Unique Branding
Coca-Cola is the best-selling product globally and means ‘connection’ to many people. It is essential to consider that every marketing campaign by the company has included people sharing moments with a Coca-Cola bottle in hand. The company marketed its products as a form of connection to others, as with the alien around the campfire. Coca-Cola has developed targeted campaigns for young people and previously sold products cheaply to individuals in the army during World War II. It also sets aside money for marketing in varying areas to ensure it does not break any cultural norms. The organization discerns that local managers are better suited to developing marketing campaigns in the areas they live. Coca-Cola does not sell a drink but rather happiness in a bottle (Francois, 2022). Every marketing campaign involves coming together and having a good time. For instance, the company has an ad that involves young people singing around a campfire with a Coca-Cola bottle connecting them. The company does not stray from its basic and timeless ideals, which became evident after losing sales when it changed its soft drink formula.
Furthermore, the size and years of marketing promotions indicate that Coca-Cola is constant and conveys an efficient and reliable message. The organization continually uses this strategy around the world. It involves pleasure and enduring, an issue present in its World War II marketing campaign. Nonetheless, it is important to note that Coca-Cola means different things to varying people. The organization is marketed differently based on the local perception it provides. Individuals take the product for different reasons; its proximity to people worldwide makes it appeal to individuals for varying reasons. For instance, its use in 1886 entailed alleviating a headache (Kotler & Keller, 2015). In contemporary society, Coca-Cola has been used as a bonding mechanism and a way to quench thirst on a hot day. As such, people associate Coca-Cola with varying issues. It is also important to note the product’s varying culturally sensitive ads. For instance, its marketing campaign in the United States is different from China. It is prudent to assess the level of variance as its universal connotations of happiness and enjoying life remain rooted in its marketing campaigns.
Successful Marketing
It is primarily important to consider Coca-Cola’s success due to its unique taste and branding mechanism. Individuals associate the soft drink with connection, a consistent theme over the years in every marketing campaign. Additionally, its large budget and distribution network plays a crucial role in propagating its success worldwide. The company’s name is the second-most understood term after Okay, an impressive feat as it implies the brand is located in almost every country around the globe (Kotler & Keller, 2015). In this way, an individual can take Coca-Cola anywhere, resulting in brand loyalty. Its reliable nature ensures people access it wherever they go and do not have to sample other drinks unavailable in some locations. Furthermore, its largescale distribution network promotes its brand, as Coca-Cola can be used as a way to show people they are similar in some aspects (Kotler & Keller, 2015). While nations have differences, it is crucial to note that most of them have Coca-Cola, a product available even in remote areas around the globe.
Additionally, Coca-Cola illustrates a large following because of its signature taste. When it tried to deviate and introduce New Coke, it lost a significant market share as people associated its products with a specific taste. In this way, the organization differs from other soft drinks as people do not want change and continue to prefer its classic taste for more than one hundred years after its inception in the industry (Kotler & Keller, 2015). Coca-Cola also exhibits successful marketing by sponsoring some of the most iconic events in the world. It has continually supported the Olympics, driving its message deeper, as it supports unity, an aspect the sports promote. Individuals worldwide also follow this event keenly, further promoting Coca-Cola’s brand name, a factor that alienates its competitors. The company also markets its products brilliantly in shows such as American Idol, setting its signature cups center stage on the judges’ table (Kotler & Keller, 2015). This way, it gets a lot of focus as each participant requires judgment. This brilliant strategy ensures the organization’s brand name and logo remain etched in the viewer’s memory.
Surpassing Coca-Cola
It is crucial to note that while Coca-Cola is a dominant force in the soft drink industry, it faces significant competition from other businesses in contemporary markets. The company’s adherence to a particular product may harm Coca-Cola as individuals prefer healthy options over soft drinks. While an organization such as Pepsi is unlikely to surpass Coca-Cola, market entrants that sell healthy fruit juices may alter the market segment that Coca-Cola depends on, shifting its business model. Nonetheless, it is important to note that Coca-Cola adapts relatively fast and has a largescale distribution network that other companies cannot compete with (Çelik, 2017). It is prudent to develop varying alternatives to its products despite its soft drink eliciting a lot of success over the years. An organization such as Sony Eriksson experienced many problems with the introduction of smartphones. It lost a significant market share resulting in its fall, because it failed to note changing trends in consumer purchases. Despite selling Coke classics for more than a century, Coca-Cola should determine if it is time to change towards healthier options.
The company’s marketing strategy and extensive distribution network posit a positive connotation for Coca-Cola’s continued success. It does not require significant changes in its production as it has a large following and stable chain worldwide. While altering its product would lead to Coca-Cola entering a new domain, it could outcompete others in the soft drink industry through economies of scale (Burggraeve, 2019). Nonetheless, the organization would face significant threats from companies such as Pepsi as this would mean they would begin at almost the same time as global trends may push soft drink makers in this direction. It is also prudent to consider issues related to packaging, with plastic bottles posing a threat to the planet (Çelik, 2017). Coca-Cola markets itself as a way for people to connect and live good lives; maintaining this image requires addressing the possible large issue of switching from plastic to glass bottles to remain sustainable (Burggraeve, 2019). Compounding these issues showcases the business entity would require substantial changes in its operations to ensure it does not lose its market share and remains an industry giant. Nonetheless, Coca-Cola remains undefeated in developing its image; it is unlikely that some changes would result in Coca-Cola’s downfall.
References
Burggraeve, C. (2019). Marketing is finance is business: How CMO, CFO and CEO co-create iconic brands with sustainable pricing power in the galactic age. Gatekeeper Press.
Çelik, U. (2017). International marketing strategy of Coca-Cola company: the essence and objectives of international marketing. GRIN Verlag.
Francois. (2022). What can We learn from Coca-Cola’s global marketing success? Smartling. Web.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2015). Marketing management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.