Coca Cola Marketing Plan
Marketing Plan – Coca Cola
Introduction
One such company, which has remained a market leader despite heavy competition in the
industry, is the Coca-Cola Company. Established in late 19th century, it is the largest
company in based on producing, distributing and selling of non-alcoholic beverages
globally. The company operates in more than 200 countries and has developed more than
400 brands since its inception. Some of the famous brands sold by the company include
Coke, Sprite, and Stony among others. It is clear that the firm has successfully kept
competitors, such as Nestle, PepsiCo and others, at a bay because of various marketing
strategies employed by the company. This paper seeks to critically analyse and evaluate
Coca-Cola Company marketing plans, which have ultimately made it remain a market
leader in the non-alcoholic beverages industry.
Company Background
The Coca-Cola Company is the leading company as far as manufacturing, distributing, and
selling non-alcoholic beverages in the U.S. and other parts of the world are concerned. The
company was established in 1886, inAtlantaGeorgia by John Pemberton, who was a
pharmacist, and combined soda water, shrub weeds from Brazil, cinnamon and lime water.
These ingredients formed an original recipe of non-alcoholic beverages, which became the
most consumed across the globe. The recipe was later purchased by Asa Chandler in 1891
at a value of US$ 2300, thus, turning Coca-Cola into a globally renowned brand, as it is in
the present times. The Coca Cola Company manufactures and sells more than 400 brands
of products across the world, making it the leading company in terms of market shares,
which are at least 45%, and enjoys customers’ loyalty of approximately 90% as per 2010.
The Coca-Cola Company has branches in more than 200 countries and operates through
licensed independent distributors in these countries. This is an aspect that helps the
company critically segment its customers, resulting into high profitability levels. Despite
harsh economic times, which faced many companies across the world, the Coca-Cola
Company remained profitable throughout this period. This is because of its ability to
embrace new modern marketing strategies, such as the use of the social media, such as
Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, among other notable forms of modern marketing, namely
blogs and mini websites. Over the years, the company has been able to keep a reputable
philanthropic history ranging from constructing wildlife preserves in such places as
OssabawIsland to sponsoring the FIFA 2010 World Cup held in South Africa. These
aspects combined with innovation and inventions constitute a corporate culture that has
catapulted the Coca-Cola Company to be one of the best performing companies (Benson,
2010).
Vision
The company’s vision 2020 aims at creating sustainable long-term destinations for the
business through the provision of roadmaps for a win-win situation for the firm and all its
partners.
Mission Statement
The mission declares the purpose of the company. It also serves as a standard, against
which the Coca-Cola Company weighs its decisions and actions. The company has three
main mission statements, which are as follows:
1) Refreshing the world;
2) Creating value and making a difference;
3) Inspiring moments for happiness and optimism.
Vision
The vision of the company serves as a framework, which guides each area of the business
through describing what is required to accomplish sustainable quality growth in the short-
and long-run. This falls under “6Ps” policies indicated below:
1) People: the Company aims to be a great place to work, where people are fully
inspired, being the best they can.
2) Partners: the Coca-Cola Company has a strong winning network composed of
suppliers and customers. This way, they create enduring values and mutual responsibility.
3) Portfolio: the organization produces the best beverage brands across the world,
satisfying people’s needs and desires.
4) Productivity: its aim is to be lean, highly effective and a fast moving organization.
5) Profit: the company aims at maximizing long-term returns to shareholders, while
carefully being mindful of the firm’s overall responsibility.
6) Planet: it aims to be a responsible corporate, who makes a difference by helping in
supporting and building sustainable communities.
Value Statements
Winning Culture
The company winning culture defines a behaviour and attitude requiring the firm to make
the anticipated 2020 vision a reality.
Values
The values of the Coca-Cola Company serve as a compass for actions taken by the firm
and describe the way the company behaves across its various outlets located all over the
world. Some of the aspects evaluated based on corporate values include leadership,
collaboration, integrity, accountability, diversity, quality and passion by being committed
in the mind and heart.
Market Focus
The company focuses on the needs of customers, consumers, and franchise partners. To
achieve this, the firm listens, learns and observes what is happening in the market.
Moreover, it focuses on events happening each day in the market place. Being insatiably
curious has been greatly important for the Coca-Cola Company.
Working Smart
To be smart in the working environment, the company remains responsive to changes,
work efficient, and acts with urgency and courage of changing the course when required to
remain constructively discontented. It also uses some other policies aimed at working
smart and acting like owners.
Marketing Segmentation Undertaken by the Coca-Cola Company
It is important to note that the Coca-Cola Company fully understands various needs of its
customers globally. By doing this, the firm has been able to retain a high number of
customers, while still being able to get new customers despite stiff competition and
