MKT701 Marketing Management

An Analysis On
Marketing Issue of Research &
Trends
for
"The Coca-Cola Company"

Group Action Learning Project - 1

Group 4

Prepared by:

 Chandran Krishnan
 Kumaresan N. Malayandi
 Daina Suni Md Suhaimi
 Nanthakumar Arumugam
Introduction

Coca-Cola, the world's best-known soft drink, was founded by John S. Pemberton in Atlanta,
Georgia, on May 8, 1886. (coca-cola.com). Coca-Cola is the world's top maker, marketer,
and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. It sells concentrates and
syrups to bottlers, canners, distributors, fountain merchants, and wholesalers. The company
sells bottled and canned soft drinks, concentrate syrups, and powdered beverages. Sports
drinks, tea, and coffee are also sold.

In the 1920s, Coca-Cola began expanding globally. Coca-Cola has applied a basic concept
worldwide: "Provide a moment of refreshment for a tiny amount of money- a billion times a
day." Coca-Cola and its bottlers have the world's most sophisticated production and
distribution system. This system is dedicated to hard-working employees that sell Company
items. This global approach has produced Coca-Cola, the world's leading soft-drink
company. Coca-Cola has delighted thirsty consumers from Boston to Beijing, Montreal to
Moscow.

Coca-Cola has given hundreds of millions of people a daily delight for 115 years. The
company wants to boost shareholder value. Working with its business partners, it delivers
satisfaction and value to consumers through a worldwide system of excellent products and
services, increasing global brand equity. They aspire to fulfill business goals and objectives
by operating their business well with individuals devoted to the company's principles and
culture. The company's employees are responsible for ensuring policy compliance,
protecting assets, and limiting business hazards.

Mission Statement
"To refresh the world... To inspire moments of optimism and happiness... To create value and
make a difference."
Marketing Strategy
 Target Audience

Coca-Cola's market segmentation focuses on four elements: psychographic, demographic,

geographic, and behavioral. Coke is a household name because it appeals to everyone. Its success
can be attributed to intelligent market segmentation. Clientele ages 10 to 35 are the focus of the
business. They use famous people in their commercials to attract clients and promote their products
in educational institutions—people in their mid-30s and up who are watching their weight or have
diabetes drink diet coke. Packaging and sizes are designed with students, middle-class, and low-
income families in mind.

 Marketing Channels

Coca-Cola uses TV advertisements, sponsorships (American Idol, NASCAR, Olympic Games, and many
Olympic Games), celebrity endorsements, product marketing, brand marketing, and more. Coca-Cola
marketing emphasizes a lifestyle promise above a product is obvious in the brand's slogans, such as
"Coke is it," "Taste the emotion," "The real thing," and the new 2021 slogan, "Real Magic." The 2022
Coca-Cola ad, "The Conductor – A Kind of Magic," has a collection of musicians playing the Coke
jingle, promoting unity and feeling "in sync." Coca-Cola localizes its strong brand messaging to
specific geographies and audiences. A recent Coke India ad explores a new method to cheer for their
side at a cricket match, concentrating on unity, cooperation, and fun.

 Market research

Market research provides information on customers, rivals, and the market environment. This data
is utilized to design new items, create promotional efforts, set prices, and pick retailers. Customer-
Consumer patterns can predict future wants and preferences. Customers can say what they like,
such as coke flavors, packaging, etc. E-marketing helps them identify customer wants. Competitors-
Product, pricing, distribution, and promotion rivals. Profit and financial condition, likely reaction to
competition (how they'll react if a competitor increases advertising). Coca-Cola also uses focus
groups and interviews for its marketing research. Coca-Cola Spent $4.24bn for Advertising in 2019
and approximately $20bn in the Last 5 Years."

 Marketing Mix

Products include carbonated and non-carbonated liquids like water, tea, coffee, and sports drinks.
The company's beverage portfolio includes Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Minute Maid juices,
POWERADE sports drinks, and Dasani waters. Price, Coca-Cola is a premium product; hence, the
corporation need not compete on price. The company has maintained its prices well for many years.
Promotion, Coca-Cola spends around $3 billion annually on marketing and advertising. "Open bliss"
is the global advertising slogan for the corporation. Advertising
campaigns on this theme include the "Coca-Cola Happiness Machine"
and the "Happiness Truck". "The pause that refreshes" and "I'd like to
buy the world a Coke" is legendary marketing campaigns. Coca-Cola is
trying to stay relevant in a health-conscious world. Coca-Cola Life, a
lower-calorie variant, was released in 2015. "Share a Coke" replaced the classic logo on cans and
bottles with names in 2013. Coca-Cola launched similar commercials in over 80 countries after this
success. Place, Coca-cola's spread is wide—North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Pacific,
and Eurasia. Coca-reverse Cola's supply chain collects glass bottles for reuse which saves money and
resources.
Effectiveness of Coca-cola marketing strategies;

Coca-Cola is a global brand with a long history of successful marketing campaigns. Over the years,
the company has developed a range of marketing strategies that have helped to build and maintain
its global presence and reputation.

One key element of Coca-Cola's marketing strategies is iconic branding and logos. The company's red
and white color scheme and distinctive cursive logo are instantly recognizable worldwide and have
become synonymous with the brand. If you're like 94% of the world's population, you probably
recognize Coca-Cola based on the logo alone (even without the iconic swooping brand name). This
instant brand recognition is representative of Coca-Cola's massive influence on our cultural zeitgeist
and shows that the brand, which has been growing its reputation for over a century, has done so
successfully. This strong branding has helped create a sense of consistency and familiarity for
consumers, contributing to the brand's success.

Coca-Cola has also used celebrity endorsements as part of its marketing efforts. The company has
worked with many celebrities, including musicians, actors, and sports stars, to promote its products.
The company has created iconic ad campaigns, such as the "Hilltop" commercial and the "Share a
Coke" campaign, which has resonated with consumers and helped build brand awareness. It has
helped create a sense of aspirational, glamorous, and fun associations with the brand, which has
particularly attracted younger consumers. Coca-Cola has sponsored numerous sporting events, such
as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, to reach a large and engaged audience. This strategy
has effectively promoted the brand and generated positive associations with sports and athleticism.

In addition to traditional advertising channels such as television and print, Coca-Cola has used digital
media as part of its marketing efforts. The company has a strong presence on social media, with a
large following on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram which allows the company to
engage directly with consumers and build a sense of community around the brand. Coca-Cola has
also used product placement as a marketing strategy, placing its products in popular movies,
television shows, and other media. This strategy helps associate the brand with popular culture and
can effectively reach a broad audience.

Overall, Coca-Cola has effectively used various marketing strategies to promote its products and
build brand loyalty among consumers. The company's iconic branding, extensive advertising
campaigns, sponsorship of sporting events, product placement, and use of social media have all
contributed to its success.
References
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