Red Bull Rolls US Presses on Print Mag

Once upon a time, the only way you could get your brand’s message out to massive audiences was to cozy up to reporters and other media types, or pay princely sums to their ad reps. Newspapers, Magazines and TV held the mic, and they would allow you to speak into it only when, and as long as it suited them.

Of course, the Internet and rich media have eroded the foundation of that castle on the hill, and continue to do so each day. Traditional roles have been tossed into the air, like a game of “52-pickup.”

Despite all the doomsaying and handwringing, a full-page ad in Sports Illustrated’s print edition is still $238,000 to reach their monthly audience of 3,150,000 readers.

Brands are more powerful than ever, with millions of “followers” (Twitter, and otherwise). These people are receptive to content, and marketers are bringing it to them in interesting ways.

Red Bull is one shining example of a brand that thinks outside the box. They have refined the art of Brand-as-content through putting the brand next to readers via athletes, music, and special events like the “Red Bull Manny Mania” skateboarding tour.

In January 2009, they took it a step further by launching the “Red Bulletin–” which brings the far-reaches of the brand’s extreme sports, and entertainment empire into a monthly magazine format. The magazine has been operating in Europe, South Africa, the Middle East and New Zealand since launch, but will put its arms around the US market as of the June issue.

The inaugural issue’s cover (above) features San Francisco Giants’ pitcher Tim Lincecum. The Red Bulletin us edition will be initially available at 20,000 retail outlets nationwide, and claims monthly distribution of 1.2 million copies (4.6 million worldwide). Subscribers of the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle and New York Daily News will get the issue delivered free on the third sunday of each month.

BMX News is looking forward to seeing Red Bull-sponsored BMX Racers Mike Day, Mariana Pajon and Sifiso Nhlapo in its pages.

More info, including past issues at http://bmxurl.com/redbulletin