Coca-Cola Marketing Strategy

1) Discuss the attitudes and related beliefs toward coca-cola of intensely brand- loyal consumers (perhaps like those who were upset by the new coke in 1985). How might their attitudes and beliefs differ from those of less involved, less loyal consumers? What marketing implications would these differences have? 2) Do you think it’s possible for consumers to be loyal to more than one brand of soft drink? What about more than one brand of cola? Discuss the pros and cons of having several brands in a product category (as do coca-cola and Pepsi in the cola category). Compare the strategy of line extension to that of creating completely distinct brands for these products. What factors should marketers consider in making this important decision?

3) Many marketers made a distinction between customers and consumers. For instance, coca-cola sells cola syrup directly to its customers, the operators of bottling plants. The bottlers sell bottled coke products to retailers, vending machine operators, restaurants, airlines, and so forth. Those organizations, in turn, sell coca-cola products to individual consumers who drink it. Discuss how the salient beliefs about coke products might differ for customers and consumers. How might their attitudes toward coke differ? Who should coca-cola pay more attention to its customers or the consumer? Why?

4) Discuss coca-cola’s various strategies for managing brand equity of its many products. For instance, what are the pros and cons of borrowing versus creating brand equity? Analyze coke’s attempt to revive brand equity by reintroducing the contour bottle around the world.

5) What is your opinion about the effects on consumer attitudes and intentions of coca-cola’s proliferation of choice alternatives? Why do you think