The Power Of Brand Accessibility Coca Cola Marketing Essay

Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke or (in European and American countries) as cola, pop, or in some parts of the U.S. soda. Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman As a Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century.

The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee.

Brand development strategy of Coca Cola has been far reaching and has managed to remain in the limelight ever since it became a favorite with the non alcoholic drinkers.It has been noticed that brand loyalty is an important factor in maintaining the number one position. ounded in the year 1886, the Coca Cola company enjoys the status of being one of the biggest non alcoholic beverage companies of the world. It has a distribution system, which makes it unique from the rest of the non alcoholic beverage manufacturers. Over the years, Coca Cola has passed several tests of brand enhancement and the company makes it a point that the products under the banner Coca Colacontinue to invade the minds of the consumers.

The brand development strategy of Coca Cola comprised redesigning of its brand development policies and techniques to keep up with the changing mindset of its consumers. Earlier, this brand believed in the following: Afford ability, Availability, Acceptability, However, this brand development strategy of Coca Cola was re worked to stress on the following instead: Price value, Preference Pervasive penetration.The essence of brand building of the company lies in the fact that it wants its consumers accessibility to be “within an arm’s reach of desire. In an attempt to build its brand identity, as many as 20 brand attributes are tested every month involving as many as 4000 customers. The brand development strategy of Coca Cola is effective as it has been able to construct, manage As well as maintain its brand image. Another reason why this brand has gained unanimous acceptance all around the globe is due to the fact that it has been able to connect very well with its consumers. This implies brand loyalty. Brand loyalty has been instrumental

in keeping up the brand image of Coca Cola. It believes in shelling out the best so that the consumers are retained by default. A part of the brand building technique is also to enhance “purchase frequency. The company has also invested in various advertisement campaigns often engaging the services of celebrities around the globe. In addition to the consumers, there is another category of consumers, who increase the consumer base and they constitute the collectors of the brand. The collectors usually indulge in collecting old as well as upcoming logos of Coca Cola, bottles and literary matter.

With regard to the brand development of Coca Cola Zero, the company came out with an advertisement, which was quite different from the conventional ones. In this regard, (no calorie beverage), it has shelled out three types of

products.

·€ Coca Cola Classic

·€ Diet Coke

·€ Coca Cola Zero.

There are few experts who believe that when Coca Cola had the tag line of

“The Real Thing”, it was really that but with the invention of various

categories of coke, the “real thing” changes to “many things”, and the

original flavor is usually lost. Hence, the brand building strategies

should be such that it does not confuse people and is able to retain

consumers despite the fact that several new non alcoholic beverage

firms are on the anvil.

The Power of Brand Accessibility

If you were another soft drink company, you might define your competitive

frame of reference as the cola market or the soft drink market or even the

beverage market. But Coke thinks of its business and its market share in

terms of “share of human liquid consumption.” This makes water a

competitor. In fact, a Coke executive has said that he won’t be satisfied until

“there is a Coca-Cola faucet in every home.” Coca-Cola’s mantra is “within

an arm’s reach of desire.”

One Final Coca-Cola Fact

A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized

expression in the world after “ok?” is “Coca-Cola.”

Brand Equity-:

“The brand assets (or liabilities) linked to a brands name and symbol that

add from a service.”

Brand equity is difficult to measure because much of it depends on consumers’ perception

and opinions of a brand. When a product has high brand equity they are successful at

retaining their current customers by keeping them satisfied with the quality of products and

service. They are also successful at attracting new customers who have heard of the brand

through successful marketing or word of mouth.

Coca-Cola’s brand equity is difficult to measure because they have extended their brand to

include numerous products. In addition to the numerous of versions of Coca-Cola worldwide

that compete against other beverage brands, Coca-Cola competes with itself. Nationally

there are numerous versions / brands that are a part of the Coca-Cola family. Some of the

brands include Coca-Cola Classic, Dasani Water, Full Throttle, Fanta, and Soy Products. In

addition to competing against itself the Coca-Cola Company has saturated the market and

consumers who may dislike one product may actually enjoy a different Coca-Cola product.

However, the consumer may be unaware that the beverage is actually in the Coca-Cola

family. As a result measuring brand equity may be difficult as consumers may be loyal and

repeat customers of a brand and not know its origin.

Coca Cola was taking its core product, Coke, and expanding the product in new

form factors and new overseas markets. The brand promise stayed the same

whether it was sold in a Coke store in New York or a road side stand in Mongolia –

refreshment, good times, and pure Americana.

Despite the numerous brands and the difficulty in measuring brand equity it is evident that

Coca-Cola has high brand equity. They are a company who has been in business for many

years they have gained the business of consumers in the soda market as well as numerous

other beverage markets nationally and internationally. Their sales and growth show that

they are a successful company

Brand identity

the brand identity is the audio-visual ‘face’ of the brand – the cues that tell you that you are are in

the right place. The brand definition is the formal description of what the brand stands for within different

description categories – its personality, its values, its stories, its emotional benefits etc.. The brand

proposition is the ‘deal’ the brand is offering you at any given moment

the coca-cola comp.has long been recognised as an organisation with significant

brand equity with over four four hundread brands available in virtually every nook

and crany of the world .the flag ship brand of coca cola has stood the rest of the

time over 120 years. Infact coca-cola alone is recognized as the most valuable in

the world by the respected inter brand corportionvalued at above US $ 67 billion ,

the coca-cola brand (coke)has become effectively become a part of modern world

culture.though its advertising campaign has changed over the years,coca-cola “THE

REAL TASTE” has always stood for a”REAL” COLA DRINK with authenticity . the

identity has been build by an decade with consistent values and diferentiated

elements. Many competitors have aim at cokes but the brand continues to

command a number one position globaly in ranking of brand equity. After all If u

stand for the real thing every competitor is an imitator. the Coca-Cola bottle design

differentiated the identity, the easier it is to protect from infringement.

Just coca cols has remained to its time tested identity u have the equallly

relivant to you. This brand identity should reflect your own unique equity and care

essence this will ensure your brand creativity and identity that is meaning ful and

sustainable in long term.

Brand image-

“A unique set of associations in the mind of customers concerning what a

brand stands for and the implied promises the brand makes.”

There could be hardly any person around the world that hasn’t heard the

name Coca Cola. Ever since it beginning as world’s leading name in cold

drinks, Coca Cola has created a strong brand image irrespective of age, sex

and geographical locations. Millions of people around the world are

consuming cold drinks or soft drinks as part of their daily meal. Coca Cola,

ever since its inception has been the leader in soft drink market.

Brand image is the significant factor affecting Coke’s sale. Coca-Cola’s

brand name is very well known all over the world. Packaging changes have

also affected sales and industry positioning, but in general, the public has

tended not to be affected by new products. Coca-Cola’s bottling system also

allows the company to take advantage of infinite growth opportunities

around the world. This strategy gives Coke the opportunity to service a large

geographic, diverse, area.

Brand loyalty

Brand loyalty is a central construct to marketing. Keeping the consumer

satisfied, and loyal enough to frequently purchase just one brand, is more

difficult in today’s marketplace than ever before. But today, major brands

are experiencing heightened brand loyalty due to the growing popularity of

the brand as a collectible.

A recent Coca-Cola annual report reported that the second most recognized

expression in the world after “ok?” is “Coca-Cola.”

Brand personality:-

Brand Personality identity is understood as the set of human characteristics

associated with a brand. The brand image building strategy implies the

definition of a brand personality and a user personality.

Have you ever thought about your personal brand?

Brand personalities that

1) Are well-known,

2) offer something different to the world than they do in terms of products

and services

‘Coca-Cola’s’ brand personality reflects the positioning of its brand. The

process of positioning a brand or product is a complex managerial task and

must be done over time using all the elements of the marketing mix.

Positioning is in the mind of the consumer and can be described as how the

product is considered by that consumer. When researching the positioning of

a product, consumers are often asked how they would describe that product

if it were a person. The purpose of this is to develop a character statement.

This can ensure that consumers have a clear view of the brand values that

make up the brand personality, just like the values and beliefs that make up

a person. Many people see ‘Coca-Cola’ as a part of their daily life. This

similarity between the brand and the consumer leads to a high degree of

loyalty and makes the purchasing decision easier

Brand Positioning:-

The location of a brand in relation to its competitors in some pre-defined

space. The space may be defined by criteria used by consumers, such as

“value for money” or “age of consumer” etc.”

5 main factors that go into defining a brand position.

1. Brand Attributes

What the brand delivers through features and benefits to consumers.

2. Consumer Expectations

What consumers expect to receive from the brand.

3. Competitor attributes

What the other brands in the market offer through features and benefits to

consumers.

4. Price

An easily quantifiable factor – Your prices vs. your competitors’ prices.

5. Consumer perceptions

The perceived quality and value of your brand in consumer’s minds (i.e.,

does your brand offer the cheap solution, the good value for the money

solution, the high-end, high-price tag solution, etc.?)

The Coca-Cola Company produce a range of beverages suited to different

ages, stages, lifestyles and occasions. This includes soft drinks, diet drinks,

juices and juice drinks, waters, energy drinks, sports drinks and cordials.

As part of a healthy, varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle, all

products can be enjoyed by the majority of people.

It is committed to helping customers select the product that is best suited to

their needs through the provision of detailed product information supported

by general advice on healthy eating, drinking and lifestyles.

It understands that balancing energy intake with energy output is key to a

healthy body weight. We therefore provide choice through range of low or

no-kilojoule products that are ideally suited to the needs of people who wish

to reduce energy intake through beverage selection.

Such products are readily available at a similar cost to an equivalent higher

energy product.

As one of the largest producers and marketers of non-alcoholic beverages we

promote physical activity through our active lifestyles programme and

sponsorship of sport.

Through new product development we will continue to release a range of

new types of drinks, including low or no kilojoule products as we look at ways

in which to cater to those people who wish to reduce energy intake through

selection of lower energy beverages.

Children and the role of our beverages

Coca cola respect and support the primary role that parents play in decisions

affecting the lives of young children, including choices about diet and

lifestyle. Beverage choice, like food selection, is a role for parents and we

assist them in this through the provision of nutrition information and by

making available a wide range of products suitable for all ages, stages and

occasions.

Coca-Cola’s longstanding global policy ensures we do not directly market our

products to children under the age of twelve. Our brands are not advertised

during children’s television times and we do not show children under 12 in

advertising or promotional materials drinking our products outside of the

presence of an adult. Our sampling events are directed to people over the

age of 12.

In the small number of schools where we provide vending machines we work

with the school to provide a range of beverages, and ensure that lower

energy products are priced attractively and the packaging is in a single serve

size. Guidelines have been established to oversee the manner in which we

work with schools and their tuck shops.

It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free alternatives at a

similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Retailers offering ‘specials’

are encouraged to include both the regular and diet versions of our soft

drinks.

Through new product development it aim to develop more products that

meet the unique needs of children and will work with nutrition experts as we

do this.

For healthy active and growing children, beverages higher in energy can be

enjoyed as part of a balanced and varied diet. However, we also provide a

range of low or no-kilojoule products also suitable for children.

Supporting sport and physical activity

Globally, The Coca-Cola Company has a long history of supporting sport and

activity. have been a major Olympic Games sponsor since 1928 and also

sponsor major international sporting events. Coca-Cola has been an All Black

sponsor for the past decade and has also supported provincial netball and

rugby.

At a grassroots level, Coca-Cola has formed a partnership with the National

Association of OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreation) to develop and

implement a national physical activity programme available to 75,000 young

New Zealanders. In South Auckland, the Get Moving programme is working

to encourage children to participate in local sports and recreation courses.

The Pump water brand is now a major sponsor of the Heart Foundation’s

Jump Rope for Heart programme that runs in schools across New Zealand

and through the Powerade sports drink brand, we support numerous sporting

events around the country.

Labelling

All products of The Coca-Cola Company provide clear nutrition information in

compliance with international regulations.

Packaging

Coca-Cola is committed to strict environmental guidelines, and to ensuring

our packaging has as little impact as possible on the environment. To this

end, a recycling project was introduced in New Zealand during 2001 which

ensures our PET bottles contain an average of 10% recycled material.

Information Programmes

Coca cola’s consumer contact centre provides around the clock access to

information about the companies.

Pricing

It is company practice to sell diet drinks and sugar-free soft drink

alternatives at a similar price to regular carbonated soft drinks. Similarly, any

competitions or promotions of Coca-Cola can be entered by our consumers

who purchase diet Coke. Although at the discretion of retailers, special offers

and reduced prices on soft drinks are usually available for both the regular

and diet versions of our soft drinks

Brand extension :-

Brand extension or brand stretching is a marketing strategy in which a firm

marketing a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name

in a different product category. Organizations use this strategy to increase

and leverage brand equity (definition: the net worth and long-term

sustainability just from the renowned name)

Conclusion:-

The progress and advancement in the field of technology in the fields of soft

drink raw material, production, manufacturing, information and

communication technology and logistics have great positive impacts on the

operations and sales of Coca-Cola. The availability of new soft drink

ingredients enables Coca-Cola to introduce new variety of its products to its

existing consumers, not forgetting to attract the new consumer groups. The

use of the latest information technology has made able the company to

attract the new generation of soft drink consumers with the latest features of

song downloading. Also the existence of company website has enabled the

world to be in touch with the latest progress, promotions