Details of the environment in which the Coca-Cola Company operates; areas of competition both direct and indirect; and a SWOT and PEST analysis.
S.W.O.T. Analysis
It stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. I will carry an analysis of each separately in response to the question;
Strength
The company has built its brand in the country and the world. It is the largest soft drink company in the world. Thus, it is starting everything on a high note. This is an advantage that it has over other competitors. Much may not be required as far as creating awareness is concerned.
Weakness
Since the company has built a name, there are high chances that the marketing department won’t be as aggressive as those companies without a strong brand name. This may make the customers be persuaded to the loss of the company.
Opportunities
The Olympics is a good opportunity to make huge profits as well strengthening our brand name.
Threats
Currently, there is an influx of fresh fruits squeeze juice of different flavors that is considered more beneficial to health than sodas. There are also numerous water brands in the market (King, Alan, 2010).
P.E.S.T.L.E. analysis
P.E.S.T.L.E. stands for political, economic, social, legal, and environmental. To respond to this question I will analyze the above each at a time;
Political
England has a monarchy kind of government, but the monarch is ceremonial, the current monarch is Queen Elizabeth the second. The parliament is headed by a prime minister appointed by the people. The political environment supports sports and thus participation is almost guaranteed.
Economical
In the past decade, the economy of England has been on a positive economic growth rate. The living standards of the people are on a rise. There is a demand for recreational facilities and events; Olympics come a one.
Social
The attitude that the English people have adopted is the attitude that welcomes visitors. They cheer for every participant but as expected they will support their team more.
Technological
England is one of the technologically developed countries in the world. The technology will be of great assistance to the advertising methods to adopt as well as the distribution channels to use.
Legal
The current legislation in the country recognizes that the country is hosting the Olympics and so has opened avenues for national and international businesses to use in their work during the period.
Environmental
The country values its environment and the world environment in general. In the case of the Olympics, the government has contracted private companies to clean up the environment, although the tender winners will have to compensate it in a way (King, Alan, 2010).
How the organization will conduct the segmentation, targeting, and positioning in this market and what the outcome of this process will be; how the market may be segmented; suitable target market(s); a positioning concept; and a description, utilizing the Marketing Mix, on how this will be achieved.
Coca-Cola is a multinational company that is well known in the market; however, since we are aiming at a one-time market at this time the method that we should adopt is the consumer behavior model. Under this method focus is on the “brand royals”. Since the company has the advantage of being internationally recognized, our task will be associating the brands to the celebrities that are more likely to attend the games. The company has been in the market for a long and thus the posters should have old models and celebrities. Persuasion statements should be put on the adverts for example, “Hussein Bolt won 100metre race, 200metre race, 400metres and relaxed with a cold coke”. This way, we will be able to grab the attention of many.
Our targets are the participants and the fans. Here the advertisement should be flamed in such a way that the fan feels that they are connected with the participants in the games. The language used should be that that recognizes the support of a fan an example “I support 2012 Olympics; I take my drink Coke”. This can be printed on promotional products like T-shirts that are freely distributed (appendix 4). Another form that can be put on posters all around the town is “lets the Olympics make us happy, let Coca-cola make the town red, let me relax with a bottle of Fanta.” The above should be on a Coca-cola background.
The above strategy aims to create a sense of belonging to the target customer. When this is attained, psychologically, the potential customer is persuaded to believe that he, the Olympics and Coca-cola company are in a partnership, there is a sense of belonging, and this is the first step market positioning (Barter Publishing, 2006)
An advertising campaign, detailing creative and media strategy, through which support is provided for celebrity endorsement; an advertising plan; and inter and intra media decisions utilizing a suitable chart.
The advertising campaigns should be made to fit the target market. The advertising campaign should be tailored to cover the following
- The adverts are placed on the most likely places that the target market is likely to be at any one time, for example, they are expected to spend on tourist hotels, at the gate of the hotel, a poster should be put that gives a connection of the soft drink and the customer; “Welcome to the coke side of life, where security is guaranteed as you relax” (appendix 2)
- There are the transporting companies that will be used, a contract with them should be put in place so that the company is allowed to paint the cabs with its known color and a persuasive message put, for example, “the Coca-cola company wishes you a save journey”
- The electronic signboards are other areas of advertising since they have the advantage of being formatted to bring different issues, the issues bring are the replays of the last Olympic Games. The moment that was most cheered, for example, the last rap in a long-distance race, then the winner is seen celebrating with a bottle of one of the products, then a message can follow that says “we made winners, we are making them again ; Coca-cola the official sponsor of Olympics 2012”. Another angle that the billboards can be used is by say a hundred-meter race, then the last person along the way snatches a bottle of Coke after taking it, he realizes that his colleagues are about to finish, however, he drops the bottle and runs past the competitors. The message to follow thereafter is “ We give you energy that make you a winner” (appendix 3)
- T-shit advertisement; T-shirts should be produced that pass a message to the consumer for example at the back of a T-shirt written “I am proud to be associated with Coca cola, the official Olympic 2012 sponsor” (see appendix 1) (Olympic.Official website of the Olympic Movement January 03 2010)
References List
Barter Publishing (2006) Product Placement Advertising Ideas. Data Notes.
King, Alan (2007) The Importance of Outdoor Signs. Web.
Olympic.org Official website of the Olympic Movement (2010). Web.
Appendices
One
Two
Coca-cola sets the mood……………
Sport belongs to everyone
Olympic day spreads Olympic values worldwide.
Three
Peace through sport
Forging friendships among athletes Coca Cola
Olympic Movement promotes peace worldwide.
Four
Coca- Cola, Coca- Cola, Time has proved us the best Coca -Cola, Coca-Cola
Nadia Comaneci’s perfect 10
At the Montreal 1976 Games, 14-year-old gymnast Comaneci caused a sensation when her performance on the uneven bars achieved the first-ever perfect score of 10.0. Become a fan Join her on the coke side of life. Coca-cola.