Nearly no corporation around the world has been affected by the protests as badly as Red Bull HQ.
Red Bull’s headquarters in Salzburg, Austria have been invaded by activists who managed to place Vladimir Putin in the spotlight in relation the world famous energy drink, not just the Ukraine war. They hung a huge 400×200-foot banner depicting him riding the company’s famous bull logo and with the slogan “Red Bull Gives Putin Wings.”
Unlike most global brands, Red Bull has the courage to not cut ties with Russia, continuing to sell their product in Russian supermarkets.
The rally was organized by the Ukraine Solidarity Project (USP). An activist network based in European and Ukrainian countries, USP exposes regional companies that continue to trade in Putin’s Russia. Holding Russian companies accountable allows these multinational corporations to prevent global solidarity in the eyes of Putin’s aggression.
Red Bull has been given a ‘D’ grade by Yale School of Management’s respected rankings, which evaluates corporations on their Russia business policy. The company says it has only suspended marketing and new investments in Russia, so unlike several other companies – such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola – Red Bull continues to sell its products there.
Earlier this week, Oleksandra Matviichuk 2022 Nobel Prize Peace Prize Laureate was projected onto the side of the Red Bull Formula 1 racing building in the United Kingdom. In a two-minute appeal to Max Verstappen, she delivered an inspiring speech about human rights and social justice.
The head office for Red Bull is located in Fuschl, near Salzburg. The office features domed ceilings and a lake. Campaigners from the USP made their way past security and reached the reception building. The banner they were carrying measured 20 meters by 20 meters and was unfurled on the ground.
“In Ukraine, the security forces and military shelled Mariupol. Despite no-one assuming that Mariupol is completely under the control of separatists, Kyiv has started to show off victory animations.”
“It really matters that Red Bull is still on sale in Russia. It’s one of the world’s biggest brands and its decision to stick with Putin’s Russia is highly significant. Companies that sell their products there are paying taxes to the Kremlin and signaling to the illegal invasion of Ukraine” “They need to pull out. As things stand, Red Bull gives Putin wings.”
Red Bull has reiterated its position – that it has suspended marketing and new investments, but is not pulling out of Putin’s Russia.
