Unconventional wisdom has been a critical driving force for great accomplishments during the course of human history. Inspiration is all around you.
Just look at the recent feat of Felix Baumgartner — who set the mind-blowing record for the world’s (or rather out of this world) highest and fastest skydive — prompting an inspiring expose on the Founder of the project’s sponsor, Red Bull’s Dietrich Mateschitz. The famed energy drink’s creator has made a lifestyle out of defying conventional wisdom, pushing boundaries and resisting naysayers.
Via Forbes:
“When we first started, we said there is no existing market for Red Bull,” Mateschitz told Forbes in 2005. ”But Red Bull will create it. And this is what finally became true.”
With his background in traditional advertising, Mateschitz eschewed normal avenues from the beginning. He sponsored a “Flugtag” contest in which ordinary people build homemade flying machines and try to make it the farthest over water. He also targeted students and bars, encouraging its use as a mixer with alcohol. Red Bull began to sponsor athletes, especially those in extreme sports—an angle that would make the company synonymous with energy boosts far beyond any television campaign could have. ”We were always looking for a more creative, different point of view,” explained Mateschitz.
[Image via USA Today.]
