Marketing Essentials and Strategic Planning

This assignment covers various aspects of marketing, including marketing essentials, strategic planning, and research methods. It draws from multiple sources, including textbooks, journals, and online resources. The content is organized in a structured manner, with headings and subheadings to facilitate understanding. Key concepts such as the marketing mix, integrated marketing communication, and social media are discussed, along with their impact on consumer behavior and business performance.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1: Key role and responsibilities of the marketing functions ....................................................3
P2: Role and responsibilities of marketing associated to larger organisation.............................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................8
P3: Compare ways in which two organisation use marketing mix for planning........................8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P4 Creating a marketing plan....................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Marketing forms one of the most prominent functions of a firm which is associated with
production, communication and delivery of products and services to customers and society and
to maintain good relations with them so that both the parties business and its stakeholders could
be benefited. The main objective of marketing is to gain customers satisfaction and generate
higher profits and maximum returns by offering goods and services that fulfil needs and
requirements of its target audience (Baker, M. A and et. al., 2016).
Coca Cola is one of the world's renowned and largest beverage company which was
established in 1886 comprising its corporate division, which is headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
This project will discuss about various marketing strategies of coca cola along with the major
roles and responsibilities of its marketing function. A brief discuss about importance of
marketing and its interrelation with other organization's function will be given. Further, a
comparative study of coca cola's and its leading contender's marketing mix strategies will be
drawn and explained. Assignment will also include marketing plan for coca cola.
TASK 1
P1: Key role and responsibilities of the marketing functions
In today' business environment where a firm have to deal with a immense challenges
comprising presence of cut throat competition, micro environment dynamics and frequent
changes in tastes and preferences of customers (Berkowitz, E. N., 2016). Thus, to be figurehead
in market and to maintain and enhance its growth and market share a company is required to
come up with something distinctive unique in terms of its products, services, technology or
process to capture the attention of people and induce them to make a purchase. Marketing
function in this aspect enables a company to scan market scenario for prevailing competitors
strategies, customers requirements and other important information so that an enterprise could
accordingly modify its existing products or design or introduce an entire new product that can
help company to get an over its rivals by providing them goods and services that most suited

their aspirations. This assist company to get higher sales volumes, high returns and more loyal
consumers.
Important of marketing for coco-cola.
Coca cola being market leader in beverage industry plays significant importance and
spend considerable amount on its marketing strategies. It believes in diversifying its customer
base through experimental marketing which aims towards developing emotional connection with
its consumers (Brassington and Pettitt, 2013). To maintain its leads and stay ahead company
keeps on innovating new ways ion its products, equipments, packaging and audience
engagement. Thus, marketing forms a essential and most attractive medium for Coca Cola to
communicate new innovations, offers and other information about its products to its customers.
The importance of marketing for Coca Cola is mentioned below:-
Assists in transfer, exchange and movement of products: Marketing acts an
importune medium for a company like Coca Cola for providing its products in most distinctive
manner as per their requirements to its consumers by using effective intermediates (Brooks and
Simkin, 2012).

Helpful in generating employment: Since marketing is a complex function involving
varied activities to be carried out from selling to financing and from warehousing to
transportation and so on thus, it requires a number of people to undertake these activities. Since
coca cola is largest soft drinks company it happens to provide direct or indirect employment to
around 40% of total population.
Marketing function:
 Market Research: It is one of the most prominent function that enables firm to gather
information related to market comprising knowledge about rivals strategies, consumers
needs etc. It is significant for Coca Cola as it provides an idea about its potential target
audience, international market scenario, competitors marketing tactics and so on
analysing which company can take important decisions related to products and its related
strategies to maximize its growth (Caragher, 2016).
 Distribution: This function of marketing helps a company to deliver finished products to
its ultimate consumers by selecting most appropriate and effective distribution network.
Coca Cola being a global brand is critical about its channels of distribution so that it can
make its products available to wide range of its consumers. Company uses an extensive
distribution channel strategy to provide stock to its intermediaries along with a unique
reverse supply chain management which collect left over bottles back Pricing: Another significant function of marketing is related to designing an appropriate
pricing strategy that suits its customers pockets. Coca Cola having different segments in
its products follow a 2nd degree price discrimination policy where in it charges different
prices for its different product segments. It decides its pricing strategies in relation to its
biggest competitors so that it can maintain a lead over them.
P2: Role and responsibilities of marketing associated to larger organisation
Coco-cola company is the leading brand dealing in manufacturing, distribution and
marketing various non- alcoholic beverages. It has become a household drink for around 200
nations. It offers around 3000 products and is associated worth around 500 brands. It dominates
all other leading brands in UK market (7 Desai, 2012).
Importance of marketing for Coco-cola

Marketing forms cornerstone in the success and popularity of Coca Cola as almost 94% of
the world population is knowledgeable and recognizes red and white symbol of coca cola. By
using extensive marketing strategy company has been able to built its image as a reputable and
reliable brand worldwide. In this success of Coca Cola out of many contributing factor the most
prominent ones are its pricing and promotional strategies. As it deals in wide variety of soft and
fizzy drinks having various segments coca cola formulates different pricing for each sub brand
by market skimming pricing. In case of promotion, Coca Cola to induce its consumers to make a
purchase make use of various methods of advertising and sales promotions that pitch its target
audience by associating the brans with their life style and behaviour (Dibb and Simkin, 2013).
Coca Cola has generated a total revenue of around $7.5 billion in 2017 with a market share of
45% around the globe. Mentioned below are some critical importance of marketing:
 People: As employees forms major part of selling and providing customer satisfaction by
company hires qualified people and provide them good and hygienic working
environment in order to provide prompt services to its customers.
 Portfolio: A strong brand portfolio provides an edge over competitors revealing unique
and distinctive features of company and its products to its consumers so that they can
easily compare it with other firms. Coca Cola is the strongest and largest brands in non-
alcoholic beverage industry having around 21 brands generating more than $1 billion
USD in annual retail sales.
 Profit maximisation: Another significance of marketing for a company like Coca Cola is
that it helps in successfully catering the desires and requirements of its consumers it
helps a company to enhance its sales volumes which ultimately leads to generating higher
profits for the company (Gamble and et. al., 2011).
Structure and operation of an organisation:
A structural forms the primary base of any enterprise that helps in determining
relationship and hierarchy of authority among its various divisions. Coca Cola follows a
divisional structure that delegates various functions in its different departments comprising Hr,
marketing, operations etc. that works in close coordination for producing quality and reliable
products as per consumers demands (Functions of marketing, 2017) Also it has a separate
international division structure as its international staffs operates separately and in complete
isolation fro its head office. Company has various departments in all continents with presidents

as a head that manges each continent division (lling and Anders, 2016). Most of the business
used to follow functional structure, it has the benefit of clear line of authority with key decision
makers in every department that are set out as overall mission and activities.
As company has wide range of operations that are handles by different departments it
becomes necessary for Coca Cola to maintain coordination and work cooperation between all its
units so that efficiency and uniformity could be maintained leading to successfully achievements
of overall objectives of a firm within specific time period and higher revenues (Jones and
Rowley, 2011). Mentioned below is description of interconnection of marketing with other
segments of a firm:
Marketing and R&D Department: R&D unit of Coca Cola proves to be a valuable
source of information,statics and other useful data about consumers purchasing capacity, their
buying behaviour, market trends, strategies adopted by rivals and so on. Thus by critically
analysing this information it becomes easy for a firm to making requisite changes in its present
products , policies, tactics and process or to introduce new on (Kennedy and Parsons, 2014).
Illustration 1: Organization Structure: Coca Cola
Source: (Organization Structure: Coca Cola, 2018)

Marketing and Human Resource Development: Coca Cola being market leader in non
alcoholic beverage has a team of around 61.8 thousand people worldwide who maintain its
operation in more than 200 nations worldwide. Thus, employees forms an integral part of firm
who put them in center of focus and provide them positive, hygienic and comfortable working
environment. This helps Coca Cola in keeping its workforce satisfied which make them
proficient in proving prompt services to its consumers. Hr department of Coca Cola assists
marketing division by hiring most proficient and capable people having requisite qualification
and good interpersonal skills in order handle customers doubts and provide viable solutions for
their queries (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2011). Thus HR department ensures that marketing
unit has right person, at right job, at right time in order to attain both short and long objectives
of company in an effective manner.
Marketing function with operation department: Operational department is mainly
responsible for managing and controlling activities related to conversion of limited resources in
maximum output generating higher profits for the firm. Operation department of Coca Cola
deals with designing and managing products, services, process and supply chains. By working in
collaboration with its marketing department it provided essential information related to potential
suppliers in present market who can provide material and other resources at comparatively
reasonable cost (Malhotra, Birks and Wills, 2013). It also give assistance on issues related to
deciding structure telecommunication networks, location and size of manufacturing plants and
designing technology for supply chain management. Moreover both divisions work conjointly to
formulate and implement various tools and techniques TQM, inventory management etc. for
maintaining and improving quality products.
TASK 2
P3: Compare ways in which two organisation use marketing mix for planning
Basis COCA COLA PEPSI
Product Firm offers a wide range of non alcoholic
beverages comprising around 500
brands providing nearly 3900 beverages
choice such as fanta, diet coke, Coca Cola
Zero etc. It has around 21 billion dollars
Pepsi deals in variety of beverages,
foods and snacks having around 22
different brands including Diet Pepsi,
tropicana juices, 7UP etc. It product
portfolio also inclusive of related

brands in its portfolio. Most prominent
and unique feature of Coca Cola is its
secret formula that no firm till yet is able
to replicate.
accessories, drink gears for limited
brands.
Place Coca Cola being a global brand having
130 years of market experience has
developed an excessive channel of
distribution. It has its business in more
than 200 nations where in its products are
available in almost retail; outlets and
supermarkets. Moreover, adding on to its
profitability and cost effectiveness firm
has develop a reverse supply chain which
collects left out glass bottles from its
retailers and reuse them.
Pepsi is selling its products in more
than 200 countries where they are
available consumers in supermarkets,
grocery stores of varied formats, fast
food chains, mini markets and
restaurants (Mihart, 2012).
Price Coca Cola make use of smart pricing and
2nd degree price discrimination strategy
for deciding price of its products. It
charges different prices for its various
products. Also company also make
changes in its pricing policy in
accordance to season. In winters that
suppose to be an off season of beverages
Coca Cola reduces its price levels to
maintain profitability and sales. Moreover
spend more on its sales promotion and
advertising than production.
It follows market oriented pricing
strategy where price of products are
set considering many factors like
demand of a product in particular
market, customer purchasing power
etc.
Promotion Coca Cola has been trend setter when it
comes to branding and advertising. It
follows an aggressive promotional
It directs its promotional activities to
target audience that is youth and
family. It make use of both electronic

strategy b y making use of both electronic
media comprising TV , radio, online
promotions and print media including
papers, magazines etc. It also sponsors
various international events like NCAA,
Olympics. FIFA World cup etc. as a
platform to promote its brand. Moreover
It to fulfil it CSR it organizes several
activities to support social and
environmental cause. Besides it endorse
its brands through celebrities too.
media comprising TV, online ads,
etc. as well as print media like paper
ads, journals etc. They too do brand
promotions through celebrities and
other well known faces. Besides
Pepsi has also been involved in
various international events like
world cups, cricket and football
tournaments etc where in it promotes
its brands at international stage.
People Coca Cola give immense attention on its
employees and there well being. It hires
most proficient candidates with high
skills and knowledge and provides them
with necessary training so as to make
them competitive enough to proves to be
an edge over its competitors in attaining
customers satisfaction by providing them
prompt services (Nguyen and Simkin,
2012).
Pepsi spend considerable amount of
its revenue on its employees for
making them proficient through
training and development programs
so that they can efficiently manage
customers doubts and assist them in
providing solutions.
Process Coca Cola follows a transparent and
hidden process. It has over 900 bottling
and manufacturing facilities. Also in
adherence to CSR company is working
to reduce and maintain and stabilize
pollution emission from its manufacturing
plants. Also with digitalization company
has launched its website and online
portals from where customers can any
Pepsi also following its CSR is
working towards evolving their
production process to be m,ore
environmental friendly. Also through
its website it keep on updating its
information related to firm for
instance reports like $1.4 billion
USD which company spent on
minority- or women-owned

time access any information related to
company which ads on to developing
trust and loyalty of them towards Coca
Cola.
enterprises (MWBEs) for supporting
smaller businesses having same
objectives as company. It helps in
developing customers loyalty.
Physical
Evidence
Company has its operations running in
more than 200 countries having per day
serving of 1.6 billion per day. With heavy
implementation of digitalization in its
marketing strategies company keep a
track of its customers changing needs and
preferences and provides products as per
their needs and demands to get high sales
and profit levels.
Pepsi's products are being distributed
in around 200 nations making it
second largest business in beverages
and food. Its website provides
detailed information about compass's
operations including its history,
manufacturing process etc.
TASK 3
P4 Creating a marketing plan
COVERED In PPT
CONCLUSION
The project undertaken concludes that effective marketing plays a
critical role capturing the attention of target audience by in communicating
the benefits of a using products of the company thereby contributing
significantly to a firms success and sustainability. The assignment focuses
on marketing strategies of Coca Cola which is the largest beverage brand
manufacturing a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages. It also discuss in
brief about the importance of marketing functions for Coca Cola and
interrelationship of marketing unit with various other divisions and how
they contribute in achieving company's goals. The report also gives synopsis
of comparison of marketing mix of Coca Cola with its leading business rival

Pepsi. A detailed marketing plan along with SWOT and STP analysis of the
company is also presented.
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