Dissertation task two

Analyze; How have Coca-Cola utilized colour within the design of the cans for Diet Coke and Coke Zero?

Although traditionally Coke is known for it’s red colouring throughout many aspects of it’s branding and we know of the success that this has had, both grey and black used in other can designs seem to be forgotten about in some ways and they are just as important. Coca-Cola have adopted these two colours as well as red to become a significant part of their product range but there is tactic behind this. Although the grey on the Diet Coke can is the main colour, red is still the focus when the can is seen because the text rather than the background is high impact. The font is also different to have a higher impact because the red utilizes more space within the font and the fact it’s bold makes it stand out. With the red being on such a subtle background it will have even more of an impact because the two colours don’t clash and one brings out the other. Although the importance of red within the branding is clear, the grey is still as important because when consumers go to buy Diet Coke specifically they will distinguish this from regular Coke via this colour.

Looking at the Coke zero can too and the colours used, it is again tactical because the red has high impact on the black background and means the consumer can distinguish this from the others. It’s obvious that CocaCola know their colours as this is a factor that adds to their success due to high impact and application.

Paraphrase; About Coca-Cola; a brief summary.

Coca-Cola is the worlds largest soft drinks company and the top producer and marketer of these soft drinks.

Coca-Cola is the top selling soft drinks brand worldwide and in Great Britain. Coca-Cola and Diet Coke are the countries two biggest soft drinks. Coca-Cola is also the worlds most valuable and well known brand, with a brand value of $67.5 billion. Coca-Cola has stood the test of time seen via the fact the brand has been around for so long and is still as strong as ever. They convey optimism, togetherness and authenticity. CocaCola is a brand about bringing people together with a promise of good times. These values are what keep consumers loyal to the brand and keep this loyalty consistent from the day the brand began. Coca-Cola’s reputation for excellent marketing makes sure that the loyalty people have toward the brand never slips.

Keeping up with the times and what is current has always been something Coca-Cola have done further adding to the brands success.

Evaluate; Significant dates for Coca-Cola.

Looking at these significant dates printed in Superbrands, the first thought would be surely there would be more significant dates for such a huge and successful company? Realistically, although Coca-Cola have had many successes, and probably too many to list, the few seen in this book are things of great importance that have shaped the brand to be what it is today. Over the course of 120 years from the time that Coca-Cola began they now have three different main brands within the Coca-Cola family. It took seven years before Coca-Cola became a publicized brand and was released which shows that Asa Candler, the man who acquired the business at the time of release, was very serious about this product and wanted perfection. There was a long running period of the original drink and this seemed that it was so that the company could perfect this drink, make a name for themselves, spread their success and then think about extending their range once they knew they had captured their consumer market. Diet coke was released in 1984, 98 years after the original drink. This is now more successful than the original too but this may just be due to the current trend with everyone wanting to be healthier and being on a fitness frenzy. However, the tactics Coca-Cola have used with waiting so long to bring this extension of the original drink out seem to have paid off because they spent focus, time and effort on strengthening the brand which means extending it was of no risk, the fact it has worked for them too and in such a big way has just added to their success hugely. This shows that the company have a very well thought out strategy and time and effort put into a brand is what makes one so successful, it’s better to build the empire slowly.

Triangulation; Positive projects Coca-Cola have taken on board to withhold their reputation.

Coca-Cola being such a big brand need to make sure they are doing positive things that the consumers and others can see to withhold a positive reputation and also the utilize the positive impact it can have with the exposure it has come to gain. In some ways it seems the company don’t want people to view it as this money making giant so this is why they will take the opportunities they have to help others and show that they do care. For example, there is the ColaLife operation which is using Coca-Cola’s distribution channels to carry

products such as oral rehydration salts and zinc supplements to save children’s lives. The products are packaged along with the bottles in boxes that slot into the bottle crates between the bottles, they are taking up no more space than the usual load but will make the world of difference to so many people. It’s all about Coca-Cola helping and realistically they don’t have to do much to do so thanks to an innovative idea from Simon Berry, the founder and director. The inspiration for the project came from a thought Simon had ‘If we can get Coca-Cola to the most remote places on the planet, together with the knowledge of what it is, how to consume it and what to do with the empty bottle, then why can’t we do the same with life saving, simple medications like oral rehydration salts and zinc supplements for children?’

The whole concept for his thought makes sense in the fact that Coca-Cola is one of the only brands to be found in most places around the world and why not utilize the links the company has? It also puts the company in the spotlight because they are thinking of others and making a very important difference, further extending the company values. These sorts of projects however, are not as well known to the consumer so it’s not necessarily making the company successful in terms of the product but more so about the brand.

Another project/goal announced by Coca-Cola and discussed by Melissa Davis was ‘Coca-Cola recently announced a goal to become water neutral in it’s business operations after forming a partnership with the world wildlife fund (2008)’. This followed a court case in India where the company was accused of taking water resources from local villages. Although Coca-Cola won the case, it’s clear that not everyone agrees with the positive things Coca-Cola is trying to do as a company for the rest of the world, although there is no distinct negative opinion in this case somebody must have complained in order for the court case to happen.

Overall, Simon has a positive opinion of the company because he has seen potential in an idea that can be driven by their transportation links. Melissa doesn’t seem to have a positive nor negative opinion of the company and finally whoever took the company to court doesn’t agree with what they are trying to do because they tried to sabotage them. This shows that theres no real balance with the other things Coca-Cola is trying to do to create a positive impact because the examples discussed don’t sway one way nor the other so it’s hard to say whether these projects are adding to the companies success or not but do they need to as they are not a product of the company?

Evaluate; How do Coca-Cola use music as part of their success strategy?

Coca-Cola have used music from their early days and continue to do so now, it just happens to be by luck that nowadays music is something most consumers live and breathe sometimes for personal reasons or generally just because they enjoy it. The company have used the fact consumers make an emotional connection with music to their advantage because they know that whenever their song is heard the consumer will make the emotional and memorable connection with the brand and is therefor thinking about it so may want to go fourth and purchase one of the products. Music seems to be a positive method to attract and engage consumers because there are now so many ways of dispersing music whether it be on the television, through a website or via download, although music has always worked as a success tool for Coca-Cola it will definitely more so work now because of how technology and accessibility has changed and developed. The other great aspect to this form of promotion/advertising is that to access it the consumer doesn’t have to leave their home and of course they will love this because we’ve become a lot less active as a society and prefer it when things are placed in front of us and are hassle free, nothing is more hassle free and engaging than music because everyone appreciates it in some form. Through this method the company are able to target the entire of their audience because there is also no age restriction on music. As long as music is popular the success of this method will never hinder as long as Coca-Cola keeps their ideas fresh and engaging.

Paraphrase; Branding and emotion.

Emotional branding is about building a relationship with the consumer, it’s about giving the brand and the product long-term value so that the consumer will cherish and keep a relationship with the brand. More importantly it’s about the consumer having an individual relationship with the product and each feeling that the product is talking to them only but in a unique sense. Emotional branding is based on trust from the consumer so the company need to encourage the consumer to trust them but in a none obvious sense, this trust needs to be built in stages. It encourages purchases based on the encouragement of us fulfilling our

desires. Emotion creates a consumer commitment to a brand and a sense of pride whenever we purchase that brand because it makes us feel a particular way. Many brands are just there to inform but others represent a whole experience the consumer may have and numerous feelings they may have toward it depending on the connections they make. Those that create an experience have the most power and seem to be the most successful. Attractive things work better because their attractiveness produces positive emotions.

Paraphrase; Coca-Cola and the changing world.

As Coca-Cola now exists in a world where we are faced with more choices the company has a task on their hands in order to keep people interested in the brand and keep them buying and consuming. With them being in the spotlight it also makes it more difficult because consumers are more prone to notice the changes that are occurring within the brand and also the decisions that are being made. Coca-Cola is still top of it’s game within it’s industry and also as a global brand but it’s having to adapt to a world where younger audiences need informing because they aren’t going to be familiar with the brand. The action toward things such as this are elements within the advertising such as the Coca-Cola television advert because although this can be enjoyed by all it will definitely engage children due to Santa Clause being involved. Coca-Cola also face an issue with there being greater awareness of the health issues drinks like this may cause so this may make the product less appealing to some people meaning they lose some of their consumers. This factor however, isn’t necessarily a huge concern because the minority of people consider the effect it has on their health.

Evaluate; The bottle as a tool to encourage consumption.

Not just with Coca-Cola but also with drinks bottles in general there is a tactic behind the style of the bottle, the label design and the impact the brand wants the consumer to have. Although the text discusses wine bottles in particular, the same thoughts can be applied to any bottle realistically. A bottle is an important part of the Coca-Cola brand because this is the traditional way it would be purchased. The shape of the bottle and the label are the two elements that were used to manipulate the expectations of what was going to come from the bottle. There’s something about drinking Coke from a glass bottle that is said to make it taste better or at least in our mind. Is it because its more sophisticated to do so? Does glass have a higher value than aluminum, therefor increasing the value of the liquid inside? It could be said that the liquid is preserved better within the bottle somehow so we believe that it therefor tastes better. The experience of drinking from the traditional glass Coke bottle could also effect the value of the liquid because it’s a huge part of the brands history and for a loyal consumer they will understand the value of this bottle.