Promotion

Coca-Cola utilises different methods of promotion to push the sales of their products and reach worldwide audiences, helping to maintain recognisability and trust in their brand name for now and the foreseeable future.

One of the ways Coca-Cola maintained a strong brand was investing in advertising, which contributed to building a bold identity. Their logo and branding design was built on the modified Spencerian typeface placed over a sharp red backdrop. This unique design helped develop Coca-Cola’s own identity in the public eye, helping to stand out against any competitors and remain instantly recognisable.

This branding helped build Coca-Cola’s name in the public eye, but their reinvention of Santa Claus during the Great Depression in 1934 turned the company into a cultural phenomenon. Illustrator Haddon Sundblom created a brand new design through the method of oil painting. The seasonal figure was depicted delivering presents and good tidings to suburban families and children across the country, while drinking a bottle of Coca-Cola. This promotional artwork helped increase the company’s market share by 5%, which, in turn, created a significant boost of sales for Coca-Cola.

The artworks done by Sundblom were presented to customers on accessories sold at convenience stores, such as postcards, to convey an emotional message about hope and generosity in the troubling times of the Great Depression, while also solidifying the brand’s association with the holiday season to this day.

Coca-Cola also demonstrated a great deal of understanding and respect of their target market in 1985, when they released a new variation of their classic soft drink, called ‘New Coke’. The unique formula was designed to be a sweeter alternative to their old formula to rival Pepsi’s rise over their new flavours, however, it was quickly turned down by the public after its release. Following a huge wage of negative reception from customers, Coca-Cola discontinued their ‘New Coke’ formula, and the old formula drink was restored. Sales surged immediately afterwards, as a result of Coca-Cola’s actions to further maintain their reputation with the public audience.

Coca-Cola have established themselves as a long-term partner and sponsor for many popular music and sports festivals, including the Olympics, with their partnership dating back to 1928 Netherlands games. New zero sugar and low calorie flavours such as Coke Zero, as well as several dietary sports drinks have been made available under the Coca-Cola umbrella as their association with the Olympics continues to this day. These dietary brands include Pump water and the Powerade sports drink, which is sold for patrons or provided to athletes for free at global and local sporting events. This has proven to be highly impactful, strengthening their own brand from their 90-year history together, with their products being made available to over 200 countries around the globe since then.

In conclusion, I highly believe Coca-Cola’s strengths in advertising, partnership with other brands and events and their understanding of their own target market makes them successful when it comes to promotion. As a brand, they remain timeless, having overcome several financial and social challenges by utilising different methods of communication to a professional degree. As a company, they continue to demonstrate their diverse strengths in marketing and advertising that solidify their position in the Fortune 500.