Impact of Marketing Communication Strategies on Coca Cola Competitors

This dissertation examines Coca-Cola's marketing communication strategies and their impact on the competitive landscape. The research delves into the various marketing approaches employed by Coca-Cola, including digital marketing, and analyzes their effectiveness in maintaining market share and brand recognition. The study investigates how these strategies influence the company's competitive positioning, considering challenges such as competitor strategies and changing consumer preferences. The literature review covers different marketing strategies adopted by Coca-Cola, the impact of these strategies on competitive positioning, and the challenges faced by the company. The research employs a case study approach with a detailed methodology including research type, philosophy, design, approach, sampling, data collection, and analysis. The findings, discussion, and conclusion provide insights into the challenges faced by Coca-Cola and offer strategic recommendations. Limitations of the study are also discussed. The dissertation covers the company's efforts to engage with fans, target millennials, and maintain a strong brand presence. The research also highlights the importance of direct engagement with consumers and maintaining a strong brand presence, while also acknowledging the impact of controversies and the rise of competitors. The dissertation aims to evaluate the company's strategies, their impact on competitors, and the challenges faced in the industry, culminating in recommendations for future strategies.

DISSERTATION TOPIC-
COCA COLA MARKETING
COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
AIM AND OBJECTIVES...............................................................................................................4
Aim..............................................................................................................................................4
Objectives....................................................................................................................................4
Research Questions......................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
Theme 1: Different marketing strategies adopted by Coca Cola.................................................5
Theme 2: Impact of marketing strategies on the competitive positioning of Coca Cola............7
Theme 3: Challenges faced by Coca Cola due to competition in the industry............................8
Strategies and recommendations based on the challenges identified for the company...............9
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................10
Research Type...........................................................................................................................10
Research Philosophy..................................................................................................................10
Research Design........................................................................................................................11
Research Approach....................................................................................................................11
Research Sampling....................................................................................................................11
Data Collection..........................................................................................................................11
Data Analysis.............................................................................................................................12
Ethical Considerations...............................................................................................................12
Validity......................................................................................................................................12
RESULTS......................................................................................................................................13
DISCUSSION................................................................................................................................20
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................22
LIMITATIONS..............................................................................................................................23
RECOMMEDATIONS..................................................................................................................23
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................25

TITLE: Marketing communication strategies and the impact that they have on the
competitors in the market.
INTRODUCTION
Every organisation indulges in marketing and promotional activities in order to gain the
relevant customer and market share. Coca Cola is an international beverage company and they
have to adopt a variety of marketing communication strategies so that they can maintain their
position in the market and deal with the different market requirements based on the culture
(Mohamed and Omwenga, 2015). However, it is not easy to compete with the competitors while
operating company on a global level and Coca cola as well has been experiencing quite a lot of
challenges due to such competitive strategies. The marketing communication strategies also have
a certain degree of impact on the competitive positioning and the overall ability to deal with the
problems and challenges that arise on the way. The proposed research will illustrate the
marketing communication strategies that the Coca Cola company implemented and the various
competitors of the company along with the numerous difficulties that they present before the
client will be discussed accordingly (Wang, 2015). The research proposal that has been prepared
will highlight the aim and objectives of the proposed research, a brie literature review on the
selected aim and the research methodology highlighting the key points about the research. This
will help in presenting an outline of the main dissertation that has been proposed on the Coca
Cola Company.
Digital marketing strategy refers to plan that assists business attain the particular digital
goals by chosen online marketing channels for an instance earned, paid and the owned media. It
mainly explains series of the actions which use the online marketing channels to attain the
different objectives. The different digital marketing strategies used by Coca cola company are
Having the effective marketing strategies are mainly designed for an organisation has provided
more boost at enhancing brand recognition at global level. Coca cola company attract the
customers by providing the promotional gifts to fans (Adefulu, 2015). Many of the people
believe that Coke is responsible for creating the Santa Claus. Newspapers is popular form of the
media advertising that used through Coca Cola company. This company has starred media
advertisement in earlier stages ad through now firm has been engaged on the mafia advertising.
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AIM AND OBJECTIVES
Aim
To evaluate the marketing communication strategies and the impact that they have on the
competitors in the market. A case study on Coca Cola.
Objectives
 To discuss the different marketing communication strategies adopted by Coca Cola.
 To analyse the impact of these communication strategies on the competitors of the company.
 To identify the challenges that Coca Cola is facing from its competitors in the industry.
 To develop proper strategies and recommendations based on the challenges identified for the
company.
Research Questions
 What are the various marketing communication strategies that Coca Cola has adopted for
their company?
 How do the marketing strategies affect the overall competition that the company faces?
 What are the different challenges and problems that Coca Cola is facing from its
competitors?
 How can these problems be resolved or minimised using recommended strategies?
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is basically the evaluation and comparison of the different case studies
and research papers that have already been researched and published in the past by other authors.
These are included in the proposed research because these hold some points of relevance and
they are critically compared highlighting the positive as well as negative aspects about any topic
(ABBASI, 2017). Based on the objectives identified above, various themes can be developed
which can act as the basis of comparing the different viewpoints that have been presented by
different authors in the past. In the literature review, there has been discussion about the
Marketing communication strategies and the impact that they have on the competitors in the
market.
Theme 1: Different marketing strategies adopted by Coca Cola
The authors, Cheptegei and Yabs (2016), state that media can broadly be categorised into
two broader categories i.e. print or published media and visual or aural media. Coca Cola has
been using both of them since a longer time period where they have regularly modified their
strategies and tactics with the creativity level. The newspaper advertisements featuring key icons
and catchy taglines, the TV ads usually having a quirky style, collaborating themselves with the
sports events, featuring in films, shows etc. All in all, it can be said that the company has
ventured into every type of marketing technique and strategy that is possible for the company to
keep itself in the industry and maintain the customer base and loyalty that they have been able to
create over the years. The company has created an innovative presence on the social media
platforms as well where they have been able to attract the millennials. The marketing
communication has not just illustrated the objective of the company itself but has also raised
brand awareness on a number of issues, has fostered healthy competition trying to increase the
preference for their own product over the competitor’s brand and focused on maintenance of
healthy customer relationship (Akdoğan and Altuntaş, 2015).
Marketing communication strategies of Coca cola
Coca cola mainly relied on conduct integrated marketing communication strategy. Choice
of the media is mainly used through firm consists magazines, television, newspapers, posters and
some other forms. Communication that organised through this company includes direct
marketing, internet marketing, public relations, sponsorship marketing, sales promotion and the
direct marketing. The advertising is more necessary for this firm as its giant consumer base is
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global. Coca Cola has been advertised by television several countries which differ from the each
other and they have been prepared taking into an account characteristics of local culture in
context to neglect understanding because of cultural differences and enhance positive impact of
initiatives of TV advertisement.
However, contradictory to the above point, the Du Plessis (2015), have stated that despite
the numerous efforts and strategies that Coca Cola has adopted, the overall status of the company
has declined. This is because all the benefits that the company buts forwards in its marketing
communication strategies are perceived benefits i.e. the benefits that the customer is expected to
have. Additionally, claiming that Coca Cola is the coolest drink without any evidence or base of
it in the advertisements is just another aspect of the different ways in which the company has
reduced its own brand value. The authors further state that the broader level, the company also
fails to establish relationship with their customers like the one that its competitors have been able
to develop or cultivate over the years. The companies often tend to overestimate themselves and
this leads to the creation of the ambiguity. In case of the Coca Cola company, it was not entirely
the marketing communication strategy but the overall management and integration of the
customer satisfaction was not very illustrative which has presented many competitive challenges
before the company (Atik Gumuscu, 2017). Apart from this, the number of scandals in which the
company has been caught over the years at different places has largely deteriorated the reputation
of the company at the world level. Other than this, there are different digital marketing strategies
adopted by Coca Cola mention below:
Direct Engagement with Fans- The Ad campaign of Coca cola #VerdaderoAmigo
celebrated the true friendship, teamwork, unity and the happiness through re- designing iconic
wavy ribbon into “fist bump” symbol. Main focus of its extensive campaign is on the friendship
through framing this against opposite. With grand visual metaphor for spreading the better vibes
online, felt bit removed from social complexities teens mainly face (Boelsen-Robinson,
Backholer and Peeters, 2015).
Targets Millennial Age- The Coca cola adapts successfully itself to new technologies
and also new generation. This is generally beverage that composted of the carbonated water and
caramelized sugar. It defined target market at all and form mainly acts like teenage magnet to
determine precise consumer data.
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Direct engagement with fans- Most necessary thing for brand is staying connected with
large audience. Coca cola does this better as around 85% of tweets were mainly aimed to connect
with the fans. Its aim is to prove that they mainly interested in consumers and also they love
them (Butler and Tischler, 2015).
Theme 2: Impact of marketing strategies on the competitive positioning of Coca Cola
Authors, Rey-López and Gonzalez (2019), have illustrated that the marketing strategies
that Coca Cola has adopted was instrumental in the development and establishment of the
company as world’s leading brand and the owning of other equally popular drinks such as Sprite,
Fanta etc. The entire system through which the company operates i.e. the bottling and the
delivery systems has helped in creating efficient competitive positioning where the company is
able to target and satisfy the customers of multiple number of countries that are spread all
through the world. The company has also been able to expand themselves at a rapid rate due to
such strong positioning in the market and that too without any significant or large capital
investments because of effective system that they had set up over the years. Additionally, the
company has a huge opportunity if expanding their business by venturing in healthy and organic
drinks as well (Cheptegei and Yabs, 2016). Although the competition in this industry is high
where Pepsi Co is its identified competitor, yet the overall strategies of Coca Cola such as glocal
strategy, introduction of healthier and innovative products regularly, amalgamations etc. have
helped the company in creating supremacy in the industry. Therefore, the authors conclude that
despite the global presence, the company has been able to maintain its leadership all because of
the excellent strategies and tactics which have helped in the creation and satisfaction of a large
and loyal customer base.
Contradicting to the above point however, the authors, Melton, Damron and Vernon
(2017), have presented another aspect related to competitive positioning of the company. The
authors have illustrated that the global expansion and representation of the company has often
led to the company facing heavy criticism due to any scandals or the fact that carbonated drinks
are not healthy to produce and consume where the things were often blew out of proportion. The
regular involvement of the company in some or the other controversy in different parts of the
world has affected the reputation of the company on a global level (Maamoun, 2020). This has
ultimately reduced the sales of the company in many countries where the competitors of the
brand prominently Pepsi, Red Bull, Tropicana etc. took rigorous advantage of the situation. The
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band Tropicana has made itself successful just by highlighting that how harmful carbonated
drinks are to the human body as well as to the nature. The brand has always focused on
improving the customer satisfaction level and although it has helped them in becoming a global
brand but yet the competitors of the company have been able to rise significantly due to such
non- responsive attitude. Therefore, the authors conclude that ultimately the presence of the
company has been affected due to the marketing strategies and competitors of the brand have
been able to benefit themselves in the entire situation (Chernev, 2018).
Theme 3: Challenges faced by Coca Cola due to competition in the industry
The authors, Singaram and et.al. (2019), have illustrated that there is a long list of challenges
that the company has faced in its magnificent existence of 126 years. There has been regular
stream of challenges sometimes from its competitors, sometimes due to the prevailing trends in
the market and sometime due to consumer preferences as well. The company faced the challenge
of being associated with the medicinal purposes back when it was launched where the
description of the drink did not attract the masses. The company later changed its description to
just a refreshing drink and they were able to attract eyes. The next major challenges that arose
were that the bottling system and delivery system of the Coca Cola was not very soundly
established. The excellent system that the brand has throughout the world today was begun
setting up in the very early phase of the company which has helped it in creating global presence
and hold today. Next was the challenge that there was no particular designing of the bottle since
different variants of it were being sold while its competitor had already developed a uniform
design. Then Coca Cola went on to design the world- famous bottles that created an iconic
presence amongst the people (De Mooij, 2018). The last challenge that the authors have
illustrated is the challenge by Pepsi where the Coca Cola was able to sell only 6.5 ounces in a
single bottle; Pepsi was selling almost twice of that at just one more nickel than Coca Cola. This
again rose as a major challenge before company and they later introduced a 12- oz can that is
extremely famous and the most dominant packaging of Coca Cola even today.
Another research paper published by Linnander and et.al. (2017), continues with the
challenges by illustrating that Pepsi presented another major challenge for the company when
they conducted a taste which indicated that people preferred the taste of Pepsi over Coca Cola
with the ratio of 58 over 42. The difference was huge and the sales of the Pepsi also overtook
that of Coca Cola. The company later modified and changed its original Coca Cola formula
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making it a refreshing taste for the public and was able to gain the market share again.
Additionally, the diet challenge began when the diet- rite cola was launched in the market and
following this Coca Cola also launched with Tab. However, despite the higher selling of Tab
over its competitors, the company again introduced Diet Coke in the market. The last major
challenge that is still persistent is the sugar challenge where the consumers are adopting a zero
sugar approach and the harmful effects it has on body are already being illustrated. This is still an
ongoing challenge for the company where they have been able to keep themselves in operation
by highlighting how the calorie and sugar intake from their drinks is still less and more beneficial
than other competitive brands. Therefore, the authors have concluded that that these are the key
challenges that Coca Cola has faced till now (Dharmappa, 2018).
The literature review done above helps in concluding that the overall research done on the
coca cola company has been very illustrative and there are multiple views that have been
presented on the company and its related themes that helped in gaining the necessary insight.
Strategies and recommendations based on the challenges identified for the company
Coca Cola is one of the most reputed brand and its main focus on increasing the customer
base and also reputation of company. This company face some challenges which impact on the
productivity as well as profitability of the business effectively. To overcome from the issues, this
is necessary for company to determine main factors of determined challenges that company is
facing at present. In this, management is most powerful aspect regarding development in
company. Developing management department is considered firstly to success as well as
development of an organisation. Coca- cola is one of the global multination firm, people factors
mainly develops such global organisation and for this being it have global regulations as well as
the unify policies effectively. coca cola organisation sweetener challenge is looking for new
compound that is safe, no or low calorie and the natural compound that generate taste sugar
sensation when used in the food and beverages. This cannot have derived from the Stevia or Lo
Han Guo that is unsustainable or endangered. Coca- cola company acknowledges that more
money has been already sunk in to researching various ways to the sweeten soft drinks that is
healthier for human body than several tablespoons o sugar but the taste is not quit similar. In this
present time, Coke Zero Sugar and Diet Coke both aspartame and sweetened, sugar replacement
that is mainly used in diet Pepsi products.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Type
Research is the most favourable way to everyone for finding appropriate data,
information which supports or helps different organisations for increasing their performance and
productivity (King and Mackey, 2016). The research mainly plays an effective role in the terms
of achieving wide range of knowledge and information that enable to companies, businesses or
individuals to create excellent and frequent operations and activities. There are top-level
management within most companies or businesses generally has used two types of research
methods or theories called; quantitative and qualitative. These both methods of research are very
common and too productive as well.
In these both research methods, first quantitative method generally used for continuously
improving quality of services & products for getting an excellent outcome. This method of
research enables to everyone for collecting data through interviews, meetings, books and journals
and articles etc. That’s why this method of research has been used in this report of research,
because attributes of research are enough to making this research project too effective. Second is
qualitative method, this method enables to get different data through statistics and numerical
sources. This method also currently used by different people (Farache, Tetchner and Kollat,
2018).
Research Philosophy
Research philosophy is very useful way to different companies or ventures for increasing
their efficiency. Research philosophy has played very important role for a researcher to get
aware about the favourable type of philosophy that can help for improving efficiency of a venter
and also gain very productive theories to collect data. There are generally two typed of
philosophies available called; positivism philosophy and interpretive philosophy, in which
positivism philosophy helps in providing the right and logical facts that right now available in an
environment of business. Then, interpretive philosophy is known as a medium that contributes in
understanding the accuracy of an environment and enables to collect the logical data (Cuervo‐
Cazurra and et. al., 2017). In this situation, philosophy of positivism has used in existing research
project to make different productive methods and theories effectively.
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Research Design
Research design is generally a proper framework, contributes in developing theories or
methods to effectively conduct research in the selected market segment. Currently there are lots
of mixtures of methods relating to develop productive design of research, and also increase the
productivity to gain meaningful data (Koudelková, 2017). Basically, there are three research
design available in the market called; deductive, inductive and abdicative. Present research
project has used inductive design of research for increasing the effectiveness of business in
different segments of market.
Research Approach
Research approach also known as a combination of lots of data collection methods to get
very appropriate outcomes. There are many research approaches simply available, called;
descriptive, exploratory and explanatory approach etc. The exploratory approach is commonly
used for getting answers of few questions which enable to collect data in very appropriate
manner (Kimathi, 2016) (Kibona, 2015). Descriptive approach promotes development of
information. Explanatory approach has used to deeply know the influence of many other factors
in the market structure. There is exploratory approach of research has been used in existing
research project that is very appropriate in finding lots of data.
Research Sampling
Sampling is the most common way to different researcher for collecting data in the form
of samples. There are generally two types of research sampling methods has used called;
probably and non-probably (Hong, 2020). These both methods of sampling are very productive,
however the random sampling method has used in this research project, because this method has
enabled to choose 30 random employees of Coca Cola for the personal interview session. In the
session, these all 30 employees have given answers of almost all questions in very proper
manner. They shared their different opinions, ideas and thinking on the topic of marketing
communications strategies of company.
Data Collection
Data collection is one of key tasks within a research project, because by completing this
task, a researcher always gets different data which fully relating to its research topic. Currently
there are two types of data collection methods has used in research projects called; primary data
collection methods and secondary data collection method (Grębosz and Pointet, 2015). The
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primary data collection enables to find data through interviews or meetings, and secondary data
collection method enable to collect data through newspapers, internet blogs, pre-researches,
books and journals etc. In this research project, both types of data collection methods have used.
Data Analysis
Data analysis stage of any research project always enable to choose such data from all
collected data which are really productive and logical (Zawacki-Richter and et.al., 2020). There
are commonly two types of data analysis methods available called; thematic and statistical, in
which the thematic data analysis method has used in existing research project, because this
method enables to divide all collected data into different themes, and these themes are enough to
make a research project very effective.
Ethical Considerations
Research ethics as well as integrity practices assure that an investigation is mainly
conducted on the basis of higher standards of the practice with less risk or the harmful
consequences. Research community and also wider public will have the confidence in research
outcomes and quality of an investigation output will increased. There are almost all ethical
considerations has used in this research project. For example; not has forced to a single employee
of Coca Cola to share its opinions on different questions. While using data of different authors or
writers, their names has been mentioned in the form of references within this research report. No
person has harmed or harassed while preparing the research report. These all factors show that,
there are all ethical considerations has followed in this report. It is necessary for an investigator
to follow the different ethical principles while conducting an investigation for an instance
informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, avoid the unfair allegations and other principles.
This helps in doing an investigation in an ethical manner and providing the positive outcomes in
significant manner (Gaur, Saransomrurtai and Herjanto 2015).
Validity
Research validity is an extent to which survey mainly measures the correct elements which
require to be analysed. It is related to how well the instrument as measures and what this is
intended to be measure. The valid measurement is reliable if the test mainly produces the
accurate outcomes. high validity of the collected data helps in providing the accurate outcomes
or results in an effective manner (Gertner and Rifkin, 2018).
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