coca cola business case study

The Leading Source of Insights On Business Model Strategy & Tech Business Models

Coca-Cola’s Business And Distribution Strategy In A Nutshell

Coca-Cola’s distribution strategy involves initial investments in bottling partners, transitioning to a franchising model . Exclusivity agreements, marketing investments, and a hybrid approach balance control and independence. As bottling operations stabilize, they’re re-franchised, enabling global expansion with low capital expenditure. This differs from McDonald’s, which emphasizes real estate control in its franchising.

Coca-Cola follows a business strategy (implemented in 2006) where it invests initially in bottling partners’ operations through its operating arm – the Bottling Investment Group.

As they take off, Coca-Cola divests its equity stakes and establishes a franchising model as a long-term growth and distribution strategy .

Table of Contents

The secret isn’t in the secret formula but in its distribution strategy .

The Coca-Cola Company’s business model is based on five large independent bottling partners.

In 2019, these five bottling partners represented 40 percent of the total unit case volume the company sold.

Coca-Cola has separate agreements with bottling partners for manufacturing and selling the company’s products.

As specified by Coca-Cola,

“The bottler’s agreements generally authorize the bottlers to prepare, package, distribute and sell Company Trademark Beverages in authorized containers in an identified territory. The bottler is obligated to purchase its entire requirement of concentrates or syrups for the designated Company Trademark Beverages from the Company or Company-authorized suppliers.”

Coca-Cola typically agrees to refrain from selling or distributing, or from authorized third parties to sell or distribute, the Company Trademark Beverages throughout the identified territory, to guarantee bottling partner exclusivity under that territory and product.

However, Coca-Cola typically reserves the right to manufacture and distribute its trademarked products and brands.

In exchange, Coca-Cola also participates in its bottling partners’ sales and marketing activities.

For instance, in 2019, Coca-Cola spent $4.4 billion in promotional and marketing programs with bottling partners.

Coca-Cola’s short-term chain, long-term franchise-model

Coca-Cola’s strategy for building, growing, and maintaining its distribution system is pretty fluid.

Indeed, in most cases, Coca-Cola leverages a network of independent bottling partners.

In some cases, Coca-Cola places strategic investments in some bottling partners’ operations.

It does that either to enable entry into a local market by leveraging Coca-Cola’s group resources or to maintain control of the bottling partner.

In the long-term, Coca-Cola will divest its stake as the bottling partner operations take off, thus enabling Coca-Cola to keep its capital requirements low while keeping a minor stake in the bottling partner, thus guaranteeing control and cooperation.

Therefore, the distribution system and the bottling partners are organized as a hybrid approach between chain and franchise.

Where in the short term, Coca-Cola acts as a chain of bottling companies. Long-term, it acts more like franchising, where bottling partners are kept mostly independent yet tied to the Coca-Cola brand .

This mixed distribution system of owned and non-owned bottling partners is the Coca-Cola system which sold 30.3 billion unit cases in 2019.

Trademark Coca-Cola accounted for 43 percent of U.S. unit case volume.

Re-franchising or “going franchise”

For instance, in 2019, Coca-Cola acquired controlling interests in bottling operations in Zambia, Kenya, and Eswatini.

As those bottling operations will become stable and established over time, Coca-Cola will re-franchise them.

Therefore, it will sell its controlling stake, having a franchisor-franchisee relationship with those bottling partners.

In some cases, it might keep a minor equity stake to keep more control over the operations.

In 2018, for instance, Coca-Cola had a few hundred million in proceeds as it re-franchised its Canadian and Latin American bottling operations.

This is how Coca-Cola keeps its CAPEX low while still keeping control of the bottling operations and enabling expansion and capillary distribution !

This is how Coca-Cola represents its system:

https://author-prod-go-aem6-4.coke.com/assetdetails.html/content/dam/journey/us/en/testimages/sustainability-story-desktop-703x450.jpg

While in the directly owned bottling facilities, Coca-Cola sells directly, independent bottling partners manage distribution in the concentrate operations.

Therefore, Coca-Cola makes money by selling its concentrate to bottling partners ( they must place an entire order for the concentrate available in that territory as part of the bottling agreement ).

To handle those operations, Coca-Cola introduced 2006 the Bottling Investment Group, which managed the bottling operations’ acquisition, divestment, and re-franchising.

The graphic below gives a good picture of the overall process and strategy which has been implemented since 2006:

Coca-Cola vs. McDonald’s distribution strategy

Here we can draw the difference between Coca-Cola’s and McDonald’s distribution strategies.

Both companies have found an ingenious way to scale up operations while maintaining control over the business.

In the case of Coca-Cola, the company employs a franchained model , where the company first controls operations in the short term.

Once those have been established, it moves to a licensing/partnership/exclusivity model , where it can keep control of its bottling partners while making its overall organization lighter.

McDonald’s also employs an interesting model , which is a heavily franchised one.

Indeed, as of 2023, most McDonald’s restaurants are franchises.

Yet, to keep lousy control over the franchising operations, McDonald’s directly negotiate lease terms, and it’s usually the owner/or primary renter of the land where the franchising operations sit.

In this way, McDonald’s lessens the cost of owning and operating franchises directly, while still allowing franchise restaurants to follow the company’s policies via its lease operations.

In that respect, McDonald’s is more of a real estate company than a restaurant business.

Key takeaways

An ingenious distribution network and the system drive the Coca-Cola business model.
Beginning in 2006, Coca-Cola established the Bottling Investment Group, which invests initially in bottling companies by bringing them under the control and ownership of Coca-Cola.
As local operations are established, and marketing and distribution activities run efficiently, Coca-Cola divests its controlling stakes, thus forming a franchising relationship with its bottling partners.
Bottling partners keep an exclusivity agreement with other third-parties bottling companies to produce or distribute under the territories those bottling partners control. For the products they bottle up, Coca-Cola also reserves its right to manufacture and distribute its products.
Coca-Cola, in turn, sells concentrate to those bottling companies, which act as franchisees for the branded Coca-Cola products.

Key Highlights of Coca-Cola’s Distribution Strategy:

Investment and Franchising Model : Coca-Cola’s distribution strategy , implemented in 2006, involves initially investing in bottling partners’ operations through the Bottling Investment Group (BIG) and later transitioning to a franchising model for long-term growth and distribution .
Distribution as a Key Factor : The success of Coca-Cola’s distribution strategy is seen as a crucial element in the company’s overall business strategy , even more so than the secret formula of its beverages.
Five Large Independent Bottling Partners : Coca-Cola relies on five major independent bottling partners to handle a significant portion of its distribution . These partners accounted for 40 percent of the total unit case volume sold by the company in 2019.
Bottling Agreements : Coca-Cola has specific agreements with its bottling partners for manufacturing and selling its products. These agreements grant bottlers the rights to prepare, package, distribute, and sell Coca-Cola products within authorized territories.
Exclusivity and Control : Coca-Cola typically grants exclusivity to its bottling partners within their designated territories and products. However, Coca-Cola reserves the right to manufacture and distribute its trademarked products and brands, allowing it to maintain some control.
Investment in Marketing : Coca-Cola actively participates in its bottling partners’ sales and marketing activities, investing substantial amounts in promotional and marketing programs. For example, in 2019, the company spent $4.4 billion on such activities.
Hybrid Distribution Approach : Coca-Cola’s distribution system is a hybrid approach, combining elements of both company-owned bottling facilities (short-term chain) and franchising (long-term). This allows Coca-Cola to maintain control while keeping bottling partners independent.
Re-Franchising Strategy : As bottling operations become stable and established over time, Coca-Cola re-franchises them by selling its controlling stake. In some cases, the company retains a minor equity stake to ensure control.
Global Expansion and Capillary Distribution : Coca-Cola’s distribution strategy enables it to expand globally while keeping capital expenditure (CAPEX) low. This approach allows the company to maintain control over bottling operations and ensure widespread distribution .
Comparison with McDonald’s : Coca-Cola’s distribution model differs from that of McDonald’s, which also employs franchising but focuses on controlling real estate and lease terms to maintain control over franchise operations.

Read Next: Coca-Cola’s Business And Distribution , Coca-Cola Mission Statement and Vision , Coca-Cola Competitors , What Does Coca-Cola Own? , Coca-Cola PESTEL Analysis , Coca-Cola SWOT Analysis , Coca-Cola Vs. Pepsi.

More Resources

About The Author

Gennaro Cuofano

Discover more from fourweekmba.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

70+ Business Models
Airbnb Business Model
Amazon Business Model
Apple Business Model
Google Business Model
Facebook [Meta] Business Model
Microsoft Business Model
Netflix Business Model
Uber Business Model

Coca-Cola Marketing Case Study

From the star ‘Coca-Cola’ drink to Inca Kola in North and South America, Vita in Africa, and Thumbs up in India, The Coca-Cola Company owns a product portfolio of more than 3500 products . With the presence in more than 200 countries and the daily average servings to 1.9 billion people, Coca-Cola Company has been listed as the world’s most valuable brand with 94% of the world’s population recognizing the red and white Coca-Cola brand Logo . Moreover, 3.1% of all beverages consumed around the world are Coca-Cola products. All this because of its great marketing strategy which we’ll discuss in this article on Coca-Cola Marketing Strategy .

Coca-Cola –

has a Market capitalization of $192.8 Billion (as of May 2016).
had 53 years of consecutive annual dividend increases.
with the revenue of over $44.29 billion, is not just a company but an ECONOMY.

The world knows and has tasted the coca cola products. In fact, out of the 55 billion servings of all kinds of beverages drunk each day (other than water), 1.7 billion are Coca-Cola trademarked/licensed drinks.

Marketing history

Market research in the beginning.

It all started 130 years ago, in 1886, when a Confederate colonel in the Civil War, John Pemberton, wanted to create his own version of coca wine (cola with alcohol and cocaine) and sent his nephew Lewis Newman to conduct a market research with the samples to a local pharmacy (Jacobs pharmacy). This wasn’t a new idea back then. The original idea of Coca wines was discovered by a Parisian chemist named Angelo Mariani.

Pemberton’s sample was sold for 5 cents a glass and the feedback of the customers was relayed to him by his nephew. Hence, by the end of the year, Pemberton was ready with a unique recipe that was tailored to the customers taste.

Marketing Strategy In The Beginning

Pemberton soon had to make it non-alcoholic because of the laws prevailing in Atlanta. Once the product was launched, it was marketed by Pemberton as a “Brain Tonic” and “temperance drink” (anti-alcohol), claiming that it cured headaches, anxiety, depression, indigestion, and addiction. Cocaine was removed from Coke in 1903.

The name and the original (current) Trademark logo was the idea of Pemberton’s accountant Frank Robinson, who designed the logo in his own writing. Not changing the logo till date is the best strategy adopted by Coca-cola.

Soon after the formula was sold to Asa G Candler (in 1889), who converted it into a soda drink, the real marketing began.

Candler was a marketer. He distributed thousands of complimentary coca-cola glass coupons, along with souvenir calendars, clocks, etc. all depicting the trademark and made sure that the coca cola trademark was visible everywhere .

He also painted the syrup barrels red to differentiate Coca-Cola from others.

Various syrup manufacturing plants outside Atlanta were opened and in 1895, Candler announced about Coca-Cola being drunk in every state & territory in the US.

The Idea Of The Bottle

During Candler’s era, Coca-Cola was sold only through soda fountains. But two innovative minds, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead, secured from Candler exclusive rights (at just $1) for bottled coca cola sales.

But Coca-Cola was so famous in the US that it was subjected to imitations. Early advertising campaigns like “Demand the genuine” and “Accept no substitutes” helped the brand somewhat but there was a dire need to differentiate. Hence, in 1916, the unique bottle of Coca-Cola was designed by the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. The trademark bottle design hasn’t been changed until now.

Coca-Cola Worldwide

In 1919, Candler sold the company to Robert Woodruff whose aim was to make Coca-Cola available to anyone, anytime and anyplace. Bottling plants were set up all over the world & coca cola became first truly global brand.

Robert Woodruff had some other strategies too. He was focused on maintaining a standard of excellence as the company scaled. He wanted to position Coca-Cola as a premium product that was worthy of more attention than any of its competitors. And he succeeded in it. Coca-Cola grew rapidly throughout the world.

Coca-Cola Marketing Strategies

The worldwide popularity of Coca-Cola was a result of simple yet groundbreaking marketing strategies like –

Consistency

Consistency can be seen from the logo to the bottle design & the price of the drink (the price was 5 cents from 1886 to 1959). Coca-Cola has kept it simple with every slogan revolving around the two terms ‘Enjoy’ and ‘happiness’.

From the star bottle to the calendars, watches and other unrelated products, Candler started the trend to make Coca-Cola visible everywhere. The company has followed the same branding strategy till now. Coca-Cola is everywhere and hence has the world’s most renowned logo.

Positioning

Coca-Cola didn’t position itself as a product. It was and it is an ‘Experience’ of happiness and joy.

Franchise model

The bottling rights were sold to different local entrepreneurs , which is continued till now. Hence, Coca-cola isn’t one giant company, it’s a system of many small companies reporting to one giant company.

Personalization & Socialization

Unlike other big companies, Coca-Cola has maintained its positioning as a social brand. It talks to the users. Coca-Cola isn’t a company anymore. It’s a part of us now. With its iconic advertising ideas which include “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” & “Share a Coke”, it has maintained a special spot in the heart of its users.

Diversification

Coca-Cola, after marking its presence all over the world, took its first step towards diversifying its portfolio in 1960 by buying Minute Maid. It now operates in all but 2 countries worldwide with a portfolio of more than 3500 brands.

Coca-Cola Marketing Facts

Logo & bottle design hasn’t changed since the start.
During its first year, Coca-Cola sold an average of 9 drinks a day.
Norman Rockwell created art for Coke ads.
Coke has had a huge role in shaping our image of Santa Clause.
In the 1980s, the company attempted a “Coke in the Morning” campaign to try to win over coffee drinkers.
In 1923, the company began selling bottles in packages of six, which became common practice in the beverage industry.
Recently, it was in the news that Verizon acquired Yahoo for around $5 billion which is more or less the same amount the Coca-Cola Company spends on its advertisements.
The number of employees working with the Coca-Cola Company (123,200 to be exact) is more than the population of many countries.

Go On, Tell Us What You Think!

Did we miss something? Come on! Tell us what you think about Coca Cola Marketing Case Study in the comment section.

A startup consultant, digital marketer, traveller, and philomath. Aashish has worked with over 20 startups and successfully helped them ideate, raise money, and succeed. When not working, he can be found hiking, camping, and stargazing.

How Coca-Cola became one of the most successful brands in history

Table of contents.

Coca-Cola has an impressive track record of innovation which has helped propel the company to become one of the most successful brands in history. Through skillful advertising efforts, Coca-Cola is widely recognized as a symbol of American culture through its influence on politics, pop culture, and music around the globe.

Key statistics and facts about The Coca-Cola Company:

Owns 43.7% of the US carbonated soft drinks market
Net operating revenue of $38.7B
Present in more than 200 countries and territories
Employs over over 700,000 along with its bottling partners
Ranked #93 in the Fortune 500
Μarket value of $259.77 billion as of February 2023

Who owns Coca-Cola?

There is no sole owner of Coca-Cola as it is a publicly listed company. However, the largest shareholder is Warren Buffett. Read on as we dive into the history of Coca-Cola's owners and much more below!

The history of The Coca-Cola Company

How it all started.

The story of The Coca-Cola Company had humble beginnings in the late 1800s, in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. John Pemberton, a local pharmacist, had developed a recipe for a sweet syrup that was originally advertised to cure headaches. It was eventually mixed with carbonated water to create a fizzy drink that was served at a soda fountain in Jacobs’ Pharmacy. The first glass of Coca-Cola was served on May 8, 1886. In the first year, Pemberton served approximately nine drinks per day which were sold for 5 cents a glass.

While the ingredient list today is a highly guarded secret, it is well known that the original version contained extracts from the Coca leaf and Kola nuts for caffeine. The combination of these two ingredients is where the name comes from. Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, felt that spelling the name with double “C’s” would look better in advertising. So, he scripted out the logo which even today displays Mr. Robinson’s unique handwriting.

Dr. Pemberton didn’t realize the potential of his new product. He took on several partners and sold portions of his business to various owners. Sadly, Dr. Pemberton died just two years after the creation of Coca-Cola. Prior to his death, he sold his remaining interests to an Atlanta businessman, Asa Griggs Candler. Candler knew there was something special about this new product, but little did he know that his $2,300 investment (roughly $67,000 today) would be the start of one of the most powerful brands on the planet.

Birth of The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company was officially founded by Asa Candler in 1892. It didn’t take long for the Coca-Cola product to quickly spread outside of Georgia and across the nation. By 1895, Coca-Cola was being sold in every state of the union. In 1919, the company was sold to Ernest Woodruff. Woodruff's sons would continue to run the company for many years, transforming the company into a major international brand. The Coca-Cola Company was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1919 under the ticker symbol KO.

International expansion of The Coca-Cola Company

The first export of Coca-Cola was to Cuba in 1899. It wasn’t until the 1920s, that international expansion of the brand began to take off. During World War II, Coca-Cola’s President, Robert Woodruff, wanted to ensure that US service members stationed all over could have the comforts of home and pledged to transport Coca-Cola to the various bases in the European and Pacific theatres on the company’s dime. This introduction of the Coca-Cola product increased international demand. With people all over the world craving a taste of American culture, Coca-Cola began establishing partnerships with bottling companies and distributors all over the world. Today, the brand operates in more than 200 countries and territories.

Early competition

In the early years, Coca-Cola had a lot of competition. In fact, the late 1800s and early 1900s was the most active period in the development of new soft drinks. Some of these companies went out of business or were bought out by other larger companies. However, many of these brands are still in existence today as more novelty brands and hold a very small percentage of the market.

The most prominent competitors to Coca-Cola throughout its history have been Pepsi and Dr. Pepper. They were both created around the same time as Coca-Cola (Pepsi in 1898 and Dr. Pepper in 1885). Over time, these three giants bought up many of the smaller beverage companies. For example, Vernor’s Ginger Ale, Hires Root Beer, and Royal Crown Cola still exist but are now owned by Dr. Pepper.

The Coca-Cola beverage was created in 1886 by Dr. John Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. The recipe was purchased by Asa Griggs Candler and The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. The brand quickly became popular and was sold all over the United States. By the early 20th century, Coca-Cola began a rapid expansion across the globe.

The Coca-Cola system- a global franchise distribution network

The Coca-Cola Company’s rapid expansion around the world can be attributed to its unique franchise distribution system (known as the Coca-Cola System ) that they have operated since 1889. Coca-Cola produces syrup concentrate which is then sold to various bottlers around the world. This helps the company maintain control over its top-secret recipe without the burden of having to run many of the independent bottling facilities.

The Coca-Cola System is a network of over 900 bottling plants that produce 2 billion servings of Coca-Cola every day. The bottlers each hold contracts that allow them to exclusively operate in a predetermined territory. This reduces the need for the competition from multiple companies that sell the same product.

These distributors handle all aspects of the production and distribution process including mixing the syrup with carbonated water and sweeteners, placing the finished product in cans or bottles, and distributing Coca-Cola to supermarkets, vending machines, restaurants, and movie theaters. Although Coca-Cola produces the main syrup, the franchise companies also control the soda fountain business in their territory.

The exception to this model is the North American market where The Coca-Cola Company directly owns most of the bottling and distribution. Outside of the United States, Coca-Cola has continued to encourage the consolidation of its various bottling companies. Over time, Coca-Cola has acquired a percentage of ownership in many of the companies in the Coca-Cola System.

Top 5 independent bottling partners, representing 40 percent of the Coca-Cola System distribution network:

Coca-Cola FEMSA (Latin America)
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, plc (Western Europe, Australia, Pacific, and Indonesia)
Coca-Cola HBC AG (Eastern Europe)
Arca Continental (Latin America and North America)
Swire Beverages (Asia and parts of North America)

Here's an example video from Coca-Cola HBC AG explaining their business model:

The Coca-Cola Company leverages a network of independently owned and operated bottlers around the world. This has enabled the company to quickly expand without having to invest billions of dollars into building facilities and navigating international rules and regulations unique to each region.

Evolution of the Coca-Cola product

The formula for Coca-Cola has undergone a few changes since its creation. Some of these changes were driven by necessity. Some were an attempt to reduce costs or gain market share. While the brand does not make changes often, some have been better received than others.

Removal of cocaine

During the late 19th century, there were many Cocoa-based beverages available on the market. At the time, drugs like cocaine and opium were perfectly legal and used quite frequently for medicinal purposes. Since Coca leaves were used to make Coca-Cola, there were small quantities of cocaine that could be found in the drink.

The public eventually became aware of the addictive properties of these substances, so Coca-Cola was pressured to remove this drug from its list of ingredients. The Coca-Cola Company made steps to gradually phase out sources of cocaine from its production until it was finally eliminated in 1929.

On April 23, 1985, The Coca-Cola Company took a huge risk that shocked the world. They announced that they would be changing the formula of their world-famous soft drink. Despite its massive success, the company had been losing ground to one of its main competitors, Pepsi. Pepsi’s success wasn’t just in the United States. They were quickly expanding into markets that were once considered untouchable. At the height of the Cold War, Pepsi became the first Western product to be permitted in the Soviet Union .

Based on surveys and taste tests, consumers seemed to prefer the sweeter taste of Pepsi-Cola. So, Coca-Cola set out to rework the formula to improve its ability to compete. According to Coca-Cola’s website, their goal was to “re-energize the Coca-Cola brand and the cola category in its largest market, the United States”. After receiving positive feedback from nearly 200k customers in taste tests, New Coke was released to the market.

The public’s response to the new version of their product was outrage. Unfortunately, Coca-Cola miscalculated its customer’s bond with the original brand. Massive protests were staged and the company was flooded with thousands of angry phone calls and letters. The backlash was so fierce that it forced the company to revert back to the old formula after only 79 days on the market, branded as Coca-Cola classic.

This graph demonstrates PepsiCo’s rapid expansion of market share from 1970 to 1990 and subsequent fall.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

While Coca-Cola has vowed not to make any changes to its original product, the company plans to update the recipe and packaging for their popular zero sugar variation, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar . The company has been cautious in its promotion of the new version as to not create a blowback like the 1985 New Coke fiasco. Coca-Cola has reiterated that the new version will not be a major overhaul, rather an “optimization of flavors and existing ingredients”. The rollout is expected to hit the US market by August 2021.

Sweetener changed to high fructose corn syrup

Traditionally, the Coca-Cola recipe called for cane sugar as the primary sweetener. During the 1970s, the United States saw a massive increase in corn production. This forced the prices of corn to drop significantly. In addition, corn was heavily subsidized by the US government. This made sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup more affordable.

In an attempt to reduce costs, Coca-Cola slowly started substituting cane sugar for high fructose corn syrup during the 1980s. The transition took place over the course of approximately 5 years.

Today, cane sugar is still used in the production of Coca-Cola in certain regions of the world. The most popular example is Coca-Cola produced in Mexico. This version of Coca-Cola is still made with cane sugar. Some critics argue that “Mexican Coke” has a flavor that is closer to the original formula.

In 1935, Coca-Cola was certified as kosher after the company replaced the source of glycerin used in production . This was originally derived from beef tallow but was replaced with a plant-based version. However, with the change of sweetener in the 1980s to high fructose corn syrup, its kosher status was removed. Today, bottlers in markets with large Jewish populations will temporarily substitute high fructose corn syrup during Passover to obtain Kosher certification.

Recipe and flavor variations

Despite the utter failure of New Coke in 1985, The Coca-Cola Company has introduced new flavors over time in addition to Coca-Cola classic.

Some consumers avoided Coca-Cola classic because of the high sugar or caffeine content. In 1982, the company released a diet version of their product for consumers who were concerned about consuming too much sugar. A caffeine-free version was also introduced a year later.

The company has also tried different flavor combinations. The first was Coca-Cola Cherry in 1985 which was a huge success and remains popular today. Other flavors included lemon, lime, vanilla, orange, ginger, cinnamon, and coffee. Many of these were attempts to bring local flavors to international markets.

Coca-Cola has achieved enormous amounts of growth by tailoring its products to local tastes and demands. They have also been able to reduce production costs by substituting expensive ingredients such as cane sugar for lower-cost alternatives. Not every change has been well received by the public. Coca-Cola infamously changed their original recipe to replace it with “New Coke”. This change faced fierce backlash and forced the company to bring back the original product after only 79 days on the market.

Coca-Cola Growth Strategy

The company has outlined a list of key objectives that they plan to execute in the coming years to spur additional growth. This strategic plan is intended to guide the company in refocusing efforts and being more intentional with its actions.

Focus on developing markets

Coca-Cola has identified that there is huge growth potential in the developing world. Seventy percent of all beverages being consumed in the developed world are commercialized compared to only 30 percent for the developing world. Considering the developing world contains 80 percent of the world's population, growth is expected to be exponentially higher.

One identified area of opportunity is brand diversification. While Coca-Cola has a strong foothold globally, this is only due to its strong presence in major markets. Outside of sparkling water, Coca-Cola is trailing competitors. The focus will be on gaining momentum in other beverage categories through the experimentation of new products.

Brand portfolio optimization

Bigger isn’t always better. The Coca-Cola Company is realizing that its efforts may be spread across too many individual brands. Their goal is to rebalance their portfolio and consolidate products into fewer master brands. They have already reduced this number from approximately 400 to 200. By having fewer master brands, they can better focus their efforts.

Networked organization

Operating a large corporation comes with challenges. In many cases, there can be inefficiencies and duplicated efforts. Coca-Cola plans to address this by reorganizing its support and operational teams to provide better support and work more effectively.

Brand building

The company plans to deliver world-class marketing through targeted resource allocation. The goal is to be more intentional with the way advertising and marketing investments are made.

Coca-Cola has a goal to increase the frequency that new or existing consumers drink their products. To do this, the company has set targets to significantly increase innovation by bringing more trial products and projects into the pipeline. The goal is to increase this by 40 percent over 2020.

Digital transformation

Coca-Cola understands that data is a powerful tool. They are in the process of undergoing a digital transformation to help the company operate more effectively and leverage data to drive decision-making.

Revenue growth management

With this new data and digital tools available, the company can place a renewed focus on which areas have the most potential for growth. They will focus on understanding which markets, consumers, product lines, and competitors should be addressed.

The Coca-Cola Company is dedicated to growing the business through a skillfully designed and executed strategic plan. Their long-term goals are to focus on expanding the commercial beverage industry in developing countries. They also plan to optimize their product line by reducing the number of master brands, creating new innovative products, changing their internal operations teams to streamline processes, and better leverage data.

The power of advertising- Coca-Cola becomes a household name

A big part of Coca-Cola’s success over the years has been its focus on innovative marketing and advertising campaigns. In 2020, Coca-Cola was ranked as the 6th most powerful brand in the world. This accomplishment didn’t come overnight. Over the years, Coca-Cola has had to work diligently to evolve and bring fresh, new ideas to marketing and advertising.

Large contributions to advertising

Even early on, Asa Griggs Candler spent a considerable amount of money on advertising. His original budget for advertising was $11,000 (over $300,000 in today’s money). By 1900, the budget increased ten-fold to $100,000 and again to $1 million by 1910.

Large advertising budgets are important when a new brand is getting established. As a company grows and becomes well-known, they typically scale back on their advertising budget since most consumers recognize the brand. Coca-Cola, however, has continued to keep the pressure on its competitors. Today, the company spends about 10 percent of its revenue on advertising and marketing. This equates to approximately $4 billion in commercials, print advertising, sponsorships, and other promotional merchandise.

Focus on the brand and human connection

Much of Coca-Cola’s advertising success comes from the way they present their brand. Instead of focusing on the actual product, they emphasize the feeling and camaraderie of making the brand part of one’s identity. Their advertisements are intended to make people feel good about themselves and want to be a part of the experience.

Human connection is an important part of the brand message. One great example of this was the “Hilltop” commercial from 1971 that featured people from different cultures singing “I’d like to buy the world a Coke”. This showed the Coca-Cola brand as one that was intended to unite people around the world.

Celebrity endorsements

Celebrity endorsement is a way to help a brand stand out, especially when targeting specific groups. For example, sports fans will be more likely to purchase a product if their favorite athlete promotes the brand. Over the years, Coca-Cola has been endorsed by numerous high-profile celebrities, athletes, and pop culture icons.

Hilda Clark, an American model, and actress was the first celebrity to endorse the brand in 1900 and was featured in early advertisements. Since then, Coca-Cola has received endorsements from many big-name celebrities such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Magic Johnson, and Elvis Presley.

Coca-Cola in pop culture

The Coca-Cola brand has been a prominent part of American culture for decades. Coca-Cola has skillfully attached itself to key historical events, music, movies, and major holidays.

Coca-Cola and many of its other brands have been featured in numerous films and television programs. For a short time, Coca-Cola even owned Columbia Pictures (from 1982 to 1989) and inserted Coke products into many of its productions. A few examples include:

The 1933 film King Kong displays a Times Square billboard advertisement in several of the scenes.
Coca-Cola products being used in the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
The modern TV series Stranger Things which takes place in the 1980s displays and makes reference to New Coke.

The Coca-Cola Company has also made its way into music across the globe. Elvis Presley promoted Coca-Cola during his last tour in 1977. The UK sensation, The Beatles, made mention of Coca-Cola in a line of their hit song “Come Together”. In addition to lyrical references, the brand has featured musical superstars such as David Bowie, Elton John, and Whitney Houston in Diet Coke commercials.

The Coca-Cola brand has also cleverly attached itself to popular holidays. Some of its most successful campaigns have been displayed over the Christmas holiday. One of the most iconic campaigns started in 1931 with illustrations of St. Nicholas drinking a Coca-Cola. Many credit Coca-Cola with inspiring the modern-day version of Santa Clause.

Clever campaigns and promotions

Coca-Cola has been one of the top innovators in the advertising space. On many occasions, they have used never before seen tactics that both surprised and delighted consumers. Creating an additional buzz around their advertising campaigns helps to amplify whom the campaign reaches directly.

During the 2012 NFL Superbowl, Coca-Cola decided to take a non-traditional approach. The Superbowl is one of the most sought-after advertising opportunities. Each year, approximately 95 million people tune in to watch the championship game. Typically, major brands spend over $5 million for a single 30-second commercial. With the rise of cell phones and other mobile devices, Coca-Cola knew that consumers would be juggling multiple devices during the game. So, they created a family of animated polar bears that would react to the game in real-time on digital media banners and a microsite. The bears would laugh, respond to audience tweets, and make faces. The campaign was a huge success. During the game, over 9 million viewers spent an average of 28 minutes engaging with and watching the polar bears in action.

In 2011, Coca-Cola decided to take a personalized approach to advertise in Australia with their Share a Coke campaign. They selected 150 of the most popular names and printed them on the side of their bottles along with the message “Share a Coke with…”. The campaign encouraged people to share a bottle of Coke with a friend or tag them in a social media post with the hashtag #shareacoke. The campaign was so successful that it was expanded to over 80 countries and led to Coca-Cola’s first sales growth in over 10 years.

Collectible memorabilia

Coca-Cola has created and distributed numerous pieces of branded memorabilia that are highly sought after by collectors including toys, clothing, antique bottles, signs, household items, and old vending machines. The collectible nature of these products has nostalgia of traditional Americana and has further helped to amply the prestige and cultural connection of Coca-Cola to US history. Rare and well-preserved items can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.

The Coca-Cola Company has created one of the most powerful and well-known brands in the world. Over the years, they have embedded themselves as an icon of American culture through music, television, and films. The company spends a significant portion of its annual revenue on advertising efforts including television commercials, social media, and other advertising.

Growth through mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships- becoming an unstoppable force in the food and beverage industry

While The Coca-Cola Company is known for its main products such as Coca-Cola and Diet Coke, the company owns, produces, and distributes over 500 individual brands worldwide. Some of these brands are a result of new products that they created. Others were obtained through mergers, acquisitions, and special partnerships with other major companies.

Key mergers and acquisitions

1960 - Coca-Cola acquires Minute Maid, a producer of juices, soft drinks, and other beverages such as the popular Hi-C brand.
1993 - When Coca-Cola was struggling to gain a foothold in the Indian market, they purchased the popular local brand, Thums Up. Their business now makes up over 40 percent of the cola business in India.
1995 - Acquisition of Barq’s which produces a line of root beers and cream sodas.
1999 - Coca-Cola purchased 50 percent of Inca Kola for $200 million and took control of its marketing and bottling operations.
2001 - Odwalla, a brand of fruit juices, smoothies, and bars was acquired. This company was discontinued in 2020.
2007 - Coca-Cola acquired Fuze Beverage, a producer of teas and fruit drinks that were infused with vitamins and minerals.
2008 - The company purchased 40 percent of Honest Tea, a popular iced tea producer. The remaining shares were purchased in 2011 giving Coca-Cola full ownership.
2013 - Coca-Cola purchased the coconut water company ZICO.
2014 - 16.7 percent of the energy drink manufacturer, Monster Beverage, was sold to Coca-Cola in exchange for a long-term strategic partnership.
2016 - Coca-Cola purchased a portion of Chi Limited, a major distributor of snacks, food, and beverage products in Nigeria. The remaining shares were acquired in 2019.
2017 - Topo Chico, a Mexican sparkling water brand was acquired by Coca-Cola.
2018 - Coca-Cola purchased Costa Coffee making it the owner of the second-largest coffeehouse chain in the world after Starbucks Coffee.
2018 - Organic & Raw Trading Co., the Australian producer of MOJO kombucha was acquired.

Special partnerships

In addition to owning many brands, The Coca-Cola Company has created many successful strategic partnerships that have allowed Coca-Cola to grow exponentially.

One of the most famous partnerships is with McDonald’s. When McDonald’s was just getting started in 1955, it needed a beverage distributor. The two companies struck a deal for Mcdonald's to exclusively sell only Coca-Cola products. McDonald’s eventually grew to become the largest restaurant chain (by revenue) and Coca-Cola products are served in nearly 40,000 of their locations around the world. Other notable restaurant chains that carry Coca-Cola products include Burger King, Chili’s, Chipotle, and Domino’s Pizza.

Coca-Cola has also partnered with numerous venues around the world to sell only Coca-Cola products in their stadiums, theatres, and concert halls. The Coca-Cola Company is a major sponsor of the Olympic Games. In 2017, the company signed a deal with Major League Baseball in which they agreed to drop their competitor Pepsi and only promote Coke products.

Most of Coca-Cola’s growth has come from strategic mergers and acquisitions of companies all over the world. They have been able to expand into new markets by buying companies that already dominate the specialty or space. The company has also developed strategic partnerships with other large companies to exclusively sell Coca-Cola products.

Controversy, regulatory issues, and criticism

Despite the company’s overwhelming success, Coca-Cola has faced a lot of criticism throughout its history. There are many opinions related to the impacts that The Coca-Cola Company has on the environment and consumers alike.

Health concerns

It’s no secret that Coca-Cola is a sugary drink. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), half of all Americans will drink at least one sugary beverage each day. This massive consumption of sugar is leading to an epidemic of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume no more than 6 tsp of sugar each day. A single 12oz can of Coca-Cola contains nearly twice this amount.

With Coca-Cola being the leading company in the food and beverage industry, they have received a lot of negative attention directed towards their contribution to this serious problem.

The company has responded by producing sugar-free or reduced-calorie beverages. They have also expanded their product lines to include healthy alternatives like coconut water.

Environmental issues

Coca-Cola has been identified as the single producer of plastic waste in the world. Much of this plastic is not discarded properly and ends up in the oceans. This has contributed to the ecological disaster due to single-use plastics. This has captured the attention of environmental protection groups who claim that Coca-Cola isn’t doing enough to work toward a reasonable solution. A report from Greenpeace estimates that the company produces over 100 billion plastic bottles every year with no obvious goal to reduce single-use plastic waste.

Coca-Cola has made some efforts to reduce its environmental impact. First, they redesigned their bottles to use less plastic (a process called “lightweighting”). While this does reduce the amount of plastic used in production, it does not reduce the number of bottles that end up in landfills or the ocean. They have also introduced their “PlantBottle” which is made from plant-based materials.

While these are steps in the right direction, most environmental groups question whether these efforts are enough. Coca-Cola appears to be spending large amounts of money lobbying politicians around the world to block legislation that would encourage more environmentally friendly manufacturing. They have also been accused of spending a considerable amount of money on “green marketing” without efforts to back up their claims.

Over the years, The Coca-Cola Company has been the center of controversy due to environmental impact and health concerns due to their products. Coca-Cola has responded by providing low-calorie, sugar-free, and healthy alternatives. They have also worked to reduce their plastic use and seek alternatives as they are the single largest contributor to single-use plastic waste.

Coca-Cola's social media strategy

The Coca-Cola Company is a social media powerhouse with millions of followers across the globe. The company is very intentional with its use of social media platforms and leverages them to drive brand awareness and interaction with customers. There are several key components that have made Coca-Cola’s social media strategy so successful.

Positivity

In 2018, Coca-Cola made a commitment to become the ‘most optimistic brand on social media'. They launched their #RefreshtheFeed campaign in which they completely deleted all of their social media content and started fresh. Consumers embraced this new positive approach and encouraged even more followers who wanted to enjoy the feel-good vibes of their social media posts.

Leverage consumers to create content

While Coca-Cola’s marketing team creates a lot of content for their online platforms, they have successfully leveraged their millions of followers to create content on behalf of the brand. They have used creative hashtag-based campaigns to encourage consumers to post Coca-Cola-themed posts for their friends and family to see. One of the most successful was the #shareacoke campaign which reversed a 10-year stagnant sales record.

Attachment to social issues

The company has a stringent social media policy to ensure that content aligns with the company’s values. In July 2020, Coca-Cola decided to join many other major brands in temporarily halting social media posts and advertisements for a minimum of 30 days. This decision came as a result of concerns about growing hate speech and misinformation on social networks. They’ve regularly supported important civil rights and other social issues over the past few decades which helps consumer groups connect with the brand.

Coca-Cola website

The Coca-Cola Company’s main company website contains various resources for consumers, vendors, and investors. The information included in the website discusses the company’s history, its brands around the world, career opportunities, media center, and investor relations.

According to SimilarWeb, the site is ranked 10th in the Food & Beverage category and receives about 1.8 million visitors each month.

The Coca-Cola Company’s YouTube channel is a platform that is used to post promotional videos and other advertisements from all over the world. The channel was started in 2006, has 3.6 million subscribers, and has nearly 3.5 billion views. About 8 percent of their website traffic comes from YouTube.

Coca-Cola’s LinkedIn account has over 6 million followers. The company uses this platform to post company updates for the business community. It is also used to promote job openings and attract top talent from the LinkedIn community.

Twitter is one of Coca-Cola’s most powerful social media accounts. Their Twitter account ( @CocaCola ) was started in 2009 and has posted nearly 300,000 tweets to its 3.3 million followers. Most of the tweets are short inspirational or funny messages to enhance daily brand awareness or encourage engagement. Coca-Cola’s Twitter account generates 62 percent of the traffic to their website.

Coca-Cola’s Instagram account has 2.8 million followers. The account is mostly used to post promotional stories on the platform.

Coca-Cola’s Pinterest account is used to post drink and food recipes and promote Coca-Cola products like customizable Coke bottles. Their account has about 30,000 followers and receives over 10 million views each month.

With over 105 million followers, Coca-Cola’s Facebook account is massive. It’s the 5th most-followed account on the social media platform, only behind Facebook itself, Samsung, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Real Madrid CF. The site is used to post videos and promotional content in many different languages for their followers.

So, Why is Coca-Cola so Successful?

Few companies can boast the tremendous success and growth that The Coca-Cola Company has enjoyed for over 135 years. This accomplishment can be attributed to industry-leading advertising, innovation of their products, and delivering a positive brand message. Let's take a look at what makes Coca-Cola so successful!

Recap: growth by the numbers

Key takeaways.

Coca-Cola has leveraged a network of independent bottlers around the globe to aid in rapid expansion. These distributors have territorial rights which help prevent competition and price wars.
The Coca-Cola Company has made changes to its main product over the years but learned a very valuable lesson with the introduction of New Coke in 1985. The launch was a disaster and faced a fierce backlash from consumers who demanded the return of the original product.
Coca-Cola’s long-term strategic plan includes focusing on the developing world where consumer beverages have a lot of growth potential, optimizing the number of master brands, revamping their operational network, and leveraging technology and data.
Coca-Cola’s advertising focuses on creating human connections and making people feel good. They have led the advertising world in cutting-edge approaches to marketing that have never been seen before.
Coca-Cola has inserted its brand and products in films and television to become an easily identifiable American icon.
Acquisition of other companies has been a major part of Coca-Cola’s expansion efforts giving them the ability to quickly reach into new markets or acquire existing popular products.
The Coca-Cola company has been the target of criticism due to its potential negative impact on consumer health and the environment.

Work & Careers
Life & Arts

Become an FT subscriber

Try unlimited access Only $1 for 4 weeks

Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Cancel anytime during your trial.

Global news & analysis
Expert opinion
Special features
FirstFT newsletter
Videos & Podcasts
Android & iOS app
FT Edit app
10 gift articles per month

Explore more offers.

Standard digital.

FT Digital Edition

Premium Digital

Print + premium digital.

Today's FT newspaper for easy reading on any device. This does not include ft.com or FT App access.

10 additional gift articles per month
Global news & analysis
Exclusive FT analysis
Videos & Podcasts
FT App on Android & iOS
Everything in Standard Digital
Premium newsletters
Weekday Print Edition

Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

Everything in Print
Everything in Premium Digital

Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

Terms & Conditions apply

Explore our full range of subscriptions.

Why the ft.

See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.

International Edition

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

We're Hiring!
Help Center

Global Business Strategy: A case study of Coca-Cola Company

This paper focuses on global business strategy of Coca-Cola Company. The first part of the paper concentrate on the internal and external analysis of the company in the international business environment as well as the extent of globalisation on the company with a detailed report on different organisational structure being implemented on an international scale. The second part of the paper explicitly congregate issues on Corporate Social Responsibility on organisations operating internationally with regards to moral and ethical issues, conflicts between social responsibilities and ethical issues and regulations/guidance as regards to social responsibilities with emphasis on Coca-Cola company.

Become an AI-powered Digital Marketing Expert

Coca-cola has colossal brand recognition as it targets every customer in the market. Its perfect marketing segmentation is a major reason behind its success.

Firstly, the company targets young people between 10 and 35. They use celebrities in their advertisements to attract them and arrange campaigns in universities, schools, and colleges.
They also target middle-aged and older adults who are diet conscious or diabetic by offering diet coke.

Income and Family Size

It introduces packaging and sizes priced at various levels to increase affordability and target students, middle class, and low-income families and individuals.

Coca-Cola sells its products globally and targets different cultures, customs, and climates. For instance, in America, it is liked by older people too. So, the company targets different segments. It also varies the change accordingly, like the Asian version is sweeter than other countries.

Coca-Cola targets individuals as per their gender. For example, Coca-Cola light is preferred by females, while coke zero and thumbs up are men's favorite due to their strong taste.

Become One of The Highest Paid Digital Marketer

Coca-Cola initially employed an undifferentiated targeting strategy. In recent times, it has started localizing its products for better acceptability. It incorporates two basic marketing channels : Personal and Non-personal.

Personal channels include direct communication with the audience. Non-personal marketing channels include both online and offline media, such as

Promotion Campaigns
PR activities

Social Media

Become an ai-powered business analyst.

A uniquely formulated Coca Cola marketing strategy is behind the company's international reach and widespread popularity. The strategy can be broken down into the following:

Product strategy

Coca-cola has approximately 500 products. Its soft drinks are offered globally, and its product strategy includes a marketing mix. Its beverages like Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, Diet Coke, Light, Coca-Cola Life, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite Fanta, and more are sold in various sizes and packaging. They contribute a significant share and generate enormous profits.

Coca-Cola Products

Master SEO, SEM, Paid Social, Mobile Ads & More

Pricing Strategy

Coca-Cola's price remained fixed for approximately 73 years at five cents. The company had to make its pricing strategy flexible with the increased competition with competitors like Pepsi. It doesn't drop its price significantly, nor does it increase the price unreasonably, as this would lead to consumers doubting the product quality and switching to the alternative.

Place Strategy

Coca-cola has a vast distribution network. It has six operating regions: North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, the Pacific, and Eurasia. The company's bottling partners manufacture, package, and ship to the agents. The agents then transport the products by road to the stockist, then to distributors, to retailers, and finally to the customer. Coca-Cola also has an extensive reverse supply chain network to collect leftover glass bottles for reuse. Thus, saving costs and resources.

Coca-Cola’s Global Marketing

Promotion Strategy

Coca-Cola employs different promotional and marketing strategies to survive the intense competition in the market. It spends up to $4 million annually to promote its brand , utilizing both traditional and international mediums for advertisements.

Classic Bottle, Font, and Logo

Coca-Cola organized a global contest to design the bottle. The contest winner used the cocoa pod's design, and the company used the same for promoting its shape and logo. Its logo, written in Spencerian script, differentiates it from its competitors. The way Coca-cola uses its logo in its marketing strategy ensures its imprint on consumers' minds.

Coca-Cola’s Gripping Advertisements

Localized Positioning

The recent 'Share a coke' campaign, launched in 2018 in almost fifty countries, has been quite a success. The images of celebrities of that region and messages according to the local language and culture of the area target the local market.

Coca-Cola Advertisement Featuring Celebrities

Sponsorships

The company is a well-recognized brand for its sponsorships, including American Idol, the NASCAR, Olympic Games, and many more. Since the 1928 Olympic Games, Coca-Cola has partnered on each event, helping athletes, officials and fans worldwide.

Coca-Cola as Official Olympics Partner

Learn About the Purdue Digital Marketing Bootcamp

With technological advancement, social media and online communication channels have become the most significant part of the Coca-Cola marketing strategy. It actively uses online digital marketing platforms like Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat to post images, videos, and more. The Coca Cola marketing strategy primarily includes SEO , email marketing , content marketing , and video marketing .

Coca-Cola’s Instagram Posts

Become a millennial Digital Marketer in just 6 months. Enroll now for our IMT Ghaziabad Digital Marketing Program course in collaboration with Purdue University!

Become a Certified Marketing Expert in 8 Months

Good marketing strategies build customer loyalty and contribute to a huge market share. Learn how to boost your brand's market value with the Post Graduate Program in Digital Marketing . Upgrade your skill set and fast-track your career with insights from Purdue University experts.

Our Digital Marketing Courses Duration And Fees

Digital Marketing Courses typically range from a few weeks to several months, with fees varying based on program and institution.

Get Affiliated Certifications with Live Class programs

Post graduate program in digital marketing.

Joint Purdue-Simplilearn Digital Marketer Certificate
Become eligible to be part of the Purdue University Alumni Association

Post Graduate Program in Business Analysis

Certificate from Simplilearn in collaboration with Purdue University
PMP, PMI, PMBOK, CAPM, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PBA, RMP, SP, and OPM3 are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

SUGGESTED TOPICS
The Magazine
Newsletters
Managing Yourself
Managing Teams
Work-life Balance
The Big Idea
Data & Visuals
Reading Lists
Case Selections
HBR Learning
Topic Feeds
Account Settings
Email Preferences

Shaking Things Up at Coca-Cola

An Interview with Muhtar Kent by Adi Ignatius

Listen to an excerpt of the interview.Download this podcast Since Muhtar Kent took the helm of Coca-Cola, in July 2008, he has set a course for ambitious, long-term growth—even in a supposedly mature U.S. market—with the goal of doubling revenue by 2020. Kent has tried to rejuvenate an inward-looking, “arrogant” corporate culture and has reinvested […]

Reprint: R1110F

When Muhtar Kent took the helm at Coke, in 2008, he had two top priorities: to establish a long-term vision and to restore growth in North America. The vision called for doubling Coke’s business in 10 years—something “not for the fainthearted,” Kent says, “but clearly doable.” In this edited interview he talks about the role of social media (Coke has 33 million Facebook fans), which today get 20% of the company’s total media spend; the importance of creating sustainable communities to preserve the future of the business; and Coke’s commitment to water neutrality by 2020—which means giving back a liter of water for every one the company uses. As the CEO of a company with 140,000 employees, Kent says, “you can only influence.” He takes a low-key approach, treasures the team, and loves to visit supermarkets and observe customers.

Partner Center

Case Study Of Coca-Cola: What Led To Its Success?

Aashita Singh

Updated on: August 23, 2023

In a world brimming with countless beverages, one name stands tall – Coca-Cola. This fizzy elixir has captured the hearts and palates of billions around the globe, becoming a symbol of refreshment, happiness, and, of course, capitalism. The story of Coca-Cola is not just a tale of sweet bubbles, it’s a narrative of resilience, innovation, and the ability to adapt to the ever-changing tastes of consumers. So let’s pop the top and delve into the remarkable case study of Coca-Cola and what led to its success, and the hurdles it has faced.

Coca-Cola’s Profile:

The year was 1886, and the place was Atlanta, Georgia, where the Coca-Cola saga begins with Dr. John S. Pemberton , a pharmacist with a penchant for experimentation. In the heart of his laboratory, he mixed together a curious blend of coca leaf extract and kola nut, creating a syrupy concoction that he believed had medicinal properties. This brew, initially intended as a patent medicine to soothe headaches and fatigue. But, later on it was mixed with carbonated water to create a fizzy drink. It was first sold at Jacob’s Pharmacy on May 8, 1886.

It was Frank M. Robinson , Dr. Pemberton’s bookkeeper, who gave the concoction its iconic name. He played a pivotal role in the brand’s early history by suggesting the name Coca-Cola and designing the now-famous logo.

He believed that “Coca-Cola” conveyed a sense of euphony and captured the drink’s two main ingredients.
He even penned the flowing script of the Coca-Cola logo that remains an indelible part of the brand’s identity.

Coca-Cola Case Study to Rise to Prominence:

Despite Pemberton’s vision, financial difficulties led to the sale of Coca-Cola formula in 1887 for a mere $2,300.

Its key points:

Asa Griggs Candler , a visionary businessman, acquired the rights to Coca-Cola and embarked on a mission to make it a national sensation.
His aggressive marketing tactics and bold advertising campaigns set the stage for Coca-Cola’s expansion.
In 1894, Candler incorporated The Coca-Cola Company and pushed it for widespread distribution.
Soon, the beverage was available in every U.S state, solidifying its position as an American favorite.
Its sales increased by a phenomenal percentage because of Candler efforts.
The evolution of Coca-Cola would not be complete without mentioning the groundbreaking contour bottle, introduced in 1915.
It is said to be the stroke of genius – the contour bottle.
Designed to be distinctively recognizable even in the dark or shattered into pieces.
This bottle not only protected the secret formula but also became a symbol of Coca-Cola’s commitment to quality.

This curvaceous bottle not only protected the secret formula of the brand itself.
This distinctive packaging contributed to Coca-Cola’s worldwide recognition.

NOTE: We have detailed article about various functions of packaging ! Do check that out!!

In 1919, Ernest Woodruff bought up the company. Thereafter, Ernest’s sons continued to run the company until they transformed it into an international brand. The company was officially listed on the New York stock exchange in 1919 under the symbol KO.

Coca-Cola’s study to International Expansion:

With success at home! Coca-Cola set its sights on global domination. During World War II, the company provided American troops with Coca-Cola, using slogans like “The pause that refreshes” to boost morale.
After the war, international expansion continued, with bottling plants established worldwide.
The introduction of Coca-Cola during the war created its demand in the international market.
After that, Coca-Cola began establishing its partnerships with distributors and bottling companies all around the world.
At present, the company operates and works in more than 200 countries and territories.
Coca-Cola was launched in India in 1956, with the slogan “Refresh Yourself”.

Some key points of Coca-Cola Case Study:

The company brand value was estimated at $97.9 billion in 2022.
The brand logo can be recognized by 93% of the global population.
For advertisement the company has used $ 4 billion annually for advertising, between the years 2015 to 2021, except for the year 2020 (due to pandemic).
The company is recorded to have 225 bottling partners and 900 bottling plants globally.
The brand employs around 700,000 employees.
The company is recorded to have the same price between the years 1856-1959, at 5 cents.
Offers beverage options of beverage to more than 200 brands to consumers worldwide.
Partners with 24 million retail customer outlets.
Company has a profile that includes $ 21 million brands.
In 2022, Coca-Cola was the most valuable brand in the non-alcoholic area globally at $ 35.4 billion

Who Owns Coca-Cola?

There are various shareholders holding shares in the company.

Coco-Cola is a public listed company.

But the topmost are – Berkshire Hathaway, The Vanguard Group, BlackRock. However, the largest share of the brand company is said to be of Warren Buffett.

Vanguard holding 8.16%
Berkshire holding 9.25%
BlackRock holding 4.58%
Warren Buffett holding 9.30%

NOTE: You can our other success stories of business like Ola Case Study !

Coca-Cola’s Growth Strategy:

In the competitive landscape of the global beverage industry, Coca-Cola has managed to maintain its position as a market leader for over a century. let’s see one another part of Case Study of Coca-Cola-

Ever wonder how it has achieved such remarkable and enduring growth?

Let’s delve into Case Study of Coca-Cola’s growth strategy:

Product Diversification: One of Coca-Cola’s core strategies for growth is product diversification. While Coca-Cola classic remains the flagship product, the company has expanded its portfolio to cater to changing consumer preferences. This includes offerings like Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and an array of flavored and non-carbonated beverages such as water, juices, and teas.
Developed market focus: Coca-Cola has identified the importance of growing developing markets. Coco-Cola’s 70% of all beverages which are commercialized are being consumed in the developed world as compared to the developing world which is 30%.

Global Expansion: Coca-Cola’s global reach is a testament to its growth strategy. With operations in over 200 countries, the company has successfully expanded its footprint worldwide. It tailors its product to local tastes and preferences, ensuring relevance in diverse markets. Local partnerships and distribution networks are key components of this strategy, allowing Coca-Cola to penetrate even the most remote corners of the globe.
Innovation and New markets: innovation is at the heart of Coca-Cola’s growth strategy. The company continually invests in research and development to create new beverages and packaging solutions. An example of this is the introduction of smaller-sized cans and bottles to address consumer health concerns about portion control and health.
Branding and Marketing: Coca-Cola’s branding and marketing efforts are legendary. The company consistently runs high-impact advertising campaigns, often featuring celebrities and memorable slogans. Its marketing goes beyond mere product promotion, it aims to create emotional connections with consumers. For example, Share Coke Campaign.
Sustainability and Corporate responsibility: Sustainability has become a vital component of Coca-Cola’s growth strategy. The company realized the importance of environmental and social responsibility. Started taking Initiatives such as reducing water usage, recycling programs, and commitments. Which contributes to their sustainable sourcing of ingredients to its long-term growth plans.

7. Strategic Partnerships: Coca-Cola strategically partners with various organizations and events to enhance its visibility and association with positive experiences. Sponsorships of major sports leagues, music festivals, and cultural events create opportunities for brand exposure and engagement with consumers.

Some memorable marketing campaigns of Coca-Cola that led to its success:

When it comes to marketing mastery, few brands can rival Coca-Cola. Over the years, this iconic beverage company has crafted some of the world’s most memorable and emotionally resonant advertising campaigns.

Some of them are:

Share a Coke (2011) : It was a stroke of genius. Personalization of packaging was a popular marketing tactic of Coca Cola. It personalized its bottles and cans by printing the common names of individuals. The company encouraged people to find their names on the bottles. Also, it asked people to share the bottle or can of coke with their friends or family members.
Taste the Feeling (2016) : It featured simple, relatable moments of people enjoying Coca-Cola and emphasized that the drink was for everyone, for every feeling, and for every day. The campaign included coke, diet coke and zero sugar coke.
Thanda matlab Coca-Cola (2003): Aiming at the idea of refreshing drinks or Thanda, the campaign focuses its attention to local markets to win the people’s trust in the country. They made Coca-Cola and Thanda synonyms of each other.
Open Happiness: In 2009, Coca-Cola introduced the “Open Happiness” campaign, this optimistic and cheerful message encouraged people to find happiness in the little moments and share them with others. The campaign included a variety of feel-good ads, catchy jingles, and interactive marketing initiatives, inviting consumers to be part of the happiness movement.

Case Study of Coca-Cola : How Coca-Cola makes money?

Coca-Cola, the world’s most iconic beverage, has a recipe for success that extends far beyond its secret formula. Its ability to generate substantial revenue is a testament to its diverse income streams and strategic business model.

Some of them are :

Core product sales: At its heart, Coca-Cola generates a significant portion of its revenue from the sales of its core products, including Coca-Cola zero sugar, and various flavored variants.

Diversified beverage portfolio: Coca-Cola isn’t just about cola anymore. The company has diversified its product portfolio to include a wide range of beverages, catering to diverse consumer tastes.

Non-Alcoholic ready-to-drink coffee: Coca-Cola has also ventured into the thriving market of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink coffee. With acquisitions like Costa Coffee and brands like Georgia Coffee, it has tapped into the caffeine cravings of consumers worldwide.

Partnerships and Licensing: Coca-Cola earns revenue through partnerships and licensing agreements. For example, it collaborates with other companies to produce co-branded products, like Coca-Cola with coffee, and it licenses its brand for use in various merchandise, from apparel to collectibles.

Sponsorships and Marketing Campaigns: Coca-Cola invests heavily in sponsorships of major events, sports leagues, and cultural activities. These partnerships provide brand exposure and promotional opportunities, driving consumer engagement and sales. The company’s marketing campaigns, often featuring celebrities and memorable commercials, also contributes to its revenue.

Challenges to Coca-Cola Success:

Coca-Cola, the behemoth of the beverage industry, is no stranger to challenges, despite its remarkable success. It faced numerous challenges that ranged from the preferences of consumers and concerns related to the environment.

Let’s explore the hurdles this iconic company faces on its path to sustained prosperity.

Health and Wellness concerns: One of the most significant challenges Coca-Cola faces is the shift in consumer attitudes towards health and wellness. With growing awareness about the health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption, sales of sugary carbonated beverages like Coca-Cola classic have been under pressure.

Sugar and Obesity: Linked to health concerns is the ongoing controversy surrounding the role of sugary beverages in the obesity epidemic. Coca-Cola, along with other soda manufacturers, has faced legal battles, health advocacy campaigns, and regulatory pressures. Responding to this challenge Coca-Cola has introduced low-calorie and reduced-sugar alternatives and actively participates in public health discussions.
Changing consumer preferences: The ever-evolving consumer preferences pose a constant challenge. The desire for diverse and unique flavors, healthier options, and transparency in ingredient sourcing requires Coca-Cola to innovate continually.
Competition in the beverage market: The beverage landscape is highly competitive, with numerous players vying for consumer attention. Coca-Cola competes not only with traditional rivals like PepsiCo but also faces competition from emerging beverage categories like energy drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, and plant-based beverages.
Supply chain disruptions: Disruptions in the supply chain, whether due to natural disasters, pandemics, or other unforeseen events, can disrupt production and distribution. These disruptions may lead to temporary shortages or increased costs.
Competition: The most prominent challenger to Coca-Cola’s throne is none other than PepsiCo and ThumbsUp. The rivalry between Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, often referred to as the “Cola Wars” is legendary. PepsiCo’s flagship product, Pepsi, competes head-to-head with Coca-Cola Classic. Both brands engage in intense marketing campaigns and strategic pricing to win the favor of consumers.

Future plans of Coca-Cola :

In a world of evolving tastes, shifting consumer preferences, and increasing environmental consciousness, Coca-Cola, the global beverage behemoth, is setting its sights on the future. Coca-Cola is planning to take a dynamic approach in marketing investment.

Coca-Cola’s future plans are a blend of sustainability, diversification, digital engagement, innovation, and a relentless focus on the consumer. As the world of beverages evolves, Coca-Cola is determined to stay ahead of the curve, refreshing not only the taste buds, but also the expectations for a more sustainable beverage experience.

The future, it seems, is bubbling with excitement for Coca-Cola.

Conclusion :

The Coca-Cola success story is a testament to the power of innovation, branding, and adaptability. It has conquered challenges, embraced change, and remained a symbol of joy for generations. The world may evolve, but the timeless allure of a Coke and a smile endures. By staying true to its core values while embracing change, Coca-Cola continues to fizz its way to the top.

Contact Info: Axponent Media Pvt Ltd, 706-707 , 7th Floor Tower A , Iris Tech Park, Sector 48, Sohna Road, Gurugram, India, Pin - 122018

Insights from Coca Cola Crisis Management Case Study

Have you ever wondered how a global giant like Coca Cola manages to navigate through a crisis?

Picture this: one of the most beloved beverage brands in the world, facing a crisis that threatens its reputation and consumer trust.

What would you do if you were in their shoes?

In this Coca Cola crisis management case study, we delve into the fascinating world of Coca Cola’s crisis management strategies.

Join us as we unravel the gripping tale of how this iconic company tackled a major crisis head-on, learning valuable lessons along the way.

Get ready to discover the power of effective crisis management and the role it plays in safeguarding a brand’s legacy.

Brief history of Coca Cola and brand reputation and market share

Coca Cola, the world’s most recognizable beverage brand, has a rich and fascinating history that dates back over a century. It all began in 1886 when pharmacist John Pemberton created a unique syrup and mixed it with carbonated water, giving birth to the iconic Coca Cola drink.

From its humble beginnings as a soda fountain beverage, Coca Cola quickly gained popularity and expanded its presence across the United States.

As the brand grew, it ventured into international markets, establishing its first international bottling plants in the early 1900s. Today, Coca Cola is a truly global company with a remarkable presence in over 200 countries, offering a diverse portfolio of beverages beyond its flagship cola, including juices, teas, sports drinks, and more.

The brand’s global reach and market penetration have made it an integral part of people’s lives, transcending cultural boundaries and becoming a symbol of refreshment worldwide.

Coca Cola’s brand reputation is synonymous with excellence and innovation. Over the years, the company has nurtured a strong brand identity built on trust, quality, and a commitment to delivering refreshing beverages to consumers.

The distinctive red and white logo is instantly recognizable, evoking feelings of nostalgia and joy.

With its relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction, Coca Cola has successfully captured a significant portion of the global beverage market. Despite fierce competition, the brand has maintained a dominant position, consistently ranking among the top beverage companies in terms of market share.

Coca Cola’s ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences , introduce new products, and leverage its brand equity has solidified its position as a leader in the industry.

However, even the strongest brands are not immune to crises, as we shall explore in the following sections.

Description of the Crisis Incident

In the annals of Coca Cola’s history, there have been instances where the brand faced significant crises that posed immense challenges to its reputation. One notable crisis involved allegations of product contamination, which sent shockwaves through the company and its consumers.

Imagine the scene: rumors started circulating that certain batches of Coca Cola products were contaminated, raising concerns about the safety and quality of the beloved beverage.

The news spread rapidly, fueled by social media and sensationalized media coverage, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty among consumers.

As the crisis unfolded, consumers expressed worries about potential health risks associated with consuming Coca Cola products. Speculations and negative narratives further fueled the crisis, amplifying the impact and posing a threat to the brand’s credibility and customer trust.

For Coca Cola, the crisis was a critical moment that demanded swift and effective action. The company faced the daunting task of managing the situation, addressing the concerns of its stakeholders, and restoring faith in its products. How did Coca Cola navigate through this tumultuous period? Let’s delve into their crisis management strategies and discover how they triumphed in the face of adversity.

Media coverage and public reaction

The crisis surrounding Coca Cola triggered a flurry of media coverage, with news outlets and social media platforms buzzing with discussions, speculations, and varying viewpoints. The sensational nature of the allegations and the widespread popularity of the brand ensured that the crisis garnered significant attention from the public and the media.

News reports, both traditional and digital, dissected the crisis, amplifying the concerns raised by consumers and shedding light on the potential consequences. Social media platforms became the breeding ground for discussions, where users expressed their opinions, shared experiences, and voiced their worries about the safety of Coca Cola products.

The intensity of the media coverage and public reaction put immense pressure on Coca Cola to address the crisis promptly and transparently. The company found itself navigating a landscape where every move was under scrutiny, and its response would shape public perception and future consumer behavior.

Initial response by Coca Cola

When confronted with the crisis, Coca Cola swiftly mobilized its crisis management team to address the situation head-on. Recognizing the importance of immediate action, the company adopted a proactive approach to manage the crisis and mitigate potential damage to its brand reputation.

Coca Cola’s initial response focused on three key pillars: transparency, accountability, and communication. The company acknowledged the concerns raised by consumers and the media, demonstrating a commitment to address the crisis with utmost seriousness.

First and foremost, Coca Cola conducted a thorough investigation into the alleged product contamination, leaving no stone unturned to uncover the truth. This transparent approach aimed to regain consumer trust by ensuring that the safety and quality of their products were of paramount importance.

Simultaneously, Coca Cola took accountability for any shortcomings or mistakes that may have contributed to the crisis. The company issued public statements expressing genuine regret for the distress caused to consumers and reassured them of their commitment to resolving the issue promptly and effectively.

Immediate actions taken by Coca Cola to address the crisis

In the face of the crisis, Coca Cola implemented a series of immediate actions to address the situation and regain consumer confidence. These actions were aimed at ensuring the safety and quality of their products, as well as effectively managing the crisis at hand.

Product Recall and Investigation

As a responsible measure, Coca Cola initiated a comprehensive product recall of the affected batches in collaboration with regulatory agencies. This demonstrated their commitment to consumer safety and allowed for a thorough investigation into the alleged contamination.

Enhanced Quality Assurance Procedures

Coca Cola implemented rigorous quality assurance procedures to prevent future incidents and maintain the highest standards of product safety. They reviewed and strengthened their manufacturing and packaging processes, as well as enhanced monitoring and testing protocols.

Collaboration with Regulatory Bodies

Recognizing the importance of regulatory compliance, Coca Cola collaborated closely with relevant regulatory bodies throughout the crisis. They provided full cooperation, shared information, and adhered to the recommendations and guidelines set forth by these authorities.

Communication strategies employed

Effective communication is crucial during a crisis, and Coca Cola employed various strategies to ensure transparent and consistent messaging to stakeholders. These communication strategies aimed to address concerns, provide accurate information, and rebuild trust in the brand.

Press Releases

Coca Cola utilized press releases as a primary means of communicating official statements and updates regarding the crisis. These press releases were disseminated to the media and made available to the public, ensuring timely and accurate information about the steps being taken to address the situation.

Social Media Engagement

Recognizing the power of social media in shaping public perception, Coca Cola actively engaged with consumers through social media platforms. They responded to queries, addressed concerns, and provided updates on the progress of the investigation. This direct engagement helped to establish a sense of transparency and responsiveness.

Website Updates

Coca Cola dedicated a section on their official website to address the crisis and provide comprehensive information to concerned consumers. This platform served as a central hub for sharing details about the investigation, product recalls, and ongoing efforts to resolve the crisis.

Stakeholder Communication

Coca Cola prioritized communication with its stakeholders, including distributors, retailers, and business partners. They provided regular updates to these stakeholders, addressing any potential impact the crisis might have on their operations and assuring them of the measures being taken to rectify the situation.

Spokesperson Representation

Coca Cola designated trusted and credible spokespersons to represent the company and communicate with the media. These individuals were well-versed in the crisis details and effectively conveyed the brand’s commitment to consumer safety and resolution.

The role of company leadership in crisis management

During a crisis, strong and effective leadership is crucial in guiding the organization through the challenges and ensuring a successful resolution. In the case of Coca Cola, company leadership played a vital role in crisis management, demonstrating their commitment, decisiveness, and ability to navigate through adversity.

Strategic Decision-Making

The leadership at Coca Cola spearheaded the strategic decision-making process during the crisis. They analyzed the situation, gathered information, and collaborated with experts to make informed choices that would best address the crisis and safeguard the brand’s reputation. Their ability to make tough decisions quickly and effectively guided the crisis management efforts.

Communication and Transparency

Company leadership took the responsibility of communicating with stakeholders, including employees, consumers, distributors, and regulatory bodies. They ensured that the messaging was transparent, consistent, and aligned with the company’s values. By openly addressing concerns, admitting any mistakes, and providing regular updates, leadership fostered trust and credibility during the crisis.

Team Mobilization and Empowerment

Effective crisis management requires the mobilization and empowerment of cross-functional teams within the organization. Coca Cola’s leadership ensured that the crisis management team had the necessary resources, support, and authority to address the crisis effectively. They encouraged collaboration, innovation, and open communication within the teams to expedite the resolution process.

Continuous Learning and Improvement

In the aftermath of the crisis, company leadership played a crucial role in fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. They conducted thorough evaluations of the crisis management process, identified lessons learned, and implemented measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Their commitment to learning from the crisis helped enhance the company’s resilience and preparedness for potential future challenges.

05 lessons learned from coca cola crisis management

These lessons learned from Coca Cola’s crisis management case study serve as valuable insights for other organizations facing similar challenges.

Let’s discuss each of these lessons learned:

Swift and Transparent Communication

The crisis taught Coca Cola the importance of immediate and transparent communication. By promptly addressing concerns, providing accurate information, and engaging with stakeholders openly, the company was able to regain trust and control the narrative surrounding the crisis.

Collaboration with Regulatory Bodies and Experts

Coca Cola’s collaboration with regulatory bodies and external experts proved vital in validating their actions and ensuring compliance with industry standards. This collaboration enhanced the credibility of the company’s crisis management efforts and helped regain confidence in their products.

Proactive Approach to Crisis Resolution

Coca Cola’s proactive response to the crisis demonstrated the significance of taking ownership and accountability for the situation. By swiftly initiating product recalls, conducting investigations, and implementing enhanced quality assurance procedures, the company showed a commitment to consumer safety and resolution.

The crisis served as a catalyst for continuous learning and improvement within Coca Cola. The company evaluated the crisis management process, identified areas for improvement, and implemented measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. This commitment to learning from the crisis enhanced their resilience and preparedness.

Importance of Leadership

Strong leadership played a critical role in guiding Coca Cola through the crisis. The ability to make strategic decisions, communicate effectively, and empower teams was instrumental in navigating through the challenges and restoring consumer trust. The crisis highlighted the importance of having capable leaders who can steer the organization through turbulent times.

Final words

Coca Cola crisis management case study provides us with valuable insights and lessons that can be applied to various organizations facing similar challenges. The company’s response to the crisis surrounding alleged product contamination showcased the importance of swift and transparent communication, collaboration with regulatory bodies and experts, taking a proactive approach to resolution, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and demonstrating strong leadership.

The Coca Cola crisis management case study serves as a reminder that crisis management is not just about resolving immediate issues but also about building trust, maintaining open communication, and continuously improving processes. By incorporating these lessons, organizations can transform crises into opportunities for growth and demonstrate their ability to weather storms and emerge even stronger.

About The Author

Tahir Abbas

How to Develop 30 60 90 Day Plan for New Director? – A Guide

Benefits of Agile Change Management

Step-by Step Guide to Calculate ROI of Change Management

Customer Experience
Digital Experience
Employee Experience
Partner Experience
Business Process
Business Model
Design Thinking
Loyalty Strategy
Value Proposition
Buyer Persona

Customer Journey

Marketing Automation

Account Based Marketing

Growth Driven Design

Inbound Marketing

Customer Relationship Management

eCommerce B2C
eCommerce B2B
Adobe Experience Manager
HubSpot CRM
Liferay Portal
Magento Commerce
Marketo Marketing Automation
Salesforce CRM
Tableau Analytics
Red Hat BPM
CX Insights
English - United States

Case study: How does Coca-Cola do it in the digital world?

Coca-Cola is undoubtedly one of the most recognized brands in the world, with a market presence that dates back to its beginnings in 1886 when John Pemberton served the first Coca-Cola. Today, the Coca-Cola Company sells hundreds of beverage brands in more than 200 countries. It is calculated that the average person consumes approximately 275 cans of Coca-Cola annually in the United States alone.

The digital challenge for Coca-Cola and the "Share a Coke" campaign is a success story.
The digital challenge for Coca-Cola.

The digital challenge for Coca-Cola

The challenge for companies like Coca-Cola is that their products' brand presence and positioning are no longer the main issues; instead, they look at marketing strategies oriented toward connection, loyalty, and innovation with their consumers. All this is what James Sommerville, VP of Global Design of Coca-Cola Company, commented for Adobe Summit: We are a 130+-year-old brand that has always been in the experience business. An ice-cold Coke, ice, and lemon in a big glass, there's a fizz and a tingle when you drink it, and that's all very sensory, so we still believe in a physical analog world, which is at the heart and soul of our product, but at the same time, we want to transfer and transform our business, to be able to deliver that experience on a digital platform. The important thing for brands today is to listen to the consumer. Coca-Cola sells almost 2 billion servings daily, and one of the goals we would like to achieve is 2 billion daily conversations. Two-way conversations so that we not only provide the perfect beverage at the moment they need it but also digital interaction with the customer. For a company like Coca-Cola that handles large volumes of consumers, regions, products, and channels, it is challenging to have the right platforms to organize communication strategies and effectively serve their customers. Here is where Coca-Cola has developed multiple communication, promotion, and loyalty programs, through digital platforms such as mobile applications, eCommerce B2B / B2C, production of enterprise digital content, and even the creation of the first Coca-Cola flavor in the metaverse. The "Share a Coke" campaign is a case of success.

Let's examine one example to understand how Coca-Cola uses technology to connect with its consumers. Many will remember the "Share a Coke" campaign in which the logo on the can was replaced with famous names, encouraging customers to share a Coke with a friend or family member. This massively successful social marketing campaign underpinned its process with two main elements to achieve the digital rollout.

The first element was the Customer Experience Management platform, which is necessary to manage the campaign data:

Segmentation
Customer profiling
Identity management
AI-powered learning
Creation of customer experience applications

The Adobe Experience Platform is the foundation that helps companies like Coca-Cola develop a robust foundation for delivering the right experiences to consumers across all channels. >> Case study: Starbucks success with the Inbound Marketing methodology<<

The management of digital assets in this Coca-Cola campaign was also an important task to solve, with crucial aspects such as:

Personalized and consistent content for each profile
Content suitable for each channel/profile
Automation rules to be able to scale with minimum effort
Ease of creating, distributing, and optimizing experiences on a large scale.

All of this may seem like a Herculean task. Still, it is with the help of specialized platforms that companies like Coca-Cola manage to implement these initiatives and achieve their objectives.

The second element is the Marketing Automation tool, required for a campaign that reached in the beginning alone more than 550 million personalized Coca-Cola, around 340,000 posts on Instagram with the hashtag #shareacoke, and a result by consumers of 96% with positive or neutral feelings towards the campaign.

All this is possible thanks to marketing automation platforms, where Marketo is a fundamental pillar to achieving engagement with customers throughout the customer lifecycle and delighting them to keep them as buyers and brand advocates.

Marketo Engage's always-on marketing principle was able to support Coca-Cola in automating the indispensable aspects of campaigns like this one: >> Main Advantages of Marketo<<

Audience segmentation : Profiling communications consider behavioral, demographic, and channel data.
Multichannel personalization : Tailored landing pages with conversion-oriented forms for customers receiving profiled communications from websites, emails, SMS, social networks, and events.
Customer scoring (lead scoring) : Used this to determine the level of interest of each customer and drive the level of engagement at each stage of the funnel.
Active marketing activities : Respond on time to a large contact base. Used automation to respond in real-time when a consumer activates a CTA, sending personalized content.
Performance per campaign : Measuring performance in terms of ROI, revenue, investment, and funnel stage allows us to determine which investments yield the best returns.

Related blog: Case study: Panasonic and its growth with Marketo .

We see how in an increasingly digital world, the challenge for many companies, like Coca-Cola, is how to replicate the physical experience of their products in the digital arena.

Here is where marketing efforts have to lead to the digitization of the experience, where digital processes, strategies, technology, and the consumer as the center of the digital ecosystem must converge.

Finally, the secret ingredient of any digital initiative that Coca-Cola has been developing is innovation in a Customer Experience that moves a consumer thirsty for new and better experiences.

About this blog

Customer Experience Insights is a blog to share ideas, experiences and the vision of how to adopt better Customer Experiences in our organizations. Digital Transformation

Subscribe today

For weekly special offers and new updates!

Other Blogs

Optimize your business processes

This article arises after asking the following questions:Who doesn't like to improve? Who doesn't seek optimization in their daily tasks? Is there anyone who doesn't like to reduce costs or save money?

Tableau: Success Stories of Major Companies

Have you ever heard the phrase "Data is the new gold"? You've probably heard it, and it's clear that today, records that seem to be simple information alone actually have a massive impact on companies in terms of money, security, time, value, etc.

Hit a home run with HubSpot's Predictive Lead Score

Imagine that your company and your collaborators are at the center of a baseball stadium in the middle of a game. The stadium is filled with spectators, but most of them barely pay attention or show low interest in what you have to offer. Now, change the...

Customer Commerce Experience

Customer Omnichannel CRM

Customer Portal Experience

Customer Process Automation

Customer Web Experience

Methodologies

Sales Automation

Lead Conversion

Miami, Florida 333 SE 2nd AVE. 33131

New York, New York City 555 Madison AVE, Manhattan 10022

San Rafael de Escazú, Costa Rica Centro Corporativo Plaza Roble, 10203. Teléfono: +506 2201 1450

Search Menu
Browse content in Arts and Humanities
Browse content in Archaeology
Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
Archaeology by Region
Archaeology of Religion
Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
Biblical Archaeology
Contemporary and Public Archaeology
Environmental Archaeology
Historical Archaeology
History and Theory of Archaeology
Industrial Archaeology
Landscape Archaeology
Mortuary Archaeology
Prehistoric Archaeology
Underwater Archaeology
Urban Archaeology
Zooarchaeology
Browse content in Architecture
Architectural Structure and Design
History of Architecture
Residential and Domestic Buildings
Theory of Architecture
Browse content in Art
Art Subjects and Themes
History of Art
Industrial and Commercial Art
Theory of Art
Biographical Studies
Byzantine Studies
Browse content in Classical Studies
Classical History
Classical Philosophy
Classical Mythology
Classical Literature
Classical Reception
Classical Art and Architecture
Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
Greek and Roman Epigraphy
Greek and Roman Law
Greek and Roman Papyrology
Greek and Roman Archaeology
Late Antiquity
Religion in the Ancient World
Digital Humanities
Browse content in History
Colonialism and Imperialism
Diplomatic History
Environmental History
Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
Historical Geography
History by Period
History of Emotions
History of Agriculture
History of Education
History of Gender and Sexuality
Industrial History
Intellectual History
International History
Labour History
Legal and Constitutional History
Local and Family History
Maritime History
Military History
National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
Oral History
Political History
Public History
Regional and National History
Revolutions and Rebellions
Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
Social and Cultural History
Theory, Methods, and Historiography
Urban History
World History
Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
Language Learning (Specific Skills)
Language Teaching Theory and Methods
Browse content in Linguistics
Applied Linguistics
Cognitive Linguistics
Computational Linguistics
Forensic Linguistics
Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
History of English
Language Acquisition
Language Evolution
Language Reference
Language Variation
Language Families
Lexicography
Linguistic Anthropology
Linguistic Theories
Linguistic Typology
Phonetics and Phonology
Psycholinguistics
Sociolinguistics
Translation and Interpretation
Writing Systems
Browse content in Literature
Bibliography
Children's Literature Studies
Literary Studies (Asian)
Literary Studies (European)
Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
Literary Studies (Romanticism)
Literary Studies (American)
Literary Studies (Modernism)
Literary Studies - World
Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
Literary Studies (19th Century)
Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
Literary Studies (African American Literature)
Literary Studies (British and Irish)
Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
Literary Studies (History of the Book)
Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
Literary Studies (War Literature)
Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
Mythology and Folklore
Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
Browse content in Media Studies
Browse content in Music
Applied Music
Dance and Music
Ethics in Music
Ethnomusicology
Gender and Sexuality in Music
Medicine and Music
Music Cultures
Music and Religion
Music and Media
Music and Culture
Music Education and Pedagogy
Music Theory and Analysis
Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
Musicology and Music History
Performance Practice and Studies
Race and Ethnicity in Music
Sound Studies
Browse content in Performing Arts
Browse content in Philosophy
Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
Epistemology
Feminist Philosophy
History of Western Philosophy
Metaphysics
Moral Philosophy
Non-Western Philosophy
Philosophy of Science
Philosophy of Language
Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy of Perception
Philosophy of Action
Philosophy of Law
Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
Practical Ethics
Social and Political Philosophy
Browse content in Religion
Biblical Studies
Christianity
East Asian Religions
History of Religion
Judaism and Jewish Studies
Qumran Studies
Religion and Education
Religion and Health
Religion and Politics
Religion and Science
Religion and Law
Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
Religious Studies
Browse content in Society and Culture
Cookery, Food, and Drink
Cultural Studies
Customs and Traditions
Ethical Issues and Debates
Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
Lifestyle, Home, and Garden
Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
Sports and Outdoor Recreation
Technology and Society
Travel and Holiday
Visual Culture
Browse content in Law
Arbitration
Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
Commercial Law
Company Law
Browse content in Comparative Law
Systems of Law
Competition Law
Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
Government Powers
Judicial Review
Local Government Law
Military and Defence Law
Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
Construction Law
Contract Law
Browse content in Criminal Law
Criminal Procedure
Criminal Evidence Law
Sentencing and Punishment
Employment and Labour Law
Environment and Energy Law
Browse content in Financial Law
Banking Law
Insolvency Law
History of Law
Human Rights and Immigration
Intellectual Property Law
Browse content in International Law
Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
Public International Law
IT and Communications Law
Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
Law and Politics
Law and Society
Browse content in Legal System and Practice
Courts and Procedure
Legal Skills and Practice
Primary Sources of Law
Regulation of Legal Profession
Medical and Healthcare Law
Browse content in Policing
Criminal Investigation and Detection
Police and Security Services
Police Procedure and Law
Police Regional Planning
Browse content in Property Law
Personal Property Law
Study and Revision
Terrorism and National Security Law
Browse content in Trusts Law
Wills and Probate or Succession
Browse content in Medicine and Health
Browse content in Allied Health Professions
Arts Therapies
Clinical Science
Dietetics and Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Operating Department Practice
Physiotherapy
Radiography
Speech and Language Therapy
Browse content in Anaesthetics
General Anaesthesia
Neuroanaesthesia
Browse content in Clinical Medicine
Acute Medicine
Cardiovascular Medicine
Clinical Genetics
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Dermatology
Endocrinology and Diabetes
Gastroenterology
Genito-urinary Medicine
Geriatric Medicine
Infectious Diseases
Medical Toxicology
Medical Oncology
Pain Medicine
Palliative Medicine
Rehabilitation Medicine
Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
Rheumatology
Sleep Medicine
Sports and Exercise Medicine
Clinical Neuroscience
Community Medical Services
Critical Care
Emergency Medicine
Forensic Medicine
Haematology
History of Medicine
Browse content in Medical Dentistry
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Paediatric Dentistry
Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
Surgical Dentistry
Browse content in Medical Skills
Clinical Skills
Communication Skills
Nursing Skills
Surgical Skills
Medical Ethics
Medical Statistics and Methodology
Browse content in Neurology
Clinical Neurophysiology
Neuropathology
Nursing Studies
Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Gynaecology
Occupational Medicine
Ophthalmology
Otolaryngology (ENT)
Browse content in Paediatrics
Neonatology
Browse content in Pathology
Chemical Pathology
Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
Histopathology
Medical Microbiology and Virology
Patient Education and Information
Browse content in Pharmacology
Psychopharmacology
Browse content in Popular Health
Caring for Others
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Self-help and Personal Development
Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Reproduction, Growth and Development
Primary Care
Professional Development in Medicine
Browse content in Psychiatry
Addiction Medicine
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Forensic Psychiatry
Learning Disabilities
Old Age Psychiatry
Psychotherapy
Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
Epidemiology
Public Health
Browse content in Radiology
Clinical Radiology
Interventional Radiology
Nuclear Medicine
Radiation Oncology
Reproductive Medicine
Browse content in Surgery
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
General Surgery
Neurosurgery
Paediatric Surgery
Peri-operative Care
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Surgical Oncology
Transplant Surgery
Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
Vascular Surgery
Browse content in Science and Mathematics
Browse content in Biological Sciences
Aquatic Biology
Biochemistry
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Developmental Biology
Ecology and Conservation
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics and Genomics
Microbiology
Molecular and Cell Biology
Natural History
Plant Sciences and Forestry
Research Methods in Life Sciences
Structural Biology
Systems Biology
Zoology and Animal Sciences
Browse content in Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Computational Chemistry
Crystallography
Environmental Chemistry
Industrial Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Materials Chemistry
Medicinal Chemistry
Mineralogy and Gems
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Polymer Chemistry
Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
Theoretical Chemistry
Browse content in Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence
Computer Architecture and Logic Design
Game Studies
Human-Computer Interaction
Mathematical Theory of Computation
Programming Languages
Software Engineering
Systems Analysis and Design
Virtual Reality
Browse content in Computing
Business Applications
Computer Security
Computer Games
Computer Networking and Communications
Digital Lifestyle
Graphical and Digital Media Applications
Operating Systems
Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
Atmospheric Sciences
Environmental Geography
Geology and the Lithosphere
Maps and Map-making
Meteorology and Climatology
Oceanography and Hydrology
Palaeontology
Physical Geography and Topography
Regional Geography
Soil Science
Urban Geography
Browse content in Engineering and Technology
Agriculture and Farming
Biological Engineering
Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
Electronics and Communications Engineering
Energy Technology
Engineering (General)
Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
History of Engineering and Technology
Mechanical Engineering and Materials
Technology of Industrial Chemistry
Transport Technology and Trades
Browse content in Environmental Science
Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
Environmental Sustainability
Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
History of Science and Technology
Browse content in Materials Science
Ceramics and Glasses
Composite Materials
Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
Nanotechnology
Browse content in Mathematics
Applied Mathematics
Biomathematics and Statistics
History of Mathematics
Mathematical Education
Mathematical Finance
Mathematical Analysis
Numerical and Computational Mathematics
Probability and Statistics
Pure Mathematics
Browse content in Neuroscience
Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
Development of the Nervous System
Disorders of the Nervous System
History of Neuroscience
Invertebrate Neurobiology
Molecular and Cellular Systems
Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
Neuroscientific Techniques
Sensory and Motor Systems
Browse content in Physics
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Biological and Medical Physics
Classical Mechanics
Computational Physics
Condensed Matter Physics
Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
History of Physics
Mathematical and Statistical Physics
Measurement Science
Nuclear Physics
Particles and Fields
Plasma Physics
Quantum Physics
Relativity and Gravitation
Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
Browse content in Psychology
Affective Sciences
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Criminal and Forensic Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Evolutionary Psychology
Health Psychology
History and Systems in Psychology
Music Psychology
Neuropsychology
Organizational Psychology
Psychological Assessment and Testing
Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
Psychology Professional Development and Training
Research Methods in Psychology
Social Psychology
Browse content in Social Sciences
Browse content in Anthropology
Anthropology of Religion
Human Evolution
Medical Anthropology
Physical Anthropology
Regional Anthropology
Social and Cultural Anthropology
Theory and Practice of Anthropology
Browse content in Business and Management
Business Strategy
Business Ethics
Business History
Business and Government
Business and Technology
Business and the Environment
Comparative Management
Corporate Governance
Corporate Social Responsibility
Entrepreneurship
Health Management
Human Resource Management
Industrial and Employment Relations
Industry Studies
Information and Communication Technologies
International Business
Knowledge Management
Management and Management Techniques
Operations Management
Organizational Theory and Behaviour
Pensions and Pension Management
Public and Nonprofit Management
Strategic Management
Supply Chain Management
Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice
Criminology
Forms of Crime
International and Comparative Criminology
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
Development Studies
Browse content in Economics
Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
Asian Economics
Behavioural Finance
Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
Economic Systems
Economic History
Economic Methodology
Economic Development and Growth
Financial Markets
Financial Institutions and Services
General Economics and Teaching
Health, Education, and Welfare
History of Economic Thought
International Economics
Labour and Demographic Economics
Law and Economics
Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
Microeconomics
Public Economics
Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
Welfare Economics
Browse content in Education
Adult Education and Continuous Learning
Care and Counselling of Students
Early Childhood and Elementary Education
Educational Equipment and Technology
Educational Strategies and Policy
Higher and Further Education
Organization and Management of Education
Philosophy and Theory of Education
Schools Studies
Secondary Education
Teaching of a Specific Subject
Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
Teaching Skills and Techniques
Browse content in Environment
Applied Ecology (Social Science)
Climate Change
Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
Natural Disasters (Environment)
Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
Browse content in Human Geography
Cultural Geography
Economic Geography
Political Geography
Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
Communication Studies
Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
Browse content in Politics
African Politics
Asian Politics
Chinese Politics
Comparative Politics
Conflict Politics
Elections and Electoral Studies
Environmental Politics
European Union
Foreign Policy
Gender and Politics
Human Rights and Politics
Indian Politics
International Relations
International Organization (Politics)
International Political Economy
Irish Politics
Latin American Politics
Middle Eastern Politics
Political Methodology
Political Communication
Political Philosophy
Political Sociology
Political Behaviour
Political Economy
Political Institutions
Political Theory
Politics and Law
Public Administration
Public Policy
Quantitative Political Methodology
Regional Political Studies
Russian Politics
Security Studies
State and Local Government
UK Politics
US Politics
Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
African Studies
Asian Studies
East Asian Studies
Japanese Studies
Latin American Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Native American Studies
Scottish Studies
Browse content in Research and Information
Research Methods
Browse content in Social Work
Addictions and Substance Misuse
Adoption and Fostering
Care of the Elderly
Child and Adolescent Social Work
Couple and Family Social Work
Developmental and Physical Disabilities Social Work
Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
Emergency Services
Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
International and Global Issues in Social Work
Mental and Behavioural Health
Social Justice and Human Rights
Social Policy and Advocacy
Social Work and Crime and Justice
Social Work Macro Practice
Social Work Practice Settings
Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
Welfare and Benefit Systems
Browse content in Sociology
Childhood Studies
Community Development
Comparative and Historical Sociology
Economic Sociology
Gender and Sexuality
Gerontology and Ageing
Health, Illness, and Medicine
Marriage and the Family
Migration Studies
Occupations, Professions, and Work
Organizations
Population and Demography
Race and Ethnicity
Social Theory
Social Movements and Social Change
Social Research and Statistics
Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
Sociology of Religion
Sociology of Education
Sport and Leisure
Urban and Rural Studies
Browse content in Warfare and Defence
Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
Land Forces and Warfare
Military Administration
Military Life and Institutions
Naval Forces and Warfare
Other Warfare and Defence Issues
Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
Weapons and Equipment

< Previous chapter
Next chapter >

16 Coca-Cola: ‘Taste the Controversy’: A Case Study on Marketing Challenges

Published: June 2022
Cite Icon Cite
Permissions Icon Permissions

The not so lucky situations and criticism of the Coca-Cola brand come from its first-ever product. As the history from many sources says, Dr John Smith-Pemberton, Coca-Cola creator, fought in the Civil War, and had some injuries. He made a special formula in order to help him deal with the constant pain in his body: the Pemberton’s French Wine Coca which also had a great taste at the time, had alcohol in it. It quickly became very popular until a vote by the state legislature Atlanta and Fulton County in favour of the national temperance movement. The national temperance movement prohibited the use of alcohol and heavily criticized medicinal wine such as French Wine Coca. Pemberton was forced to drop the wine ingredient in his French Wine Coca. After some further experimenting, he decided on the use of sugar syrup as a substitution for the wine and that is when Coca-Cola was born. He invented many drugs, but none of them ever made any money. So, after a move to Atlanta, Pemberton decided to try his hand in the beverage market. In his time, the soda fountain was rising in popularity as a social gathering spot. Temperance was keeping patrons out of bars, so making a soda-fountain drink just made sense. And this was when Coca-Cola was born.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

Google Scholar Indexing
GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]

Personal account

Sign in with email/username & password
Get email alerts
Save searches
Purchase content
Activate your purchase/trial code

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card Sign in with username/password Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institutionâ€™s website and Oxford Academic.

Click Sign in through your institution.
Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institutionâ€™s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Sign in with a library card

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see â€˜Sign in through society siteâ€™ in the sign in pane within a journal:

Click Sign in through society site.
When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

About Oxford Academic
Publish journals with us
University press partners
What we publish
New features
Open access
Rights and permissions
Accessibility
Advertising
Media enquiries
Oxford University Press
Oxford Languages
University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

Cookie settings
Cookie policy
Privacy policy
Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Harvard Business School →
Faculty & Research →
October 1999 (Revised October 2000)
HBS Case Collection

Coca-Cola Company (A), The

Format: Print
| Pages: 13

Financial Accounting Reading: Revenue Recognition

Financial accounting reading: fair value measurement in accounting, financial accounting reading: basic accounting concepts and assumptions.

Financial Accounting Reading: Revenue Recognition By: David F. Hawkins
Financial Accounting Reading: Fair Value Measurement in Accounting By: David F. Hawkins
Financial Accounting Reading: Basic Accounting Concepts and Assumptions By: David F. Hawkins

Study Guides
Homework Questions

The global recognition of the Coca

THE WEEK TV
ENTERTAINMENT
WEB STORIES
JOBS & CAREER
Home Home -->
wire updates wire updates -->
BUSINESS BUSINESS -->

Empowering Women Athletes through Coca-Cola India and Anju Bobby Sports Foundation's Long-Standing Partnership

~ Coca-Cola India supported with a spacious practice ground and best-in-class gym equipment ~ ~ Aligns with #SheTheDifference campaign to empower women athletes ~ NEW DELHI, April 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In line with its commitment to sports, Coca-Cola India through its foundation, is supporting the country's athletes with essential amenities and training equipment, as part of its three-year partnership with the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation. Spearheaded by Olympic champion Anju Bobby George, the Foundation has been nurturing the next generation of women athletes, including the very known long jumper, Shaili Singh. This partnership aligns with Coca-Cola India's #SheTheDifference campaign, an initiative to celebrate, uplift, and support women throughout the value chain. As part of this partnership, Coca-Cola India is committed to empowering women athletes, to bring about a positive change in the sports and gender equality landscape. Coca-Cola India, through its foundation, has made significant strides in bolstering the representation of Indian women athletes in the Olympics. The company has transformed four shipping containers into a physiotherapy room, storage facility, pantry, and restroom. The company also facilitated top-tier gym equipment and supported the establishment of a spacious practice ground equipped with rainwater collection tanks for sustainable water usage. In addition to infrastructure development, Coca-Cola has helped with the academy's lease rent for three years, ensuring a stable operational foundation. In a nation where many women athletes emerge from small towns and villages, facing limited access to training facilities, coaching, and financial support, this collaboration aims to level the playing field. A PWC report highlights the remarkable shift in the gender balance at the Tokyo Olympics, with 44% of Indian participants being women. Commenting on the partnership, Rajesh Ayapilla, Director - CSR and Sustainability for Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia (INSWA), said, "At Coca-Cola India, we believe in the power of sports to inspire, empower, and unite communities. Our longstanding partnership with the Anju Bobby Sports Foundation reflects our commitment to fostering the next generation of Indian women athletes. With sports being an integral part of both organizations' DNA, through such initiatives, we are dedicated to creating a supportive environment where athletes can thrive. We are proud to sponsor talented individuals like Shaili Singh, reaffirming our commitment to empowering women in sports and contributing to their success on the global stage". "I feel honored to be associated with such a brand like Coca-Cola India. They were the first ones to support our cause, and their contribution has been instrumental in creating a world-class training facility in India at the Anju Bobby High Performance Center, Bangalore. Today, we have some top-quality track and field equipment, some of the quality gym equipment, and our athletes here are focused on making the most of these facilities to help India win its Olympic medal. Personally, as well, I feel if I could win India's first world championship medal, it's my duty to share my knowledge and experience with these young women, thereby contributing to India's success," said Anju Bobby George, Founder, Anju Bobby Sports Foundation. The social impact of this initiative extends beyond individual achievements in the field. By empowering women athletes, the Foundation along with Coca-Cola India is nurturing future leaders who will contribute back to the sports community as coaches, trainers, therapists, and administrators. About The Coca-Cola Company Coca-Cola in India is one of the country's leading beverage companies, offering a range of high-quality and refreshing beverage options to consumers. The company, in line with its vision of 'Beverages For Life', offers a wide portfolio of products, which includes hydration, sports, sparkling, coffee, tea, nutrition, juice and dairy-based products. In India, its beverage range includes Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Thums Up, Charged by Thums Up, Fanta, Limca, Sprite, Maaza, Minute Maid range of juices and juice beverages. The Company also offers hydration beverages including Limca Sportz, Smartwater, Kinley, Dasani and Bonaqua packaged drinking water and Kinley Club Soda. Premium products constitute the Schweppes range and Smartwater. In addition, it offers Costa Coffee and an organic green tea-based beverage, Honest Tea, amongst its range of coffee and Tea. The Company is constantly transforming its portfolio, from reducing sugar in its drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. The Company along with its owned bottling operations and franchise bottling partners has a strong network of close to 4 million retail outlets through which it refreshes millions of consumers across the country. It seeks to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable agriculture initiatives and carbon emission reductions across its value chain. Globally together with its bottling partners, The Coca-Cola Company employs more than 700,000 people, helping to bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.cocacolacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. About #SheTheDifference Coca-Cola India has recently introduced #SheTheDifference, a campaign that celebrates, uplifts and supports women across its value chain. With a steadfast commitment to drive positive change and foster inclusivity throughout its ecosystem, the campaign marks a significant step in alignment with the Government's impetus on women empowerment and women-led development. Coca-Cola is actively engaged in enabling women, whether it is retailers and equipping them with tools and techniques to run their kirana stores more profitably or help safai saathis create a better shared future for themselves and their families. Coca-Cola's campaign focuses on multifaceted efforts to create lasting impact and drive meaningful change across its entire value chain — from women employees to women farmers to women waste workers. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2380033/Shaili Singh longjump athlete.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2307677/The Coca Cola Company Logo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

BJP ropes in star campaigners for Jammu; PM Modi in Udhampur on April 12

Israel military on high alert after Iran’s revenge threat, cancels leave for combat units

GT vs PBKS: Noor Ahmad's flight and turn castles Jonny Bairstow | Watch here

Denis Villeneuve, Legendary to develop 'Dune 3'

AI study uncovers how personality shapes our genes and health

IMAGES

Case Study of Coca-cola Marketing Strategy
Coca Cola Case Study.pdf
Coca-Cola Case Study Analysis
Case Study 1
Coca Cola Case Study
Coca Cola Case Study (1)

VIDEO

कोका कोला कंपनी का दिमाग देखिए Coca cola Company Advertisement #shorts #cocacola #shorts #cococola
COCA COLA // CASE STUDY VILLAGE OLYMPIQUE
A case study of the Coca Cola scare in Europe
RealFlow Case Study: Coca-Cola Share
COCA COLA
Coca-Cola business strategy exposed 😱 #business #harshbeniwal #cocacola #marketing #badshah #music

COMMENTS

Coca-Cola Business Strategy: Goals & Case Study (2024)
Coca-Cola Business Strategy: Goals & Case Study (2024) Coca-Cola, as the market leader in the soft drink industry, has a wide portfolio and operates in global markets. As a household name, its active corporate and marketing activities are worth studying. Let's have a look at Coca-Cola's international corporate strategy and marketing activities ...
Coca-Cola's Business And Distribution Strategy In A Nutshell
The Coca-Cola Company's business model is based on five large independent bottling partners. In 2019, these five bottling partners represented 40 percent of the total unit case volume the company sold. Coca-Cola has separate agreements with bottling partners for manufacturing and selling the company's products. As specified by Coca-Cola,
Coca-Cola Marketing Case Study
From the star 'Coca-Cola' drink to Inca Kola in North and South America, Vita in Africa, and Thumbs up in India, The Coca-Cola Company owns a product portfolio of more than 3500 products.With the presence in more than 200 countries and the daily average servings to 1.9 billion people, Coca-Cola Company has been listed as the world's most valuable brand with 94% of the world's ...
Strategy Study: How Coca-Cola became one of the most successful brands
February 8, 2023. Coca-Cola has an impressive track record of innovation which has helped propel the company to become one of the most successful brands in history. Through skillful advertising efforts, Coca-Cola is widely recognized as a symbol of American culture through its influence on politics, pop culture, and music around the globe.
Coca-Cola: Preparing for the Next 100 Years
In early 2020, James Quincey, the 14th chair of the 133-year old The Coca-Cola Company, was in the midst of a years-long transformation of Coca-Cola from being the leading carbonated soft drink (CSD) beverage company into a total beverage company. The company's flagship product, Coca-Cola, had been the world's best-selling beverage for 100 ...
Globalization of Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a gold standard example of globalization in business. Globalization occurs when a company seeks revenue by expanding and developing markets outside of its home country's borders.
Case study: Coca-Cola
The response: First, Coca-Cola focused on rejuvenating its core product line. The successful launch of Coke Zero, a diet variation of the drink pitched at men (Diet Coke or Coke Light is ...
Global Business Strategy: A case study of Coca-Cola Company
This paper focuses on global business strategy of Coca-Cola Company. The first part of the paper concentrate on the internal and external analysis of the company in the international business environment as well as the extent of globalisation on the company with a detailed report on different organisational structure being implemented on an international scale.
Coca-Cola Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study
Product strategy. Coca-cola has approximately 500 products. Its soft drinks are offered globally, and its product strategy includes a marketing mix. Its beverages like Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, Diet Coke, Light, Coca-Cola Life, Coca-Cola Zero, Sprite Fanta, and more are sold in various sizes and packaging. They contribute a significant share and ...
Shaking Things Up at Coca-Cola
Summary. When Muhtar Kent took the helm at Coke, in 2008, he had two top priorities: to establish a long-term vision and to restore growth in North America. The vision called for doubling Coke's ...
Case Study Of Coca-Cola: What Led To Its Success?
Coca-Cola was launched in India in 1956, with the slogan "Refresh Yourself". Some key points of Coca-Cola Case Study: The company brand value was estimated at $97.9 billion in 2022. The brand logo can be recognized by 93% of the global population.
Business Case Study: Management at Coca-Cola
Business Case Study: Management at Coca-Cola. Dr. Loy has a Ph.D. in Resource Economics; master's degrees in economics, human resources, and safety; and has taught masters and doctorate level ...
PDF Globalization and the Coca-Cola Company
Currently, over 70% of Coca Cola's business income is generated from non-US sources (Coca-Cola Company, 2012). In over a century, Coca-Cola has grown the company into a multi-million dollar business. However, the road to success has not always been easy for Coca-Cola. Many countries have banned the use of Coca-Cola products, claiming that ...
Case Analysis of Coca-Cola's Sustainability
According to Coca-Cola's 2021 business report, the company's net profit in 2021 reached $9,771 million. Coca-Cola has excellent profit margins because of its high revenue and reasonable
Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century
Examines the industry structure and competitive strategy of Coca-cola and Pepsi over 100 years of rivalry. New challenges of the 21st century included boosting flagging domestic cola sales and finding new revenue streams. ... Harvard Business School Case 702-442, January 2002. (Revised January 2004.) Educators; Purchase; About The Author. David ...
Insights from Coca Cola Crisis Management Case Study
In the case of Coca Cola, company leadership played a vital role in crisis management, demonstrating their commitment, decisiveness, and ability to navigate through adversity. Strategic Decision-Making. The leadership at Coca Cola spearheaded the strategic decision-making process during the crisis. They analyzed the situation, gathered ...
(PDF) CASE STUDY OF COCA COLA'S 4PS, SWOT ANALYSIS ...
CASE STUDY OF COCA COLA'S 4PS, SWOT ANALYSIS, MICRO & MACRO ENVIRONMENT (PEST) October 2017; ... According to Business Insider (2017), Coca-Cola spends m ore money on advertising .
When Business and Community Meet: A Case Study of Coca-Cola
The study follows the diffusion of Coca-Cola's global branding strategy and the community involvement program it recommended to the Israeli franchisee and analyzes its design and execution on the ground. ... Shabana KM (2010) The business case for corporate social responsibility: A review of concepts, research and practice. International ...
Case study: How does Coca-Cola do it in the digital world?
The digital challenge for Coca-Cola. The digital challenge for Coca-Cola. The challenge for companies like Coca-Cola is that their products' brand presence and positioning are no longer the main issues; instead, they look at marketing strategies oriented toward connection, loyalty, and innovation with their consumers. All this is what James ...
Coca-Cola: 'Taste the Controversy': A Case Study on Marketing
The not so lucky situations and criticism of the Coca-Cola brand come from its first-ever product. As the history from many sources says, Dr John Smit. Skip to Main Content. ... and Srinivas Tumuluri, 'Coca-Cola: 'Taste the Controversy': A Case Study on Marketing Challenges', Indian Business Case Studies Volume II (Oxford, 2022; online edn, ...
Analyzing Business Ethics in International Markets: A Case Study of
been criticised for viol ating business ethic s in human and animal r ights, poll u-. tion, climate chang e, and unethical marketing (Bwakea, 2020). Coca-Cola pro-. duced 200,000 metric tonnes of ...
Coca-Cola Company (A), The
In order to fully appreciate Coca-Cola's profitability, financial risk, and operating risk, Jane Wilson, a security analyst, is considering preparing a consolidated financial statement for Coca-Cola analyzing Coca-Cola Enterprises as a fully consolidated entity. ... Harvard Business School Case 100-001, October 1999. (Revised October 2000 ...
PDF The Coca-Cola Company Struggles with Ethical Crises
By 2004 Neville Isdell, former chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages Plc in Great Britain, was called out of retirement to improve Coca-Cola's reputation; however, the com- pany continued to face ethical crises. These problems aside, Coca-Cola's overall perfor- mance seemed to improve under Isdell's tenure.
PDF The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The global recognition of the Coca (docx)
Page 1 of 3 The Coca-Cola Brand The global recognition of the Coca-Cola brand stands as a testament to its unparalleled marketing strategies. At the heart of this recognition lies the secret formula, the cornerstone of Coca-Cola's distinct taste which has set it apart from competitors like Pepsi and RC Cola. Initially containing cocaine, this formula was altered in 1903, marking one of the few ...
Empowering Women Athletes through Coca-Cola India and Anju ...
BUSINESS Empowering Women Athletes through Coca-Cola India and Anju Bobby Sports Foundation's Long-Standing Partnership. PTI Updated: April 05, 2024 14:11 IST ~ Coca-Cola India supported with a spacious practice ground and best-in-class gym equipment ~ ... Study sheds light on the brain's role in emotion regulation; Tweets by TheWeekLive. Terms ...

Coca-Cola’s Business And Distribution Strategy In A Nutshell

The secret isn’t in the secret formula but in its distribution strategy .

Coca-Cola’s short-term chain, long-term franchise-model

Re-franchising or “going franchise”

Coca-Cola vs. McDonald’s distribution strategy

Key takeaways

Key Highlights of Coca-Cola’s Distribution Strategy:

Related Visual Stories

More Resources

About The Author

Gennaro Cuofano

Coca-Cola Marketing Case Study

Marketing history

Marketing Strategy In The Beginning

The Idea Of The Bottle

Coca-Cola Worldwide

Coca-Cola Marketing Strategies

Consistency

Positioning

Franchise model

Personalization & Socialization

Diversification

Coca-Cola Marketing Facts

Go On, Tell Us What You Think!

Related Posts:

How Coca-Cola became one of the most successful brands in history

Who owns Coca-Cola?

The history of The Coca-Cola Company

Birth of The Coca-Cola Company

International expansion of The Coca-Cola Company

Early competition

The Coca-Cola system- a global franchise distribution network

Evolution of the Coca-Cola product

Removal of cocaine

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Sweetener changed to high fructose corn syrup

Recipe and flavor variations

Coca-Cola Growth Strategy

Focus on developing markets

Brand portfolio optimization

Networked organization

Brand building

Digital transformation

Revenue growth management

The power of advertising- Coca-Cola becomes a household name

Large contributions to advertising

Focus on the brand and human connection

Celebrity endorsements

Coca-Cola in pop culture

Clever campaigns and promotions

Collectible memorabilia

Growth through mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships- becoming an unstoppable force in the food and beverage industry

Key mergers and acquisitions

Special partnerships

Controversy, regulatory issues, and criticism

Health concerns

Environmental issues

Coca-Cola's social media strategy

Positivity

Leverage consumers to create content

Attachment to social issues

Coca-Cola website

So, Why is Coca-Cola so Successful?

Recap: growth by the numbers

Become an FT subscriber

Explore more offers.

Premium Digital

Explore our full range of subscriptions.

Global Business Strategy: A case study of Coca-Cola Company

RELATED PAPERS

Table of Contents

Become an AI-powered Digital Marketing Expert

Income and Family Size

Become One of The Highest Paid Digital Marketer

Social Media

Product strategy

Master SEO, SEM, Paid Social, Mobile Ads & More

Pricing Strategy

Place Strategy

Promotion Strategy