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Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

redbullstratos.com

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Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#31
post #18
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting, for sure. But the goal is to get you to drink more Red Bull. It's a very unique ad, but still an ad. For a sugary beverage people should probably actually be drinking less of, not more.

They're going to be spending money to sell their sugary beverage one way or another, but it's cool they're doing it in a way that will advance the state of science rather than just polluting the world with more billboard ads.

But, will it advance the state of science? Maybe if he actually goes to Mach 1 that could prove interesting but otherwise the "science" part of that whole thing makes me cringe.

For example they put the "edge of space" at 36km (it's actually usually considered to be at ~100km), there is no explanation for such gross errors except that they want to market the crap out of this.

Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#33
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting, for sure. But the goal is to get you to drink more Red Bull. It's a very unique ad, but still an ad. For a sugary beverage people should probably actually be drinking less of, not more.

You're right, it's an ad at the end of the day. But there are much worse (debatable) products that spend money on really shitty ad campaigns. So this isn't really bad. I personally respect Red Bull for having found a niche (crazy adventure sports of all sorts) and making possible whole careers in these amazing sports. At the end of the day, not a lot of people believe you NEED Red Bull to make this jump, but thousand…

I agree, but then I get worried that the same kids don't understand what sponsorship means, and that they'll assume that drinking Red Bull is what people like this do, and then they'll start up a very unhealthy and addictive habit (drinking lots of Red Bull). Which is pretty bad.

Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#34
post #13

All in the name of selling sugary sodas. Noble.

No. The sugary soda is what pays for this inspiring and informative break from the shit on the learning channel.

Don't forget, caffeinated soda

It is certainly a worthy project to be funded, with a significantly smaller moral compromise than in the case of tobacco companies.

Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#37
Could someone explain to me whether this is a marketing stunt and nothing more or whether there is some substance behind this? Put another way: Will any scientists or engineers (at least potentially) learn something interesting from this?

It's cool no matter what, but it would be even cooler if there were some substance behind it.

Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#38
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting, for sure. But the goal is to get you to drink more Red Bull. It's a very unique ad, but still an ad. For a sugary beverage people should probably actually be drinking less of, not more.

You're right, it's an ad at the end of the day. But there are much worse (debatable) products that spend money on really shitty ad campaigns. So this isn't really bad. I personally respect Red Bull for having found a niche (crazy adventure sports of all sorts) and making possible whole careers in these amazing sports. At the end of the day, not a lot of people believe you NEED Red Bull to make this jump, but thousand…

Actually, Red Bull is also investing in "serious" sport, with profit interests. Successfully so, as well:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/sep/26/red-bull-raci...

They also own a NASCAR, a football and an ice hockey team.

Re: Red Bull Stratos Skydive Rescheduled for today

#39
post #37

Could someone explain to me whether this is a marketing stunt and nothing more or whether there is some substance behind this? Put another way: Will any scientists or engineers (at least potentially) learn something interesting from this? It's cool no matter what, but it would be even cooler if there were some substance behind it.

There's this page on their website that should help you answer your question: http://www.redbullstratos.com/science/scientific-values/
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