Red Bull, one of the biggest and most impactful names in the energy drink space, recently signed Noah Ohlsen and renewed partnerships with Jonne Koski and Laura Horvath to serve as brand athletes.
A brand that represents athletes in a broad range of sports from skydiving to BMX, wakeboarding to ultrarunning, Red Bull is broadening its reach in the fitness space as we head into 2025.
Why It Matters
Red Bull joins the list of other brands, like Adidas, that, while not endemic to the CrossFit space, have entered the market, creating new products and partnering with elite athletes to represent their name.
- Red Bull is currently available in 175 countries, and more than 12 billion cans were consumed in 2023 alone.
The signing of these athletes coincides with the brand’s latest sugar-free drink, Red Bull Zero. This new energy-packed offering touts a different flavor than sugar-free Red Bull while keeping the company’s trademark pre-workout boost and midday pick-me-up.
It’s currently available for purchase.
What the Athletes Are Saying
We reached out to Horvath and Koski, who noted that Red Bull aligns with their values and goals as athletes.
Horvath shared that ever since she was young, she was very active in cycling and winter sports. She took part in local events and remembers seeing the “indistinguishable Red Bull arch.”
- “I remember starting my mountain bike races and [seeing] the cool-looking Red Bull DJ booth on top of a heavy-duty vehicle as I rolled in to finish my race,” Horvath told Morning Chalk Up. “The company has always been supporting sports and events that I was interested in, and seeing their documentaries on snowboarders and their never-before-seen projects online has made me excited.”
She continued: “I remember thinking to myself, ‘How cool would it be to be a part of this team one day?’”
Horvath went on to say that Red Bull has given her an opportunity to expand her pursuit of fitness with their Athlete Performance Center in Austria.
- “I have greater insight into all aspects of my training and recovery than ever before,” Horvath said.
She also shared her gratitude for the network they have provided for her as an athlete and that their products support her training and her lifestyle.
For Koski, Red Bull was one of his first sponsors and played a large role in his career over the last decade.
- “Being a younger athlete, it was, and it still is, a dream come true to work with one the coolest brands in the world,” Koski told Morning Chalk Up. “Red Bull as a functional beverage has worked extremely well, but Red Bull is more than just the product. Red Bull is constantly pushing the limits of what’s humanly possible with athletes, and that mindset speaks to me and my training/competitive goals perfectly.”
It’s Koski’s hope that in pushing the limits of human performance, he and others can inspire people to have a more active lifestyle and feel motivated to find their limits as well.
Ohlsen, a newcomer to the brand and a 10-time individual Games athlete, said he’s excited to see his partnership with Red Bull come to life.
- “That’s a relationship that we started over a decade ago, knowing that it would be well worth the wait. True to their slogan, ‘Red Bull gives you wiiings,’ the brand’s internal ethos reflects that by doing whatever they can to give wings to their athletes. That looks like supporting them in making whatever their wildest dreams come true!” Ohlsen told Morning Chalk Up.
He said his mission has evolved into competing at the highest level “while still living my happiest and healthiest life and encouraging others to do the same.”
- “This year will be the epitome of that as I explore new avenues of fitness and take on some of my biggest and most exciting adventures yet!” Ohlsen said.
The Bottom Line
The common thread between these athletes is not only that they share a love of Red Bull products but also that Red Bull’s values – a company whose mission is to elevate athletes’ pursuit of their dreams while seeking to inspire and motivate their community – align with theirs.
And, as the CrossFit community looks ahead to a 2025 season rife with changes and uncertainties, a multi-national, non-endemic brand taking an increased interest in competitive fitness should be viewed as a positive sign.
Featured image: Red Bull
