Red Bull is probably better known for its cool marketing stunts than it is overly-sweet energy drinks. After all, who could forget one of the best branding efforts in history – Felix Baumgartner’s astonishing 2012 parachute jump from the edge of space.
However, the brand’s latest attempt to woo high octane Millennials has seen it apologise and cop a wrap over the knuckles for damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The event happened in the Ukranian capital of Kiev and saw two Nissans covered in Red Bull livery drift around the forecourt of the stunning Saint Sophia Cathedral in the city’s centre.
Problem was, local authorities actually denied Red Bull permission to go ahead with the stunt, but they went ahead anyway without the proper safety precauctions and barriers while leaving black tyre tread all over the Cathedral’s paving.
Local police reportedly brought an abrupt halt to the stunt – said to be an ad that involved local rap artist Alyona Alyona – and later towed and impounded the vehicles.
The local newspaper bykcu.com later reported that “2000 square meters of paving with Kyiv yellow bricks have been damaged on the Sofiiska Square”.
Local deputy mayor Konstiantyn Usov posting to Facebook: “Red Bull did this early this morning endangering dozens of lives. People of the morning were going to work through a large area and were forced to dodge vehicles. The consequences could have been without exaggeration tragic.”
For its part, Red Bull has since apologised for the stunt and stumped up $US2000 ($A2750) for the cleaning bill. The local council also slapped it with a 1,700 Hryvnia ($A87) fine for disobeying orders not to go ahead with the stunt in the first place.
A spokesperson for the energy drink maker said: “We did not follow all the necessary procedures and we deeply regret this oversight on our part. It was always our intention to clean the site so that we would leave it as we found it.”
