MLA Annotated Bibliography

Central Question: What is Coca-Cola’s marketing strategy and why is it effective?

Source 1:

Bullas, Jeff. "5 Lessons from Coca Cola's New Content Marketing Strategy." Jeffbullass Blog RSS. 30 Sept. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

The source contains information regarding Coca-Cola’s marketing strategy, highlighting their mission. Coca-Cola’s mission statement is to refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, and create value and make a difference. The brand recognized that it needed to utilize both creative excellence, which is at the center of their advertising, and content excellence, to be used on a social scale through different lessons. Lesson one states that they want to create ideas that cannot be controlled, known as liquid content, through social media. Lesson two ensures that content is linked to the brand, customer interest, and the company’s business objectives.  Lesson three is to create conversations and allow distribution technologies to connect consumers and empower them. Lesson four is concerned with dynamic storytelling, meaning being multifaceted in order to evolve and spread the story. Lesson five is to be brave and creative, allowing both low and high risk campaigns.

This source shows the importance behind Coca-Cola’s multifaceted marketing campaign. The mission of the company is what drives its business strategy and is ultimately the reason it is effective.  The source points out that the company utilizes the branding to refresh the world and create happiness and seems to never settle for what they have. The strategy of creating liquid content is explored, for if that were not utilized, the company would not be growing. The essential effectiveness of the marketing revolves around the ability to adapt and change due to the environment at the time. Another reason their strategy is effective is its ability to work beyond their original marketing by creating ways in which consumers can promote the product themselves.

Source 2:

Carpenter, Lee. "Best Global Brands 2012 - Coca-Cola." Interbrand Best Global Brands 2012. Interbrand, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

The source evaluates the power of the Coca-Cola brand and its affect. The brand itself is highly recognizable, is always evolving, and promises fun, freedom, and refreshment. The company is able to keep the nostalgia of the brand while keeping the marketing new and different. The company utilizes promotions such as celebratory anniversary ads and the Olympics. Coca-Cola scored at over 90% of brand awareness in countries like the US and France. The presence at the Olympics gives a platform to a global audience while building tradition and recognition with the games. Still the brand proves to be agile, adapting to local markets and never ruining the legacy. It recently is embracing the digital market, engaging in ‘Coca-Cola Music’ and aiding in matters of all kinds such as the polar bears or politics.

The source highlights the different outlets in which Coca-Cola advertises. The multifaceted campaigns give the company essentially endless possibilities for marketing, allowing the creation of numerous ideas. The many outlets give the company numerous changes to interact with people and build a foundation. The company’s involvement in the Olympic games allows the company to expand their marketing to new targets, all while building a stronger relationship with those that are already customers.

Source 3:

Linem, Kasi. "Marketing Mixx." Marketing Mixx RSS. .17 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Mar. 2013.

The source highlights logistics of the Coca-Cola marketing strategy. The target market is not limited to age, area, or gender. The brand wants to be present globally and currently has over 500 brands in 200 countries. Coca-Cola wants to achieve aims such as maximum consumption of their product, maximum outlets, brand association, and invest in research, aid in safety and health of consumers. Key strategies include availability, affordability, and acceptability, periodic assessment of plans and product response, engaging in partnerships. The company had a net income last year of over 11 billion, allowing a large marketing budget. The marketing mix of Coca-Cola includes the product, price, placement, promotion, competitors, and changing tactics. Some strengths include its brand name that is highly trusted and its availability all over the world. Its largest weakness is its brand deals only in drinks and could expand into snacks or other items.    

This source evaluated the strategy itself and essentially lays in all of in a format that allows maximum drink movement. The maximum consumption gave the company aims to spread as far over the world as possible. It highlights the effectiveness of using sports ads to advertise and how this spread the brand. The main function of Coke’s advertising is to spread to as many markets as possible to increase things such as brand associations. The brand however uses the marketing to promote Coke’s numerous acts and events coming up.