differentiate them from other energy drink brands.
Survey
The researchers also created a survey to gain more information pertaining to Red Bulls
sponsorships and brand loyalty. The survey results aligned similarly with the focus group.
71.43% of participants ranked Red Bull as their number one preferred energy drink (See
Appendix I for Organized Survey Results). 75.51% of the people surveyed associated Red Bulls
sponsorships with extreme sports. Although every event was selected by at least three people,
Red Bulls three most recognizable events were the X Games, Red Bull Air Race, and

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

Lollapalooza. 55.1% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that Red Bulls sponsorships
with extreme sports and music festivals gives them a positive brand image.
Themes
There were three themes that resulted from the focus group and survey. The first theme
was that Red Bulls sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals establishes a sense of
brand loyalty and a positive image. The second theme that was discovered was that Red Bulls
sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals establishes a sense of brand loyalty and a
positive image. Finally, although energy drinks are bad, people drink Red Bull because of the
taste and brand image.
Discussion
The results of the qualitative research done in the focus group, as well as the quantitative
research done through the survey are necessary to evaluate the hypothesis that was raised prior to
the primary research. The research results support the hypothesis, which was that Red Bulls
sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals has generated not only brand loyalty to these
events, but also a more positive brand image among consumers.
Red Bulls Sponsorships Confirm Brand Loyalty
After critical interpretation of the research results, its apparent that Red Bull has showed
brand loyalty to extreme sports events and music festivals because of the fact that they regularly
continue to be a main sponsor of these events. When asked if survey respondents think of Red
Bulls sponsorships when they think of extreme sports, it was revealed that 75.51% made this
correlation. Red Bulls substantial sponsorship investment in extreme sports and music festivals
has proved to establish brand loyalty. In terms of how much survey respondents agreed or
disagreed with the claim that Red Bulls event sponsorships create brand loyalty, 45.83% agreed

RED BULLS BRAND LOYALTY WITH SPONSORSHIPS

and 12.5% strongly agreed and with that statement. Red Bulls effort to not only sponsor the
event venues themselves, but also the athletes or artists performing has influenced the way that
people view the brand because Red Bull successfully establishes loyalty through sponsorships.
Red Bulls Sponsorships Endorse a Positive Brand Image
In addition to asserting that Red Bulls sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals
has generated brand loyalty to these events, its also clear that the sponsorships have enhanced
the brands image among the public. Survey respondents were asked to rate how much they
agree or disagree with the statement that Red Bulls sponsorships with extreme sports and music
festivals gives them a positive brand image. Respondents divulged that 42.86% agreed and
12.24% strongly agreed with the statement. This specific information demonstrates that Red
Bulls sponsorships give them an overall positive brand image. Energy drink brands will often
times have a bad image among the general public, but that does not seem to be the case for Red
Bull. In the focus group, participants communicated the fact that brands like Monster have a dark
image, but Red Bull is seen as a happy and positive brand.
Limitations of Study
This study has presented limitations to be considered. One limitation is the amount of
time that was designated to completing this study. In particular, the short amount of time that
was given to complete the primary research made it difficult to gather an adequate amount of
information that would allow for thorough analysis. A second limitation is the number and
gender of respondents that completed the survey. Of the 50 GVSU students that took the survey,
43 were female. In order to try to avoid survey gender bias, survey invitations were sent out to
both sorority and fraternity organizations, as well as international students. Even though male
and female students were equally targeted to participate in the survey, females overwhelming

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made up the larger percentage that was represented. Factors for this unequal gender
representation may include the fact that surveys were sent out the same week of Thanksgiving
break or that survey respondents were only given a short timeframe to finish the survey.
Recommendations for Future Replication
In order to replicate this study, its important to consider certain recommendations. For
instance, it may be beneficial to have a different target public in the future. This study targeted
GVSU Greek organization students, sororities and fraternities, ages 18-24 and GVSU
international students ages 18-24, but it would be interesting to see how research results would
differ among a separate target public. For example, this may mean changing the ages,
organizational affiliation, profession, or status of the intended target audience. By altering the
target public, results may prove to still support the hypothesis or even refute the hypothesis all
together.

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Appendix A
Target Population and Recruitment Plan
Increasing Red Bulls Brand Loyalty With Sponsorships: Extreme Sports and Music Festivals
Target Population:
GVSU Greek Organization students (Sororities and Fraternities) ages 18-24
GVSU international students ages 18-24
Recruitment Plan:
Plan to Recruit: The plan to recruit students who are in a sororities and fraternities will be
accomplished through the two members of the group that take part in Greek organizations. We
plan on contacting sorority and fraternity members through social media sites. Specifically, there
is a Facebook page for current GVSU Greek Life students that we plan on using to recruit
students to take our survey. This facebook page is closed so only current GVSU Greek Life
students are allowed on the page. In terms of recruiting international students, we will gather a
list of international students. Plan to get Information back: We will construct a survey on
sogosurvey.com and then send emails and post on appropriate GVSUs Greek Life Facebook
groups to students that have agreed to participate. This way, our survey information will be
organized and easily gathered, allowing the group to obtain the participants feedback
immediately.

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Appendix B
Question Concepts
Questions We Plan On Using:
Specification Questions: The use of specification questions will be crucial when conducting
research, allowing us to receive specific information. This form of questions will provide the
foundation of our research and questions that we will be asking. Specific questions are very
useful in providing background information and creating a foundation of the focus group. This
will allow us to understand our respondents attitudes and and beliefs towards Red Bull.
Structural Questions: After asking specification questions we will continue with
structural questions. Structural questions will allow us to fully understand the feelings and
knowledge our respondents have to our research. Similarly to specification questions, structural
questions will also be used to understand the full range of the respondents feelings and
knowledge of Red Bull and its sponsorships.
Idealization Questions: Idealization questions will also be an important form of
questioning when conducting our research. By using this form of questions our group will be
able to ask specific questions about their preference of energy drinks, events to attend, and
advertisements they are attracted to. Idealization questions will be very beneficial when
conducting the focus group because the moderator and observers will be able to understand the
respondents ideal energy drink brand, sporting events, and music preferences. For example, the
moderator may ask describe your ideal sporting event to attend or describe your ideal
energy drink.
Word Association: This will allow us to assess each respondents reaction to not only
energy drinks in general, but also Red Bull specifically. Since respondents will have immediate

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responses stating the first thing that comes to mind, we will be able to really get a sense for their
raw opinion. Word association questions will allow the moderator and observers to discover
what the first energy drink brand the respondents think of. By using word association, we will be
able to explore the brand image and recognition.
Questions We Dont Plan On Using:
Hypothetical-Interaction Questions: Similarly to idealization questions, hypotheticalinteraction questions will allow us to dig deeper with our respondents preferences of energy
drinks, events, and advertisements by how they would respond to different plausible situations.
Due to time constraint, we wont incorporate this type of question. We believe that we can better
engage with the focus group by having specification, structural, and idealization questions.
Grand Tour Questions: By incorporating this type of question, respondents in our focus
group may be able to describe an event that they have attended or seen on television in which
Red Bull was a major sponsor. This will be an open-ended question that allows respondents to
describe their experience and their thought process. Due to time constraint, we wont incorporate
this type of question. We have decided to have specific probes for other questions that will
ideally get to the same input that would be provided through grand tour questions.
Personification and Anthropomorphism: This technique will enable us to have
respondents relate our brand, Red Bull, to a well-known person, fictional character, or even
animal. As a result, this will help us uncover characteristics that may otherwise require unusually
high facility to communicate. Due to time constraint, we wont incorporate this type of question.
We think that word association questions will better adhere to our focus group.

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Appendix C
Discussion Guide (Focus Group Moderators Guide: Red Bulls Brand Loyalty With
Sponsorships)
College Students
(Grand Valley State University)
Opening Remarks (2 Min): Welcome! Before we begin, we ask that you read and state your
agreement to this discussion by signing the compliance form. My name is Morgan Missigman
and I will be the moderator for today. My role is to facilitate conversation and ask questions
concerning the topic. We will be conducting this discussion for a CAP 115 class. The topic is
Red Bulls brand loyalty with sponsorships.
Rules for Participants:
Dont speak at the same time
Address each other and not the moderator
Be candid and truthful-Dont try for the right answer because there are none!
Shut off cell phones, iPods, etc..
Rules for Reporting: Participants will not be quoted by name, all information is confidential and
will only be used for this primary report. You may leave at anytime.
Introduction and Personal Information (2 Min):
Please go around the table and say your name, year, and major.
Now we will go around the table again stating your favorite food.
Setting the Context (2 Min):
Do you drink energy drinks?

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Probe: Why? Why not? Do you prefer a specific brand over another? Why do you prefer that
brand? Why dont you?
When you hear the phrase energy drink what brands come to mind?
Probe: What made you say that brand first?
What is your perception of energy drinks?
Probe: What do you think about Red Bull as a brand? Positive or negative feelings?
Describe your ideal energy drink:
Probe: Do you prefer a specific brand over another? Why do you prefer that brand? Why dont
you?
Main Discussion (12 Min):
What is your music genre preference?
Probe: What genre of music do you associate with Red Bull? Why? What ads have you seen?
Do you associate Red Bull with music events?
Probe: What music events? Have you attended any of these events?
Do you associate Red Bull with sporting events?
Probe: Which sporting events? What kinds of sports do you associate with Red Bull?
What kind of crowd/type of person would Red Bull want to cater to?
Probe: have you seen this being demonstrated in ads or certain places?
Sponsorship: Do you associate Red Bull with sponsoring these events?
Probe: Why? Which events?
Do you believe these events make Red Bull different?
Probe: Why? Does it make them more or less successful? Are they too different?
Do you feel believe Red Bulls sponsorships create brand loyalty?

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Probe: Why? Why not?

Summary (2 Min):
Confirm what was said
By conducting this focus group, we have been able to get a better sense for opinions
towards the topic.
Did I miss anything that was not said? Is there something anyone wanted to add?
Thank you for your time. Your input is very valuable to our report.

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Appendix D
Organized Focus Group Results
Introduction and Personal Information:
4 Males and 4 Females
Majors include AD/PR, Marketing, Film/Video
Setting the Context:
Do you drink energy drinks?
Yes/No About half say yes
Probe: Why? Why not? Do you prefer a specific brand over another? Why do you prefer that
brand? Why dont you?
Students who drink energy drinks prefer Red Bull because of taste, convenience of
campus reps, and availability.
When you hear the phrase energy drink what brands come to mind?
Probe: What made you say that brand first?
Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar
What is your perception of energy drinks?
Probe: What do you think about Red Bull as a brand? Positive or negative feelings?
Handy but not healthy, Hats & Skaters
Certain circumstances such as studying at 2 AM in the library
Describe your ideal energy drink:
Probe: Do you prefer a specific brand over another? Why do you prefer that brand? Why dont
you?
Healthy, Doesnt give you a shaky feeling, good taste

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Main Discussion:
What is your music genre preference?
Mix in group-Rap, country, salsa, anything...
Probe: What genre of music do you associate with Red Bull? Why? What ads have you seen?
Electric, rap
All kinds-anyone who performs
Do you associate Red Bull with music events?
Probe: What music events? Have you attended any of these events?
Yes, sponsorship events
Festivals- Lollapalooza
Do you associate Red Bull with sporting events?
Snowboarding, X-Games
Probe: Which sporting events? What kinds of sports do you associate with Red Bull?
Not typical sports- More adventurous/extreme sports
What kind of crowd/type of person would Red Bull want to cater to?
Probe: have you seen this being demonstrated in ads or certain places?
Young, adventurous, athletic, busy people
Red Bull commercials/cartoons & Extreme sports/events
Sponsorship: Do you believe these events make Red Bull different?
3 people said yes- demographics
Probe: Why? Does it make them more or less successful? Are they too different?
4 people said yes- associated with X-Games
Do you feel believe Red Bulls sponsorships create brand loyalty?

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Majority of group says yes because young people see when others prefer Red Bull
Red Bull=Cool brand
Probe: Why? Why not?
Monster has had devil controversy and is a dark brand, where Red Bull has more of a
clean look and is a happy brand
Notes from Focus Group- Observations
Everyone looks comfortable
Most people are familiar with campus reps and drink Red Bull because of the
convenience
Mixed feelings about energy drinks in general
Taste of Red Bull is alright as a group consensus
Red Bull, Monster, and Rockstar came to mind when thinking of energy drinks
Energy drinks are handy but not healthy, less of an inclination to drink them unless they
need to, to stay up late to study or are tired, or if the energy is given to them. Dont really
seek energy drinks and buy them on a regular basis
Overall good vibe from the group, fun and upbeat everyone is contributing
The group is responsive when the moderator waits for the answer, other people will
chime in and go off of what another says
Most of the group is engaged, some people more than others
There is a positive connotation with music and Red Bull (not when actually drinking it)
Sporting events & adventurous also had a positive connotation within the group

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The group is upbeat when talking about Red Bull but not drinking it (in terms of
sponsorship within the music industry and extreme sports such as X-Games), seems to be
an I know about/heard Red Bull factor within the group
Peers are conversing with each other positively and bouncing ideas off each other.
All agree that Yes, Red Bull creates a brand loyalty
Overall positive and engaged focus group/discussion

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Appendix E
Questionnaire
1) Please indicate your gender:
___Male
___Female
___N/A
We chose this question so that we could measure gender differences in terms of opinion towards
Red Bull sponsorships. This is a basic demographic question.
2) Please indicate your class standing:
___Freshman
___Sophomore
___Junior
___Senior
We chose this question so that we could measure student opinion of the topic in relation to class
standing. This is another demographic question.
3) On a scale of 1-4, with 1 being most preferable and 4 being least preferable, rank your
preference of each of these energy drinks:
___Red Bull
___Monster
___Rockstar
___Kickstart
We chose this question because it allows us to develop an understanding of our respondents
preferred brand, and will help determine the reasoning for their other responses.

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4) When you think of Red Bull Sponsorships do you think of Extreme Sports?
___Agree
___Disagree
___If so, what extreme sports?
We chose this question because we want to see if respondents associate Red Bull sponsorships
with extreme sports.
5) How much do you agree or disagree with this statement: Red Bulls event sponsorships
creates brand loyalty?
___Strongly agree
___Agree
___Neutral
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
6) How much do you agree or disagree with this statement: Red Bulls sponsorship of Extreme
Sports and Music Festivals gives them a more positive image?
___Strongly agree
___Agree
___Neutral
___Disagree
___Strongly disagree
Questions 5 and 6 allow us to gain an understanding of their respondents beliefs. We believe
these questions will let us increase our certainty that Red Bulls sponsorships create brand
loyalty.

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7) Which events have you seen Red Bull as a sponsor? (Check all that apply)
___Lollapalooza
___X GAMES
___Other music festivals
___Individual music artist concerts
___Air Races
This multiple choice/checklist question provides the information about our respondents that
would be insightful regarding their answers. Also, the checklist option allows us to develop an
understanding of their familiarity with Red Bulls sponsorships.
8) Choose the number that indicates your perception of Energy Drinks:
Negative 6

1 Positive

9) Choose the number that indicates your perception of Red Bull:

Negative 6

1 Positive

Questions 8 and 9 allow the respondent more flexibility with their answer. The respondent does
not have to completely agree or disagree with the statement or question, and can provide the
researchers with accurate feedback.
10) If you saw Red Bulls sponsorship at a music festival or extreme sports event, how likely
would you be to purchase the advertised product?
___Very likely
___Likely
___Indifferent
___Unlikely
___Very unlikely

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This interval level scale question allows us to measure how likely our audience would be to
purchase Red Bull as a result of sponsorship. Consequently, we will be able to see the link
between effective sponsorship related to purchases.

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Appendix F
Survey Invitation
Dear fellow GVSU student,
The purpose of this letter is to formally ask you to participate in a survey questionnaire.
In order to participate, you must complete the survey to the best of your ability. Your
participation in this survey is very important because it allows us to gather and analyze data for a
primary research study that we are conducting for our CAP 115 class. In the end, the results of
this survey will provide a foundation for a primary research paper, as well as a group
presentation on the findings of our research. The purpose or goal of this survey is to measure
your personal opinion and feedback related to Red Bulls brand loyalty with sponsorships,
specifically extreme sports and music festivals. Completing this survey will only take a few
minutes of your time, which we know is very valuable. This is not intended to be a difficult task,
it is designed to take less than five minutes. We ask that you please be truthful as you answer the
questions. Your responses and personal information will be confidential. The research that is
being conducted is for professional purposes. If you have questions at any point, please contact
us via email: missigmm@mail.gvsu.edu, kaufmanz@mail.gvsu.edu, or reavyc@mail.gvsu.edu.
Your participation is completely voluntary. Therefore, your refusal to participate will have no
consequences. Beyond initial participation, you may be needed to commit to further research
associated with this topic. Thank you!
Morgan Missigman, Connor Reavy, and Zoe Kaufman
LINK TO SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7WC2HPQ

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Appendix G
Themes, Metathemes, and Supporting Evidence
Events
THEME #1: Red Bulls events such as X Games, Red Bull Air Force, and Lollapalooza
establishes brand loyalty and positive brand image
METATHEMES:
1. Red Bull sponsored events such as X games, Red Bull Air Race, and Lollapalooza create
brand loyalty
2. X Games, Lollapalooza, and the Red Bull Air Race were associated with Red Bull.
3. People are likely to buy Red Bull at events that are sponsored by Red Bull
Both focus groups and survey participants recognized and stated that X Games, Lollapalooza,
and the Red Bull Air Race were associated with Red Bull. These three events were the most
talked about during the focus group, as well as being the top three answers respondents chose
when completing the survey. In the survey 16% of respondents said they would purchase Red
Bull if they saw Red Bull was sponsoring the event. When asked if Red Bull sponsorships with
extreme sports and music festivals gives them a positive brand image, 42.8% said they agree
with that statement. 75.5% of respondents thought of Red Bull sponsorship when they thought of
extreme sports. Overall Red Bull sponsorships of X Games, Red Bull Air Race and Lollapalooza
create brand loyalty as those were the most associated events with Red Bull within the survey
responses.
Sponsorship
THEME #2: Red Bulls sponsorship of extreme sports and music festivals establishes a sense of
brand loyalty and a positive image.

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METATHEMES:
1. When I think of Red Bulls sponsorships, I think of extreme sports.
2. Red Bulls event sponsorships create brand loyalty.
3. I associate Red Bull sponsorships with Lollapalooza, the X Games, and the Red Bull Air
Races
Red Bulls sponsorships create brand loyalty. When asked how much survey respondents agree
or disagree with this statement: Red Bulls event sponsorships create brand loyalty, 13% strongly
agreed and 46% agreed.The focus group agreed that Red Bull has the perception of being the
cool brand. Results from the survey and focus group show that people associate extreme sports
with Red Bull. 76% of survey respondents think of extreme sports when they think about Red
Bulls sponsorships. The results also show that their sponsorships help Red Bulls brand
maintain a positive brand image compared to other energy drink brands. When asked which
events survey respondents associate with Red Bull sponsorships, Lollapalooza, the X games, and
the Red Bull Air Races were overwhelmingly the top three events.
Energy Drinks
THEME #3: Although energy drinks are bad, people drink Red Bull because of the taste and
brand image.
METATHEMES:
1. Bad image
2. People drink Red Bull based on taste and availability
3. Brands are more attractive than the drink itself
During the focus group, most of the participants shared negative feedback regarding energy
drinks. Most believe that they taste terrible, are bad for you, and have a bad reputation. Despite

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the negativity, focus group and survey participants agreed that they would choose Red Bull over
other energy drinks because of its taste, availability, and image.

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Appendix H
Cognitive Map
(Following 1 Page)

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Replace this page with cognitive map

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Appendix I
Organized Survey Results
(Following 2 Pages)

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