Week 5: part 1C and part 3C

Integrated Strategic Marketing Plan: Section Five

Part 1- Research Development

C.     Online Survey Analysis

Online survey results can be a really constructive way to get information on the market a company is a part of. They can give companies a glimpse into the opinion of a target market on certain products or of an entire industry. Coca-Cola is a leader in the soda beverage sector, so knowing the current trends of soda consumption is crucial to successful campaigns. A survey by the polling company, Gallup, in 2012 found that about 48% of American’s drink at least one glass of soda per day (Saad, 2012). Another survey by polling company FiveThrityEight found that American’s soda consumption during an average day peaks at about noon (a typical time for lunch), but there is still a large population who drink soda products late into the evening (Chalabi, 2014). This is in comparison to coffee consumption, which most consumers are only willing to drink between the hours of 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Chalabi, 2014). Then there is a more defined survey by Rasmussen Reports asking whether Americans prefer Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Coca-Cola was the clear choice for Americans with 73% having a favorable opinion of the company as a whole (Rasmussen Reports, 2012).

All of this data could be used to create an effective marketing campaign. The survey information from FiveThirtyEight could define how the company portrays the average Coca-Cola consumer. The product could be shown as a drink of choice at night and during the daytime. And by analyzing the questions used to find the results for the Gallup poll, Coca-Cola might be able to define what the 48% of soda drinkers are looking for in a soda drink. This could really define how effectively the company reaches its target market.

Part 3- Marketing Programs and Marketing Strategies

C. Public Relations

             The Coca-Cola Company’s public relations strategy for Coca-Cola Plus should not stray too far from the advertising or promotional campaigns, but it should be based more around media communications. Public relations strategy is all about creating a positive image for the company through media outlets. So, in order to create the right image for Coca-Cola Plus, the company will reach out to publications that talk about healthy eating. Magazines like Women’s Health or Prevention, often talk about healthy recipes and new health trends so mentioning Coke Plus would fit right in, because it is meant to be a healthier alternative to regular Coke, Coke Zero, or competitors offerings. This would create the right image for Coca-Cola Plus while simultaneously advertising the product.

References

Chalabi, M. (2014). More Cola Than Juice: America’s Favorite Beverages. Retrieved from https://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/more-cola-than-juice-americas-favorite-beverages/

Rasmussen Reports. (2012). Americans Prefer Coke Over Pepsi. Retrieved from http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/americans_prefer_coke_over_pepsi

Saad, L. (2012). Nearly Half of Americans Drink Soda Daily. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/156116/nearly-half-americans-drink-soda-daily.aspx