Integrated Marketing Communication: Coca-Cola Company

Overview of Integrated Marketing Communication

Design integrated marketing communication (IMC) for Coca-Cola Company.

Integrated marketing communication is a current marketing strategy that combines different marketing methods to produce quality marketing mix strategy. The marketing strategy involves marketing company products through many advertisements and promotion methods that include online marketing, print media, broadcast and other media. The main focus of this IMC marketing strategy is Coca-Cola Company that exhibits various product lines and brands. Situational analysis of Coca-Cola company reveal based on 5Cs analysis gives details of competitor types and the climate that is mainly environment for the company. Further analysis is based on the SWOT analysis of Coca-Cola Company also forms part of the situational analysis. The objective of the IMC and target of the IMC shows various vital aspects of the marketing strategy. The report explores integrated marketing communication for Coca-Cola Company with a major focus on various elements of the strategy.

Coca-Cola Company is a American company that majorly produce and sell soft drinks through its many branches spread across the world. The company has extend it network to reach more than 200 countries across the globe. The Coca-Cola Company has remain the largest soft drink producer and marketer throughout the world. Coca-Cola Company controls more than 80% of the soft drink market. The company has various brand or products that include Fanta, Coke Zero, Dasani, Diet Coke, Sprite, Coca-Cola Life, Minute Maid, Ciel, Coca-Cola light and Coca-Cola. In addition, the company has diversified some of its products within drinks portfolio to include some other products that are limited to certain countries. The company has also diversified its marketing within main focus on products though previously focused on brand. There are many marketing campaigns currently running across the media with many sporting activities the company involved (Coca-Cola Company 2018a).

Coca-cola has been a strong brand in the beverage market taking center within global beverage market. A more understanding of the business based on the company’s situational analysis shows more information on the coca cola company.  Firstly, the company’s 5Cs gives a clear organization’s environment.

Firstly, company analysis indicates that the Coca-Cola company has an objective that is mainly to be globally known as a business that conducts business responsibly, ethically and to accelerate sustainable growth to operate in tomorrow’s world. The goal of the company is to explore the diversified soft drink market that includes sustainable practices within the market. In addition, the company has to the inspiring mission of refreshing the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness. The posting strategy is based on the ability of the company to penetrate soft drink market with a focus on the global market. Performance of the company has been great with the company leading in the soft drink market (Venter, Wright & Dibb 2015, pp 62–83). the products line of the company consists of many brands that include Fanta, Coke Zero, Dasani, Diet Coke, Sprite, Coca-Cola Life, Minute Maid, Ciel, Coca-Cola light and Coca-Cola among other many products (Coca-Cola Company 2018).

Situational Analysis of Coca-Cola Company

Secondly, there are many different competitors in the soft drink market through the competitors are few since the Coca-Cola has been the dominant company in the soft drink market. PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS) are the main competitors in the market. Moreover, the company has over the years positioned itself in the global soft drink industry that taking a larger market share. For instance, the coca cola company has received a rating of 86.7% with competitors being rated at a combined rating of 47.4%. The company is leading among competitors in the market with the company focusing to increase its products position in the market. Consumers for the products are widespread across the globe reaching over 200 countries worldwide. Coca-cola products are designed to meet the need of a wide variety of consumers within different income capabilities (Sharma 2015, pp 324-335).

The last aspect is a climate that majorly focuses on environmental factors such political environment, economic, social and technological environment. Political environment depends on various countries that have been dominated by the Coca-Cola Company products that have ensured the company operates smoothly in any country. The economic environment has been challenging as the company strives in a dynamic global economic environment where many different countries have their own economic environment. The social environment is majorly focused on various demographic factors such as culture and population structure. For instance, coca cola has been incorporating the culture of the community it operates in during a marketing campaign. One such demographic environment is Coca-Cola Middle East that uses local culture to formulate its marketing campaigns (Weinstein 2014, pp 257-267).

SWOT Analysis of Coca-Cola shows various aspects of the company that includes strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strength of the Coca-Cola is mainly based on its wide products line and good market reputation that make the company dominate the market. Weaknesses include lack of diversified products lines to include other products that are not drinks like its main competitor, Pepsi. Opportunities include wide coverage reaching many companies that have not be reached by the company’s competitors. For instance, there some other countries where the Pepsi has not reach as compared to Coca-Cola. The threat is mainly from company’s competitor with many competitors trying to reach the global goal as Coca-Cola (Kiesha 2016).

Porters five force model also show some company environment factors that give more information on both internal and external environment for competitors of the company. Firstly, the threat of new entrants is low since the company is dominant in the market. Despite new companies coming into soft drink market, Coca-Cola is still holding strategic position hence a low threat. Secondly, the bargaining power of buyers is also low since Coca-Cola prices are already set leaving no room for bargaining among consumers (Coca-Cola Company 2018a). In addition, most prices are set depending on the prevailing economic conditions of the country where the company operates. Thirdly, the threat of substitute is medium as many competitors have their own products that are a substitute for Coke products. Diversification of company products has enabled the company to compete favorably with substitutes such as Pepsi. Fourthly, bargaining power of suppliers is low since most of the raw materials used in the manufacture of products require few suppliers. Suppliers are little allowed to bargain for prices of the raw materials supplied by the company. The rivalry is fierce with many competitors involved in stiff competition within the market (Zenker & Suzanne 2013).    

SWOT Analysis of Coca-Cola Company

The main target of IMC is to reach more than 90% market share of those interacting with products of Coca-Cola Company. The long-term objective of the IMC is to realize relationship interaction between Coca-Cola company products and customer through emotional connections. The main objective of the integrated marketing communication is to reach more consumers within the global soft drink market (Ang 2014). The marketing strategy aims to reach more consumers especially with the current marketing methods that reach a large market. In addition, the strategy is focusing on increasing brand, products and company position within the market. This marketing strategy is based on the need to increase products consumption and market share through various marketing methods. To achieve this objective the marketing strategy will launch campaign with the main focus on designing media that can interact with customers (Coca-Cola Company 2018).

The target audience for the marketing strategy is mainly can be categorized into demographic, geographical, behavioral and psychological.

Firstly, the IMC strategy does not have a specific group that the marketing intend to reach but instead reach all people in the market. The demographic target audience for the marketing strategy comprises of wider coverage in terms of age, gender, and income. The marketing strategy takes into consideration all categories of people within the society. These market targeted by the marketing mix is based on various online platforms. Secondly, the behavioral target is mainly focusing on consumer consumption behavior since the main aim of the marketing strategy is meet the need of every individual (Cheng, Oscar & Yu-Wang 2015, pp 16-26). This implies that the marketing strategy takes into consideration the past data of consumer consumptions in terms of products they consume to incorporate that information into marketing communication. Thirdly, the Geographical target for the marketing mix is a global platform with all country targeted. The main focus of the IMC is to increase products position in the global market and this is evidence for the global geographical focus of the marketing communication. Lastly, the marketing target various lifestyle of consumers with the main focus on making the coke which is the core product. The strategy targets to make company’s products of the company part of every lifestyle in the market (Dowhan 2013, pp 32-38).  

Marketing budget takes into consideration various components of the integrated marketing communication such as designing of the media advert, that include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and mobile applications. The budget also takes into consideration the designing, maintaining and evaluating the advert throughout the marketing period. This implies that the IMC budget factor in various methods that are used in marketing and the cost of effecting such methods (Smartsheet 2018).

Porter’s Five Force Model Analysis of Coca-Cola Company

The main strategy and mock-up that will be used within this marketing strategy is interactive social media marketing mock-up. The integrated marketing communication strategy and mock-up consist of designed online advertisement application that allows interaction of online users interact with the application (Goldfarb & Tucker 2010). The product mock-up strategy can be divided into two stages mainly based on designing and deployment over the social media platforms. The main product that forms the core of marketing target is Coke since the company aims to make the product its major brand for the company. In addition, the marketing strategy aims to meet the current online high number of users that can be reached within a shorter period of time. The campaign also targets to realize high marketing percentage in terms of the market that is reached within a shorter period of time (Dahl, Low & Eagle 2015, pp 226-240).

Designing and deployment of the media

The market strategy is divided into two design and deployment of the social marketing mock-up. Firstly, designing of the mock-up involves various products that the company sells with coke being the core product. This strategy consists of pictures of consumers from all walks of life holding their bottle of Coke enjoying happenings. Another part of the marketing advert includes an interface that allows users to predict their some lifestyle feelings. This interaction is based on the taste of the feeling campaign that forms the main campaign of the company. Upon clicking your feeling box a drop box appears that will give users opportunity to share their feeling with other over the social media. This will ensure that many users as possible click the advert and share it with others over the internet. Secondly, deployment of the media over the internet is mainly done through social media page for Coca-Cola Company. For instance, the IMC advert will be deployed on the social media through company page on Facebook and allow those people who are subscribers of the company’s share the advert. Upon share of the advert, users are given the opportunity to share their feeling of happiness as generated by the application (Graphic Resources 2018).

Interaction with marketing media

Interaction with the media is mainly through a share of feelings after taking a bottle of coke products. The media is designed with a question asking media users the products they like within Coca-Cola Company products. These company products are listed in the media that give the user feeling about a product they choose. In order to view the result of the media user must share the advert first over the social media. This allows the media to reach all friends that are connected to a single user of social media. The main focus of this interaction is to ensure that the campaign reaches as many people as possible within a shorter period of time (MMC Learning 2015).

Target Audience for Coca-Cola Company Integrated Marketing Communication

Other media include a set of banners that are printed an erected at a different position within the country. These banners are customized in a more attractive appearance with a picture of coca cola products. In addition, the media takes into consideration pictures from locals as a way to promote a culture of the local community. Coca-Cola products that will form the core of these adverts include Fanta, Coke, Sprite, and Dasani. Secondly, strong public relations are also required as this will help in building the brand reputation within the market (Zhou & Chen 2016, pp 721–735). Public relations are designed following major areas of public events, press releases, and sponsorship among others. For instance, the marketing team will organize sports events where various products are sold and information pertaining company products is also given to the clients. This will also include other events that ensure that company officials interact with clients or customers at their comfort (Kitchen & Burgmann 2015, pp 34–39).

There are many different media schedule methods that can be used to design this marketing strategy. The method of media scheduling used in this IMC is Pulsing that combine both seasonal marketing and continuity scheduling methods. The two aspect of the media scheduling methods takes into consideration various seasons of consumption that require high intensive marketing campaign. Firstly, the media schedule utilizes continuity media schedule that will run throughout the year without considering the season of the year since the Coca-Cola products are mostly consumed throughout the year. This, therefore, requires media schedule that will run throughout the year (Zhou, Junjie & Chen 2016, pp 721–735). Secondly, a flighting method is also applied in the media schedule to utilize some festive seasons where Coca-Cola are consumed most within the country and throughout the world. The main focus of the IMC is to achieve high market target irrespective of the season and also to achieve high target during festive seasons of the year. Pulsing, therefore, come in to combine the tow marketing advertisement schedules for a better outcome of the media campaign. The table below, therefore, gives a summary of the media schedule that is used in a marketing campaign (MBASkool.com 2018).

Coca-cola IMC strategy aims to position the company within the global soft drink market. one of the strategies of the coca cola has been to re-position its brand in the market and putting product over the brand (Sherlock 2014). The main theme that the marketing strategy will use is the company’s global approach that is based on “think global, act locally”. In addition, the company for a long time has been focusing on brand positioning within the market. Currently, the company has shifted its focus on products positioning in the global market. Some of the examples of products positing theme that this IMC will utilize are the company’s campaign named ‘Taste the feeling’. In order to ensure this global positioning, the marketing communication seeks to make the core product that is coke part of daily life. Moreover, the strategy aims to build brand loyalty that will help consumers increasing brand purchasing hence “Live the coke side of life” (Cola Wars 2012).

Marketing Budget for Coca-Cola Company Integrated Marketing Communication

The timeline for the marketing strategy is expected to last for a year before evaluation of the progress of the media campaign. The campaign timeline is scheduled to occur both seasonally and continuously throughout the year according to pulsing media scheduling (Kitchen & Burgmann 2015, pp 34–39). Firstly, one version of the advert is expected to run throughout the year for the first one year after which the evaluation will give the next advertisement season. Besides continuous advertisement, the media is also expected to run during major seasons of the year to ensure that these seasons that are always characterized by high coca cola consumption also realize the impact of advertisement. For instance, some seasons such as October to December is a high consumption season will also experience high advertisement running to attract the attention of consumers. In addition, some season such as in April where it is holidays and many youths consume a high quantity of soft drink (Kelley & Jugenheimer 2008).

Campaign evaluation takes into consideration the main media strategy which is interactive social media campaign. The marketing communication method will be evaluated based on a number of media shares, the number of new subscribers and the number of company web subscribers achieved within this period of the campaign (Habibi 2016, pp 19-40). Firstly, the number of media shares over the social media indicates the number of people that have been reached by the marketing campaign. These numbers also show those people able to interact with the campaign media and this is also tied to the success of the campaign. Designing of the media considered various products of the company and shares were based on brand or product preference by social media users. Therefore, the number of shares also gives the number of various products preferred by customers. And this will help show which product should be focused on company marketing (Bruhn, Schoenmueller & Schäfer 2012).

Secondly, the number of new social media subscribers that have taken part in the campaign represents those that were not initial customers yet has liked the product of the company. In addition, this number of new subscribers also represents those customers that were not initially reached by the marketing campaign about products. The number of new customers willing to subscribe to social media constitutes those customers with feeling to be part of the campaign (Lucia, Barrio-Garcia & Kitchen 2012, pp 313-348).

Advertisement Method for Coca-Cola Company Integrated Marketing Communication

Thirdly, the number of website subscribers is expected to increase and new subscribers are also used to show that the media successful reached the market. The number of website subscribers is also used to determine the customer brand interaction that gives brand priority to customers. Those customers that are subscribed to the company has their data reflected in the company’s information system. This is used to evaluate the consumer behavior toward company products (Luxton, Reid & Mavondo 2015, pp 37-46).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the integrated marketing communication currently forms core marketing strategy that enables the business to promote its products through various methods. A model company that the report designs the IMC strategy for is Coca-Cola Company and has a wide variety of products and brands. Some of the major areas of the focus of the marketing strategies to built on the business situational analysis. The objective of the marketing strategy is clear giving the target audience and market for the marketing mix. In addition, the marketing strategy also takes into account positioning strategy that the strategy aims to achieve over the marketing period. Marketing communication is based on interactive social media marketing strategy giving the media schedule and media time. Lastly, the report gives various evaluation strategies that will help the company evaluate the effectiveness of the media

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