Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign

FIGURE 1 Strengths Company valuation – One of the most valuable companies in the world is Coca-Cola, valued at around 79.2 billion dollars (Hitesh Bhasin, 2017). Vast global presence – Coca cola is present in 200 countries across the world (Coca-Cola Company, 2016). Customer Loyalty – Due to their name being widely recognised and having such a strong product range, it is expected that Coca-Cola has a lot of customer loyalty.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
It is almost impossible to visit a Supermarket or Newsagent in the world that isn’t bombarded by an
aray of Coca-Cola products. For over 130 years now, Coca-Cola has stood as one of the worlds
leading non-alcoholic beverage corporations (J. Staff, 2016). Founded by pharmicist John Pemberton
who progressed from humble begginings of selling nine servings of Coke a day, to the present where
that number has rocketed to 1.9 billion servings (The Telegraph, 2017). Hence, it comes as no
surprise that the red and white Coca-Cola logo is recognised universally by 94% of the world’s
population (Coca-Cola Company, 2016).
FIGURE 1
Strengths
Company valuation – One of the most valuable
companies in the world is Coca-Cola, valued at
around 79.2 billion dollars (Hitesh Bhasin, 2017).
Vast global presence – Coca cola is present in
200 countries across the world (Coca-Cola
Company, 2016).
Distribution network – Coca-Cola has a very
large distribution network as the demand for its
products is vast.
Largest market share – There are only 2 Big
competitors in the beverage segment – Pepsi and
Coca-Cola. Out of these two, Coca-Cola has the
largest market share.
Customer Loyalty – Due to their name being
widely recognised and having such a strong
product range, it is expected that Coca-Cola has a
lot of customer loyalty.
Marketing strategies – Coca-Cola tends to focus
more on winning over the hearts of their
costumers unlike Pepsi who focus more on
staying on trend. Coca-Cola maintains a steady
demographic with people of all ages whereas
Pepsi’s target is frequently changing, and is
mostly targeted towards millennials.
Weaknesses
Competition with Pepsi – Coca-Cola’s major
competitor is Pepsi. The competition between
these two soft drink brands is very intense as
they race to become the clear market leader.
Absence in health beverages – There has been
an increasing concern for obesity and diabetes
associated with soft drinks. Carbonated
beverages are responsible for a considerable
amount of fat intake. Coca-Cola have received a
lot of pressure to provide healthier alternatives
but haven’t yet addressed or found a healthier
solution.
Opportunities
Diversification – by creating new products or
diversifying their current offerings Coca-Cola
could improve the range of offerings to their
customers. They could begin by targeting
products in areas that haven’t been developed by
Pepsi, such as in the health food sector. This way
they branch out from soft drinks.
Developing nations – Although Coca-Cola already
has a significant presence across the globe, there
is still potential to increase their opportunities in
Threats
Raw material sourcing – Coca-Cola has been
suspected of using pesticides in their water or
using an excessive amount of water. However,
factors such as climate change mean that water
is also becoming increasingly scarce.
Considering Coca-Cola requires a considerably
quantity of water to maintain their soft drink
empire, they could be in trouble.
Should water be restricted or regulated, Coca-
Cola could experience a major downfall in their
revenue and capacity of distribution. However,

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
developing countries. Coca-Cola could place
more emphasis on developing countries with
humid temperatures as these countries are still
being introduced to the delight of carbonated
drinks and soft drinks, they will embrace Coca-
Cola’s products in a way developed countries,
may not.
this will also apply to their rivals, Pepsi
(Randeep Ramesh, 2014).
Indirect competitors – There is a rise in the
demand for smoothies, healthy tonics, and
coffee chains like Starbucks, Costa coffee.
Despite not being a direct competitor, products
like these challenge the livelihood of
carbonated drinks within the beverage market,
as consumers are turning to healthier
alternatives with less sugar.
From looking at this comprehensive SWOT analysis, we can deduct several key qualities about Coca-
Cola. Ranging from their longtime opposition with Pepsi and recent competition with alternative
beverage markets to having a dominating market share and global presence, yet facing ridicule
about the healthyness of their products. Most notebly however, is the Marketing Strategies put
forth by Coca-Cola. Whilst this may have been concluded as a strength in the SWOT analysis, this
positioning can be scrutinised using one of Coca-Cola’s largest marketing stunts, the 2016 ‘A Coke for
Christmas’ campaign.
“Following a very successful campaign, we’ll continue the momentum with our biggest Christmas
campaign in five years. Taking some firm fan favourites like the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour and
combining with social media and live video, keeps the campaign fresh and bang up to date.”
- Aedamar Howlett, Marketing Director for Coca-Cola UK, (Tony Connelly, 2016).
As emphasised in the statement above, the Marketing team at Coca-Cola UK were persistent to
expand their capabilities and gain further recognition with their 2016 Christmas campaign.
The primary method used by Coca-Cola to achieve such marketing success stems from the notion of
Emotional Branding. “Successful companies sell through emotions and connect with their audience
on an emotional level which creates a strong bond” (Dave Meier, 2016). Since the launch of their
first winter advertisement in 1920, Coca-Cola has been responsible for igniting the festive cheer
country-wide. For many it is even the brand that comes to mind when getting into the holiday spirit
and has become as much a part of the festivities as decorating the Christmas tree or cooking
Christmas dinner. Thus, it is understandable that Coca-Cola’s consumers have developed an
emotional attachment to the campaign.
Nevertheless, Coca-Cola’s dependence on Emotional Branding to gain consumer loyalty, eventually
backfired during their 2016 Campaign. Consumers became too attached and emotionally involved in
the traditional features of the ‘Holidays Are Coming’ commercial. Whilst the advert has not changed
significantly over the years, it seems that people were quick to notice a minute but specific detail
missing. “It used to feature an animated Santa - the same one who has featured in Coke ads for
decades - winking at a sad little boy from the back of a truck,” (Olivia Waring, 2016).

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
This level of sensitivity attached to the marketing campaign, as is evident in the tweets above,
subsequently inhibits Coca-Cola’s ability to evolve their marketing content and exhibit progression.
Coca-Cola’s use of Emotional Branding in their 2016 Christmas campaign also correlates with the
Experiential Marketing methodology. The premise behind Experiential Marketing centres on the
multi-sensorial features of consumption, and the hedonic needs causing consumer behaviour.
Theorists of this approach such as the founders Holbrook & Hirschman (1982), stray away from
conventional thinking of the consumer as a problem solver, who plainly seeks to capitalise from the
benefits of their consciously thought out and rational decisions. Instead, they take a more modern
approach which sees the consumer as an ‘Experience Seeker’. Expert David Moth, effortlessly sums
up the process of Experiential Marketing as one which “creates a closer bond between the consumer
and the brand by immersing them in a fun and memorable experience,” (Christopher Ratcliff, 2014).
Coca-Cola achieved this with their extravagant 2016 Truck Tour stop, accomplishing all 4 stages of
the Consumption Experience put forth by Arnould et al (2005):
Figure 2
1) the pre-consumption experience is achieved as
the iconic truck has been featured heavily in
Coca-Cola’s commercials since November
1995. Customers were also able to track the
Christmas truck on route to each of its 46
destinations across the country on the Coca-
Cola website. This creates immense
excitement and anticipation in which
consumers can develop their imagination.
2) the purchase experience occurs when the
consumer initially arrives at the Christmas
Truck. They are welcomed by a host of Coca-
Cola representatives, dressed in festive
costumes and spreading the joy as they hand
out a selection of free Coke products for
consumption.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
3) the core consumption experience is provided
with an array of activities for visitors to involve
themselves in, such as taking pictures with the
truck in the snowy winter wonderland setting
as it lights up (just like in adverts), interact
with the Santa Claus mascot, watch exclusive
animations on the side of the truck and
singalong to festive melodies by a live choir.
4) the remembered consumption & the nostalgia
experience is acquired through the use of
Social Media. People could share their images
and relive the experience with other Truck Tour
goers on platforms, such as Instagram and
Twitter. In 2016, 200,000 people appeared in
photos taken from the visits and the festive
Coca-Cola cheer was shared 57 million times
using the personalised #HolidaysAreComing
hashtag, (Coca-Cola Company, 2016).
The idea here was to provide the consumer with a positively unforgettable experience, as assured by
marketing strategy and activation director for Coca-Cola, Bobby Brittain, who promised to “deliver a
truly exceptional experience to people across the nation” and “help celebrate the lead up to
Christmas,” (Coca-Cola Company, 2016). From Figure 2, we can confidently determine that this was
achieved. Firstly, the interactive aspects of the Truck Tour, such as in the Purchase and Core
Consumption experience, enables Coca-Cola to connect personally and build concrete relationships
with its consumers. Furthermore, the creation of a ‘nostalgic experience’ in the final stage of the
consumption experience ensures that upon reflection, any future associations consumers have with
Coca-Cola will inevitably provoke positive brand emotions, thus encouraging sales and increasing
brand loyalty.
On the other hand, there is a possible risk associated with this marketing option due to the extreme
emphasis of Christmas as a stimulus i.e. the extravagant winter wonderland display and choir of
carol singers. Consumers may become so caught up in the excitement of the Christmas theme, that
they dissociate the Truck Tour with Coca-Cola’s brand and take advantage of the event as simply
being a free excuse to celebrate the upcoming festivities among their community.
Additionally, the announcement of Coca-Cola’s Truck Tour sparked an out roar from Health Experts
who claimed that the soft drink company were “cashing in on Britain’s obesity epidemic.” During the
Truck Tour, Coca-Cola prescribed free bottles of their fizzy drinks across 44 locations in the UK. This
led public health directors to express their “disappointment and concern” in an open letter to the
government, an extract from which accused Coca-Cola of attempting to “hijack Christmas to
promote false gifts of bad teeth and weight problems” and questioned whether “this form of
advertising and marketing should be banned,” (Nicola Birch, 2017).
In regard to the potential damage which Coca-Cola products can contribute to consumers health, I
would recommend that they expand their product range away from solely sugary or carbonated
drinks. There are many ways for Coca-Cola to incorporate this idea into their Christmas campaign.
For example, they could introduce a limited edition product for Christmas, whether it be a smoothie
or fruit juice etc. This drink could feature the Christmas theme through its flavour and packaging and
be sold exclusively at the Truck Tour stops and on Coca-Cola’s website. As already mentioned in
Figure 1, a potential threat to Coca-Cola is the indirect competition with coffee shops and healthy
beverage café’s. Being health conscious is a lucrative trend in todays society e,g increase in
veganism, so for Coca-Cola to embrace this, they could see it benefit them in may ways such as
receiving praise from health experts and more support from governments and increasing their
consumer territory to the more health conscious individual.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
Also, Coca-Cola’s use of the Experiential Marketing method, to create an occasion out of the Truck
tour, assumes that their consumers are all ‘Experience Seekers’ who are scoping for products to
gratify their Hedonic Needs. Hedonic goods are typically consumed for desirable and luxury purposes
and encourage the consumer to experience joy, pleasure, fun and excitement from buying a
product. However, it could be argued that these needs are not a priority for Coca-Cola’s consumers
as there are much more substantial requirements which the marketing strategy should pertain to
rather than just ‘having a good time.’
Psychologist Abraham Maslow (1943), formed the following visual representation, showcasing the
hierarchy of human needs. This motivational theory comprises of a Five-Tier model in which Maslow
identifies the key factors incentivising consumer spending behaviour.
(Saul McLeod, 2017).
The pyramid begins with the most basic need for physical survival. This takes precedence over all
other needs and must be properly be fulfilled before an individual can be motivated by the needs
ahead. We can apply this philosophy to the needs of Coca-Cola’s consumers. Since soft drinks
typically don’t fit the characteristics of the basic need stage, we can assume that Coca-Cola’s target
audience have already surpassed this level. When considering the qualities of belongingness and
love that were heavily portrayed in the 2016 television commercial, it could be argued that Coca-
Cola is moving more towards satisfying the Psychological needs of its consumers. The ‘Holidays are
Coming’ advert stared a young rose cheeked boy who in the spirit of Christmas began offering Coke
refreshments to members of his family and the neighbourhood, as they worked hard to prepare for
the upcoming festivities (Coca-Cola Company, 2016). These images of giving and receiving affection,
in conjunction with the ambiance of friendship, intimacy and acceptance, depicts a sense of
community and creates a fantasy for consumers which encourages them to affiliate with the Coca-
Cola brand.
Interestingly, Maslow’s proposition coincides with the Freudian theory of the unconscious human
mind. Freud’s psychoanalytic research suggests that some aspects of human behaviour derive from
inner forces which control our cognitive processes yet remain outside of our awareness. The
unconscious mind encloses thoughts, emotions, memories, desires, and motivations, which are
similar attributes to Maslow’s ‘Belonginess and Love’ schematic. These can unknowingly bubble up
in unexpected ways and exert an influence on our behaviours i.e. consumption.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
Maslow’s theory has faced criticism for generalising each step of the hierarchy. It is very unlikely that
civilisation will progress in their needs systematically. Individuals may independently interchange,
reverse or skip levels and evidence has shown that self-actualisation can still be achieved despite not
having fulfilled the needs prior. Equally, the model has not accounted for pivotal external influences,
on motivation, such as family and friends.
Regardless of the magnitude of the ‘A coke for Christmas’ Campaign, without enticing the right
consumer, the movement will not prove beneficial in the long-run. Therefore, it is crucial to identify
the type of consumer Coca-Cola is attracting when using these marketing tactics and evaluate
whether they fall in line with the appropriate target audience.
Whilst Coca-Cola has insisted that their Marketing campaign is targeted towards people of all ages
and backgrounds from across the UK, it can be disputed that some aspects of their campaign are in
fact quite alienating.
Firstly, the selection of characters that appeared in the Television Commercial consisted of only
white Middle-class individuals and idealised the ‘perfect’ nuclear family. Coca-Cola thus fails to
embrace the variety of ethnicities and family dynamics that exists within the UK and relay it in their
commercial. This could potentially hinder their efforts to build a rapport among consumers as those
that don’t feel epitomised or valued are likely to distance themselves from the brand and its
products.
As is shown in the diagram above by Engel, Blackwell and Miniard (1995); “Culture, Personal
Influences and Family” are all attributes acquired from a person’s Environmental surroundings which
can influence many of the decisions made as consumers. Enculturation occurs when an individual
learns of their native culture in a traditional setting, most commonly within a family context. Hence,
consumers that haven’t been raised in households attached to the subculture’s of coming from a
white, middle class, two-parent household upbringing are unable relate or connect emotionally to
the images displayed in the advert.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
RECOMMENDATION:
I would guide Coca-Cola to revise how they perceive their target market. When assessing the 2016
Christmas commercial, there is clear lack of representation on Coca-Cola’s behalf. This becomes
more alarming when comparing with chief competitor, Pepsi, whom in their most recent campaign
made showcasing their appreciation for Cultural Diversity the pivotal point and basis for their
commercial. Pepsi knowingly included people of all races, ethnicities, religious beliefs, genders and
sexual orientations in their commercial and a spokesperson for the brand called it “a global ad that
reflects people from different walks of life.” Coca-Cola’s inconsiderateness towards diversity simply
be avoided if they follow in these steps and include a more accurate representation of the UK
consumer market.
On the contrary, one specific demographic that Coca-Cola has been overtly successful in gaining
accreditation from, are children. For years, Coca-Cola has been using tactics such as animations,
fictional characters and other fantasy-like methods to appeal to their audience. However, these
childlike imageries dominating their campaign may not appeal to the remaining masses such as
millennials, or adults without children.
Referring back to Figure 1, we can identify that Coca-Cola’s primary competitor, Pepsi, aims for a
more contemporary design with their marketing strategies and as a result, attracts a more mature
following. Whilst the products of these companies may be similar, their forms of advertising are
quite opposite. Pepsi’s alternates its methods such as affiliating with celebrities and sponsoring
major sporting events such as the Super Bowl. This puts them at a competitive advantage against
Coca-Cola who by staying with their traditionalist Holiday are Coming advertisements loose their
influence on the elder market.
RECOMMENDATION:
In order to better capture the attention of their desired target audience, I would advise Coca-Cola to
introduce a more in depth Digital marketing and Social Media approach to their plans. Coca-Cola has
already acknowledged that their methods “having been on screen for 21 years we understand the
need to keep innovating and, most importantly, to keep surprising people.” They should follow this
up by stemming away from their conservative techniques. The significance of creating an online
presence is incredible, especially in today’s era. This applies even more so to Markets within the UK,
as displayed below UK customers are the most digitally active in the world. To take advantage of this
I would recommend Coca-Cola to transfer the publication of their advertisements from televisions to
online adverts on popular social media websites and aps such as Instagram and YouTube. I would
also advise that they consider selling their products online. Instant gratification is largely popular and
with the growth of the multichannel shopper, customers can make purchases instantly after being
influenced by advertisements using a channel convenient for them e.g computer internet, mobile,
tablet, (Grewal & Levy, 2009).
Coca-Cola has begun introducing some basic forms of online digital marketing in their 2016
Christmas campaign. Again, referring to Figure 1, in the ‘remembered consumption & nostalgia
experience’ stage, we can identify that Coca-Cola has taken advantage of the Hashtag epidemic to
promote their Christmas “The holidays are coming” slogan amongst millennials and social media

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
users. However, in comparison to Pepsi, their techniques to implement a multi-channel strategy in
which all genres are able to experience enjoyment were not sufficient.
After this complex analysis of the methods used by Coca-Cola to capture the unique charm of
Christmas and bring it to life through a realm of innovative and imaginative marketing techniques. I
can conclude with certainty that their methods seem to be stuck in a past where Television
Broadcasts lead the marketing sector. However with the elevation of the digital world, Social Media
sought more modern ways to attract their target audience.
REFERENCING
J Staff. (2016). Our story 2000 to now: 130 years later. Available:
http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/stories/our-story-2000-to-now-living-positively-125-years-on. Last
accessed 03/12/2017.
Coca-Cola Company. (2016). Who We Are . Available:
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/careers/who-we-are-infographic. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
The Telegraph. (2017). Coca-Cola: facts, figures and myths. Available:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8377147/Coca-Cola-facts-
figures-and-myths.html. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Hitesh Bhasin. (2017). SWOT of Coca Cola. Available: https://www.marketing91.com/swot-coca-
cola/. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Randeep Ramesh. (2014). Soft-drink giants accused over pesticides. Available:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/feb/05/india.randeepramesh. Last accessed
03/12/2017.

Coca-Cola 2016 Christmas Marketing Campaign
Tony Connelly. (2016). Coca-Cola builds on its biggest Christmas campaign in five years with 'A Coke
For Christmas'. Available: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/12/02/coca-cola-builds-its-biggest-
christmas-campaign-five-years-with-coke-christmas. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Dave Meier. (2016). Coca Cola – Selling with Emotion. Available: https://hiddendepth.ie/blog/coca-
cola-selling-with-emotion/. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Olivia Waring. (2016). Coca Cola’s Christmas ad for 2016 has finally arrived — but viewers reckon
something’s missing. Available: http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/20/coca-colas-christmas-ad-for-2016-
has-finally-arrived-but-viewers-reckon-somethings-missing-6269973/. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Holbrook & Hirschman. (1982). Hedonic Consumption: Emerging Concepts, Methods and
Proposition. Journal of Marketing. 46 (3), 92-101.
Christopher Ratcliff. (2014). What is experiential marketing and why do you need it?. Available:
https://econsultancy.com/blog/65395-what-is-experiential-marketing-and-why-do-you-need-it. Last
accessed 03/12/2017.
Arnould et al. (2005). Consumer Culture Theory (CCT): Twenty Years of Research. Journal of
Consumer Research. 31 (4), 868–882.
The Coca-Cola Company. (2014). Holidays Are Coming. Available:
http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/newsroom/press-releases/coca-cola-christmas-holidays-are-coming-
2014. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Nicola Birch. (2017). The Coca-Cola Christmas truck has been SLAMMED for cashing in on the UK's
'obesity epidemic. Available: http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/coca-
cola-christmas-truck-been-731288. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Abraham Maslow . (1943). A theory of human motivation.. Psychological Review. 50 (4), 370-396.
Saul McLeod. (2017). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Available:
https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html. Last accessed 03/12/2017.
Engel, Blackwell and Miniard. (1995). Consumer Behaviour. 8th ed. London: Dryden Press. 634.
Grewal & Levy. (2009). Enhancing the Retail Customer Experience. Journal of Retailing. 85 (1), 1–112.