The Coca-Cola Company produced and manufactured a carbonated soft drink as a regular beverage namely Coca-Cola or Coke. It was invented by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 19th century. The beverage originally marketed as an abstention drink planned to be as a patent medicine. The rights of company were sold to a businessman named Asa Griggs Candler in 1888, leading the brand to rule over the world in 20th and 21st century.
The drink’s name cite to two of its indigenous ingredients: coca leaves and kola nuts. The latest recipe of Coca-Cola remains a closely unrevealed trade secret; however, a variety of reported recipes and experimental restoration have been issued. The stealth around the formula has been used by The Company in its marketing as only a handful of unidentified employees know the formula. The drink has influenced followers and created a whole categorization of soft drink: colas.
The Coca-Cola Company has on instance introduced other cola drinks under the Coke name. The most familiar of these is Diet Coke, along with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special versions with lemon, lime, and coffee. The Company was called Coca-Cola Classic from July 1985 to 2009, to pick out it from “New Coke”.
This blog is a comprehensive examination of Coca-Cola marketing techniques, including their target market, social media strategy, marketing mix, digital marketing presence, campaigns, and marketing activities throughout the ongoing pandemic.
About the Beverage:
The Coca-Cola Company manufactures concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers all over the globe. The bottlers, who hold sole territory contracts with the company, process the concentrate with filtered water and sweeteners. Then the finalized product is filled in cans and bottles. A distinctive 12-US-fluid-ounce can contains 38 grams of sugar generally in the form of high-fructose corn syrup in North America. The bottlers then vend, dispense, and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores, restaurants, and vending machines throughout the world. The Company also vends concentrate for soda fountains of major restaurants and foodservice suppliers.
The founder of The Company Candler set forth to blend a second company, the Coca-Cola Company. When Candler had the expeditious reputation of the “Coca-Cola Company” devasted in 1910, the action was affirmed to have been made during a move to new corporation offices around this time. After the sudden demise of John Pemberton (Co-Founder of Coca-Cola) in 1888, Candler decided to move forward and took the entire hold on Company.
Next, Asa Candler became the sole proprietor of The Company, which was officially stated on letterheads, invoice blanks and advertising copy. 1919, Coca-Cola Co. was purchased by a group of investors led by Ernest Woodruff’s Trust Company for $25 million with 50,000 shares, $40 each share. Further, in 1986, the Coca-Cola Company merged with two of their bottling operators to form The Company Enterprises Inc. (CCE). Later, in December 1991, Coca-Cola Enterprises merged with the Johnston Coca-Cola Bottling Group, Inc.
Market Studies:
A Marketing Strategy comprise of many segments, which are connected and correlate with each other and merge a company’s marketing goals. Coca-Cola is a prime example for successful Marketing building up a brand that is known and loved all over the globe. The basis of a strong Marketing Strategy comprises of a strong and proper analysis researching all relevant and important factors.
Coca-Cola’s advertising has remarkably affected American culture, and it is often attributed with innovating the modern exciting image of Santa Claus as an old man in a red-and-white suit with all white beard. Although the organisation did start using the red-and-white Santa image in the 1930s, with its winter advertising campaigns illustrated by Haddon Sundblom, the motif was already common. The Company was not even the first soft drink company to use the modern image of Santa Claus in its advertising.
Digital Marketing
Though social media was not more popular among the globe advertisements through televisions and radios was basic in those years. Factors in digital marketing and promoting particular business on digital platform comprises of digital logo and design of the product, advertisements, etc. To make it more attractive and eligible logo and design of product plays an important role in marketing factor. The Coca-Cola logo was combinedly created by John Pemberton’s bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885. Robinson came up with the name and chose the logo’s unique cursive script. Robinson also played a notable role in early advertising.
The significant year 1941, saw the first use of the nickname “Coke” as an official trademark for the product, with a series of advertisements informing consumers that “Coke means Coca-Cola”. In 1971, a song from a Coca-Cola commercial called “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, produced by Billy Davis, became a hit single.
Campaigns held by the Company:
Once a brand is settled in market capturing the eyes of people promotional activities of the company gets boost to create a brand with number of likings and zero conspiracy. Although its efforts put forth by the company’s innovative ideas about marketing strategies to increase the sale. The Company played a good point game over making the brand not only a beverage liked by people but turning it into emotion among all of us.
The company held many campaigns turning the brand into common to world famous with in years. The campaigns comprised of various factors pointing out the daily needs into best market strategy. Sponsorships and rewards were the start of the campaigns turning the idea into supper successful plan leading increase in sales within less time.
Sports Sponsorship
Since 1928 Coca-Cola was the solely first commercial sponsor of Olympic Games held in Amsterdam and sponsored the Olympics till date. This corporate sponsorship included the 1996 Summer Olympics hosted in Atlanta, which allowed Coca-ColaThe Company to illuminate its hometown. Most recently, Coca-Cola has released localized commercials for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Between 1992 and 1998, The Company was the title sponsor of the Football League Cup the secondary cup tournament of England. Between 1994 and 1997, Coca-Cola was also the title sponsor of the Scottish League Cup, renaming it to the Coca-Cola Cup like its English counterpart. From 1998 to 2001, the company was the title sponsor of the Irish League Cup in Northern Ireland, where it was named the Coca-Cola League Cup.The Company is the presenting sponsor of the Tour Championship, the final event of the PGA Tour held each year at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, GA
Holiday Campaigns
Throughout the years, The Company has released limited-time collector bottles for Christmas.
The “Holidays are coming!” advertisement features a train of red delivery trucks, embellished with the Coca-Cola name and adorned with Christmas lights, driving through a snowy scenery and causing everything that they pass to light up and people to watch as they pass through.
The advertisement fell into disuse in the year 2001, as the Company restructured its advertising campaigns with innovative ideas so that advertising around the world was produced locally in each country, rather than centrally in the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
In Mass Media
Coca-Cola has been prominently highlighted in many films and television programs. It was a major site element in films such as One, Two, Three, The Coca-Cola Kid, and The Gods Must Be Crazy, among many others. In music, such as in the Beatles’ song, “Come Together”, the lyrics say, “He shoot Coca-Cola”. The Beach Boys also referenced The Company in their 1964 song “All Summer Long”, etc.
The bestselling solo artist of all timeElvis Presley, promoted Coca-Cola during his last tour of 1977. The Company used Presley’s image to promote the product. For example, the company used a song performed by Presley, A Little Less Conversation, in a Japanese commercial. Political cartoonist Michel Kichka satirized a famous Coca-Cola billboard in his 1982 poster “And I Love New York.” On the billboard,The Company wave is accompanied by the words “Enjoy Coke.” In Kichka’s poster, the lettering and script above the Coca-Cola wave instead read “Enjoy Cocaine.”
Consequences of the COVID-19 Scenario:
The Company being a world-famous brand needed to take the sole responsibility to cooperate the worldly situation. They did the needful in preference of their employees as well as customers all over the world. With the safety measures being a globally popular company, they also initiated digital campaigns spreading awareness among the mankind all over the globe.
With all the other initiatives The Company also provided 55 million to support Covid -19 relief effort around the world. The Coca-Cola Foundation is providing additional funding and grants to communities and organizations in response to Coronavirus till date. Below mentioned are some of the grants passed by the organisation in kind support of mankind.
- 100 Cares – COVID-19 Relief – This grant provides COVID-19 hygiene kits and meals to 3,000 unsheltered residents in Oakland, California.
- Bringing Food to Forgotten Populations – This grant provides emergency food assistance to vulnerable populations in Puerto Rico that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project assists low income and food insecure communities by providing individuals with a two-week supply of food twice per month for three months.
As a consequence of lockdown, the company also faced loss on a huge amount. The factories were closed until the scenario was under control and was in full support to the governments all over the globe. Maintaining the protocols, the company started to rise once again in 2021.
Conclusion:
In summary, The Company is the market leader because of its dominant worldwide presence and leadership. Because of its inviting environment, and unrivaled service, a customer’s experience at a beverage is undoubtedly unlike any other soft drinks. Their welcoming “perfect soft drink associated atmosphere” should be a long-term competitive advantage. The company’s retail outlets and on-site collaborations have earned higher response rates, putting them in front of the pack in the mature business. As a result of its all-encompassing marketing approach, Coca-Cola enjoys a strong market position since last 3 century’s now and yet counting.
