DISSERTATION TASKS For 24/10/12
PARAPHRASING In “Manifesto of the Communist Party”, theorists and philosophers Karl Marx and Frederick Engels discuss the notion of the power structure and influence of the bourgeois capitalist industries and methods of production upon lower-class and proletarian civilizations with the aspiration to “create a world after it’s own image… on pain of extinction” (Marx, K. & Engels , F. 1973, p.68, 71). By this, the theory of market and industry authority is asserted and analyzed in relation to class and power structure, with the dominant industries having “ownership” of independent companies, or, indeed, nations; often ones of which are less economically or politically developed as, for example, countries within the United States and Europe, often regarded as the financial and influential “powerhouses” of the World. This economic dominance and assumed greed by wealthy and influential companies, can lead to the exploitation of workers, the unfair pay of exported goods, and generally exerting intimidation upon countries to achieve maximum profitability within Western industries and privatized companies for personal gain.
+++ TRIANGULATION Since it’s marketing prime within the 1980’s, whereupon it began to be a viable substitute for public funding, sponsorship has played a great part in brand marketing, whereupon the act of sponsorship moved from the altruistic to the vain, with a focus upon brand association and promotion. At this time, the dynamic of sponsors and the sponsored turned, whereupon ‘many corporations becoming more ambitious in their demands for grander acknowledgements and control’ (Klein, N, 2001, p.34) Since selling it’s majority shares (58%, with an estimated financial transaction of £75 million) to Coca-Cola in 2010, the profile of the Innocent Drinks company has raised dramatically (Innocent smoothie denies sell-out after Coca-Cola gets majority stake, 2010, http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/apr/09/coca-cola-innocent-smoothiestake), perhaps most notably with it’s 2012 sponsorship of the official London Olympic Games. Despite a natural synergy with the health drinks company, the majority shareholders capitalist and questionably ethical company history lead many to question the company, sparking a backlash that the brand had ‘sold-out’ and was beginning to loose it’s famous charm, independence and values as an ethical, sustainable, and natural company which put the consumer above all else (Innocent joins Coke as Olympic sponsor, 2011, http://marketingweek.co.uk/innocent-joinscoke-as-olympoc-sponsor/3032450.article). Perhaps coincidentally, in more recent months since the conclusion of the Olympic Games, Innocent have announced that they want to return to their fundamental principles, Douglas Lamont, Innocent’s marketing director noting, “I want people to think about Innocent in the same way consumers did when they discovered us in 1999. Our challenge as we become more of a mainstream, household brand is how we continue to be unique and engage more people in conversation with us… we’re in a strong place, but as we gain
size and gain people we need to think of new ways to engage them.” (Innocent bids to regain ‘entrepreneurial’ spirit of ’99, 2012, http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/innocent-bids-to-regain-entrepreneurialspirit/4003590.article). Alongside this marketing approach, the broadcast of the BBC3 reality series ‘Be Your Own Boss’, featuring Innocent co-founder, Richard Reed, as he seeks to invest £1m in start up companies, has aspired to present the image of the company as more “real” and human in terms of it’s values upon which it was founded. However, despite maintain operational control over the company, Coca-Cola still upholds the aforementioned majority stake, and with an estimated growth of the company by 25% in 2012 alone (Innocent bids to regain ‘entrepreneurial’ spirit of ’99, 2012, http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/innocent-bids-to-regain-entrepreneurialspirit/4003590.article), views upon the Capitalist influence and growth upon the once independent “grass roots” company, still leaves opinion divided by consumers.
+++ EVALUATE SUBJECT MATTER (INNOCENT AND BRAND ETHICS, STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES) Unlike the usual strategy within businesses to create a company ‘promise’, Innocent’s values and brand philosophy are demonstrated through their ‘Rule of Five’, in which they express their ambition and aim to always remain natural, entrepreneurial, commercial, generous and responsible (Germain, D. 2009, p.78), the latter of which, to modern consumers, is perhaps considered the most esteemed, as issues of sustainable and ethical production are more recognised within both the industry and the retail market. Despite this raised awareness, 53% of the British Public stated that they are ‘sympathetic to social and environment issues, but not active’ (Harrison, R. 2005, p.197), therefore, the pressure to fulfill these needs of the public and retail consumer are increased, with a higher responsibility put upon products and companies within the industry. The Innocent Drinks company is famous in regards to their ambition to create an ethical company in all aspects of the business, whether it be through responsibly sourcing ingredients from producers, to the financial donations to charitable causes through the Innocent Foundation (established as a registered charity in 2004 to help support non-governmental organizations around the world), and giving 10% of their annual profits to charities each year to aid the rural development of sites of global fruit production and sourcing (Germain, D. 2009, p.169), whilst the 90%, although seemingly vastly proportionate, returns to the business in support of development of products, opportunities and overall growth, as demonstrated within all capitalist industries and businesses.
+++ ANALYSE AREA OF DESIGN (EG PACKAGING/BRANDING/MARKETING) Perhaps one of the key elements behind Innocent drinks’ success is due to it’s unique and universally-regarded playful and wholesome tone-of-voice and communication through branding, and, in particular, through the various methods of marketing which the company utilize.
The distinctive attitude and approach to marketing that Innocent have become recognised for may be regarded as revolutionary within the health drinks industry. Innocent’s market methodologies, developed from the primary brand philosophies and through their five-point plan, in which they aspire to “leave behind a legacy we can be proud of” (Germain, D. 2009, p.166), the company actively engage the consumer in a positive and optimistic way, without excessive campaigning for the need for a healthy lifestyle or the importance of a balanced diet, as other marketing strategies within the industry may depend upon, but, instead, to use subtle wit, humour and a friendly, humanist manner, which actively creates a feeling of approachable familiarity and positive brand association for the consumer. Since Innocent Drinks’ establishment in 1999, many other health drinks have been introduced to the industry, riding upon the retail success of Innocent. Other existing companies, such as PJ Smoothies, established in 1994 by parent brand, and juice retailer, Copella. After being bought by Pepsi Cola in 2005 for £20 million after an initial success and dominant market share, the brand was dismissed from their product range in 2008, when data released showed that Innocent was now responsible for 72% of market share (PepsiCo to scrap PJ Smoothies, 2012, http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/pepsico-to-scrap-pj-smoothies/2063155.article). Despite being owned by a multi-national, billion dollar business, the company wasn’t able to defend itself against an independent, British company, and for this, the hugely successful marketing of Innocent is largely creditable.
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