Acting on a late-night tip, Drew McMillan bounded up to the third floor of James Madison University's Rose Library and found a black filing cabinet with a homemade sign on top: "Test answers."

He pulled open a drawer, revealing not answers but dozens of cans of Red Bull, a finals-week gift from the energy company's promoters. He snapped a photo, posted it on Facebook, and tweeted, "Is this real life?"

Within minutes, McMillan's phone blew up with texts from friends wanting to know where the stash was. Soon, the library's tables and study rooms were dotted with Red Bull's slim trademark cans.