BREAKING: Red Bull doesn’t actually give you wings — but thanks to a $13 million false advertising lawsuit settlement, it gives you cold, hard cash if you’ve had even a single Red Bull product between January 1, 2002 and October 3, 2014.
The lawsuit, filed by Benjamin Careathers of New York, alleged Red Bull exaggerates the athletic and energy-related benefits promised by its slogan, “Red Bull Gives You Wings.” No, Careathers didn’t actually think he would turn into Birdman overnight, but the suit stated that since he had started drinking Red Bull in 2002, he found the drink’s claims of improved concentration, reaction speed, stamina and other attributes typically promised by snake oil salesmen fell woefully short of reality.
For its part, Red Bull sent a statement to Bevnet denying Careathers’ claims but saying they felt protracted litigation would be more damaging to their brand than a swift settlement.
“Red Bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation. However, Red Bull maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate, and denies any and all wrongdoing or liability.”
So, what does this mean for you, the average Red Bull consumer? It means that by filing a claim through this website, you are eligible to receive either two free Red Bull products with retail value of approximately $15 or a check for $10. No proof of purchase is necessary, so if you’ve never tried Red Bull but are cool with lying on an official legal document, you’re good to go. But be warned: the more people that sign up, the smaller the rewards will be: Red Bull is only required to disburse $13 million in funds, so if even half the people who have tried Red Bull sign up, Red Bull will be cutting checks for 13 cents.
So be sure to sign up now, but DON’T TELL ANYONE.
