The Coca-Cola company Print advertisement
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Introduction
The primary purpose of this paper is to identify two print advertisements of a product of choice. In this case, I will use Coca-Cola Company that targets two different consumers in the market according to this study. The paper therefore, seeks to determine the positioning of the product in the market and the segmentation of the company’s products. Also included in the paper will be an analysis of the target market of the company’s advertisements and their effectiveness in communicating the message to its intended audiences.
Part A
The Positioning of the Products in the Advertisements
The Coca-Cola company has been in the soft drink industry for quite a period, with this achieved through an approach that seeks to keep the company’s position safely. The company has formally taken the privilege of drawing its strength globally since its products are known in the entire world through an efficient marketing strategy.[1] In accordance to the ads detailed in the appendix, it is evident that the company pays its attention to the cultural and social attributions in the society as a strategy of positioning its products.
The first add gives a depiction of an image that relates well with youths who would want their names registered on the Coke bottles for a proposal of marriage. The company has in the second image used a social interaction as a possibility of sharing its product, a factor that depicts the approach in using the social platform as an avenue to position its product globally and locally.
According to the two images, it is critical to note that the positioning is different. This is in consideration of the fact that experiences, and personal preferences of individuals may differ in accordance to their different localities.[2] Marketers therefore make the products positioning different to meet the individual needs of each customers and for the benefit of the company. This remains the key element that has kept its positioning in the market, a factor that has supportedthe company’s profitability and effectiveness.
The Five Bases of Segmentations Utilized
Market segmentation according to sources is an approach used by marketers in dividing a market into groups or rather segments to suit the different needs of customers who exhibit similar purchasing behaviors. In our case, Coca-Cola in segmenting the market acknowledges its various buyers by developing a different marketing mix.[3] Through a mass marketing approach, the company uses a marketing approach that treats the market as a total whole by providing its Coke products for the buyers in the market. Through market segmentation, the company is in a position of targeting different groups of customers through an approach that adapts the product to suit the targeted segment. This example can, therefore, be depicted in the ads since they focus on;
Geographic Base;
In both the ads, it is evident that the setting of the region is urbanized, thus giving the illusion that the company has segmented its product to the urban population.
Demographic Base;
In this, the ads depict a certain age and genders.[4] The first ad gives the illusion of a young man proposing to a lady upon the putting of his name on the coke bottle. In the second ad, there are two intellectual men of young age sharing their possibilities through indulging in the company’s products.
The Target Market within the Advertisements
It is critical to determine that Coca-Cola primarily targets the whole market rather than particular sections of the population. However, this does not typically mean that the company has not a differentiation strategy to meet the needs of the whole market. In the ads, it is notable that the company has introduced a diet coke as a segment of its different products.[5] Through this, the consumers, young in nature are given the privilege of writing their names on the bottles, a factor that is enhancing the buying power of the young population. The diet coke according to the image is a product also designed for people who would not want to take too much sugars and calories, thus making it acceptable to different people in the targeted market.
On the second ad, the company has also developed an approach to working smart through giving an illusion of intellectual young men sharing a coke over a chat. This ad gives the impression that Coca-Cola Company seems popular within the young generation who would share possibilities through a drink.[6] Both the ads, therefore, provide the company’s target groups the privilege of choosing what they want, especially for the people who would not want to drink much sugar. This makes diet coke the option for such consumers.
The Effectiveness of Communication in the Ads
According to the two ads, it is critical to determine that the advertisers have effectively communicated the message to their target audiences. The ads have well-detailed information giving the consumers the necessary knowledge they need to know about the products. The diet coke ad enables different customers also to have their preferences acknowledged by the company, a factor that would promote the buying power of the targeted audience.[7] However, it is essential; to determine the fact that the advertisers did not include the products prices in the ads, a factor that may challenge their audience in determining the prices of the products.
Part B
Stimulus Generalization
It is critical to mention that some private labels and brands often mimic the trade dress of other leading market brands. This is how stimulus generalization occurs with the features linked to the leading manufacturers brands generalized as a private-label. An instance of this can be depicted in a positive relationship that involves a pleasurable feeling for certain products in the market that can be steered by another product that is identical to an original brand.[8] The main reason for copying of other brands is to increase a company’s sales through a parallel response given by customers who perceive the product has the same individuality similar to the original product. The primary objective of using this approach remains in the fact that it enhances the projection of one brand to others.
How the Concept of Stimulus Generalization Has Been Used
Otherwise known as copycat branding, the stimulus generalization enables manufacturers to get opportunities of developing product packages that are in a way similar to that of a leading brand in the market. Manufacturer’s for that used the visual cues such as size, shape, color and image of the main brand that attracts consumer’s attention within the marketplace.[9] It is, therefore, essential to note that the stimulus generalization approach has mainly been used in:
- 1. Family Branding;
I this, several products capitalize on the reputation of another manufacturing companies name. Companies such as Campbell, Heinz, Google, Virgin, and General Electric rely on various corporate brands to sell their products.[10]
- 2. Licensing;
This approach allows well-known brands in the market to rent names.[11] This approach has gained fame in the market today since many marketers link their products and services with the already established brands.
- Product-Line Extension;
In this, related products are inclusively added to an already established brand. This can be depicted in Dole, which mainly deals in fruits and was in a position to incorporate refrigeration juices and juice bars while Sun-Maid included raising bread from raisins.[12]
- Look-alike Packaging;
Through this approach, distinctive packaging designs are created in strong associations with particular brands. This method is primarily utilized by the makers of generic brands and who wish to communicate a quality image by inducing the similar packages of a leading brand.[13] The imitation of successful brands is an approach that is likely to occur in a crowded market environment.
According to this study, it is evident to note that the attitudes and behaviors that are mainly conditioned to a particular brand may be transferred to another product into a similar category and name as well as other products with the same name but of a different group. To demonstrate this in an example, Wal-Mart opened its functions as an organized retail store for multibrand.[14] As soon as the brand was registered in the consumer’s heads and recognized in the market, the company developed a private label for the parallel and the unparallel merchandises, a factor that saw a similar response from their consumers who purchased these products from the company’s stores.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Copying From an Original Brand
In this study, the quality and performance of a brand in the market remains one of the essential factors in spurring the process of stimulus generalization. It is therefore, essential to determine that companies can either be advantaged or disadvantaged in the copying of their brands. This is ostensible from the fact that the quality of a brand determines the consumer’s interest in the brands.[15] In the event that the quality of a copied product is lower than that of the original brand, the consumers are likely to exhibit a positive feeling towards the original product, a factor that benefits the brand manufacturer.
However, in any case the quality of the two competitors turns out to be equal, consumers are likely to consider the pricing premium they pay for an original brand and choose to purchase the copied product. In this, it is, therefore, essential to note that the consumers association with a product can be influenced by their belief in a product.[16] A company’s reputation, therefore, plays a role in creating a strong impact on brand evaluations.
It is empirical to mention that the strategic benefits of stimulus generalization may outweigh the advantages within the confines of strategic marketing. In my view, the stimulus generalization is likely to present itself with the opportunities of an open economy[17] that is offered by different markets.
In as much as the market is not only limited to a single brand, the main disadvantage evident in this case is in the challenges that consumers face in making a choice. In the case that a customer is not pleased with a chosen version of products, they have the liberty to pick another product with a similar brand name.[18] Some companies will therefore never get out of business once they get hold of the marketing concept of establishing their ventures as brand names.
Similarities and Differences between the Two Products
The images attached in the appendix of this paper give two principal products; Nescafe and Sainsbury’s full roast. The table below depicts the similarities and differences between the two products with Nescafe being the original brand.
| Similarities | Differences |
| 1.Same Content between the two products | 1. Dis-similar shape on container or packaging |
| 2. Same color of container used in packaging | 2. Dis-similar lead color used in covering the content of the package. |
| 3. Same container size and shape | 3. Different visual cue. |
| 4. Same Label coloring | 4. Different brand names. |
Through the use of visual cues, shape, color, and size of an established brand, consumers are at times attracted to such private labels within a shopping environment, a factor that makes the private-label products generated by the original brand in the market.
WhetherCopying Bring Benefits or Harm to Consumers
Copying a brand can generally displace other brands in the market which as second or third in market share thus reducing the nature of innovative products, a factor that reduces the choices of consumers.[19] It is therefore, essential to note that some of these products may be harmful to consumers since they give the users no reassurance of consistent quality since the qualities of the products may vary.
The branded originals give the consumers an assurance that the quality of the manufactures products purchased is compatible. At times, consumers may be influenced by the prices of the copied products but the quality may be a challenge, thus causing more harm than gain. However, in some cases, copying can be beneficial to the consumers in the event that the product meets the exact demands of the consumer and is compatible with the original brand.[20] This may, however, be a challenge to the brand manufacturers since the copied brand may turn out to be a competitor. In this, the customers will, therefore, determine the price variances in purchasing these products.
Strategies to Counter Copying
Copying other brands has some negative implications to the marketers. In cases where copying is a free ride, the markets encounter challenges on reduced incentives that allows them to invest and compete on quality that impacts consumers.[21] Copying therefore damages the reputation of brand manufacturers and their abilities to earn fair returns on their innovative ventures. In order to counter the element of copying, it is essential that laws are established within a country to protect the rights of the brand manufactures.
Marketers can therefore register their trademarks including their logos as a strategy to the infringement of their brands. It is also essential for marketers of well-established brands to encourage their consumers to discriminate against the buying of cheap imitations since the products are note up to their expectations.[22] In this, some marketers have adopted a strategy called the masked branding that hides a product’s true origin, a factor that mitigates the chances of consumers from experiencing the same conditioned response.
Conclusion
The study has therefore established the market positioning and segmentation approaches used by Coca-Cola in the ads. Through this paper, I have also determined the prospects of stimulus generalization as employed in the market and how to regulate a manufacturer’s brand from infringements that come with copying.
References
Ali Sair, Shrafat. 2014. “Consumer Psyche and Positioning Strategies.” Pakistan Journal of Commerce & Social Sciences 8, no. 1: 58-73. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 11, 2015).
Eisend, Martin. 2015. “Have We Progressed Marketing Knowledge? A Meta-Meta-Analysis of Effect Sizes in Marketing Research.” Journal of Marketing 79, no. 3: 23-40. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 11, 2015).
Hakhshir, Ghassan. “Positioning Strategies Development.” Annals of the University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series 23, no. 1 (July 2014): 979-988. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 11, 2015).
Hong-Youl, Ha. 2011. “Brand Equity Model and Marketing Stimuli.” Seoul Journal Of Business 17, no. 2: 32-60. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 11, 2015).
Till, Brian D., and Randi Lynn Priluck. 2000. “Stimulus Generalization in Classical Conditioning: An Initial Investigation and Extension.” Psychology & Marketing 17, no. 1: 55-72. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed September 11, 2015).
Appendix
PART A
PART B
[1] .Hakhshir, Ghassan. “Positioning Strategies Development.” Annals of the University Of Oradea, Economic Science Series 23, no. 1 (July 2014): 979-988.
[2] . Ibid. 1
[3]. Ibid. 2
[4] . Ali Sair, Shrafat. 2014. “Consumer Psyche and Positioning Strategies.” Pakistan Journal of Commerce & Social Sciences 8, no. 1: 58-73.
[5] . Ibid. 3
[6] . Ibid. 4
[7] . Ibid. 5
[8] . Hong-Youl, Ha. 2011. “Brand Equity Model and Marketing Stimuli.” Seoul Journal Of Business 17, no. 2: 32-60.
[9] . Ibid. 6
[10] . Ibid. 7
[11] . Ibid. 8
[12] . Ibid. 9
[13] . Eisend, Martin. 2015. “Have We Progressed Marketing Knowledge? A Meta-Meta-Analysis of Effect Sizes in Marketing Research.” Journal of Marketing 79, no. 3: 23-40.
[14] . Ibid. 10
[15] . Ibid. 11
[16] . Ibid. 12
[17] . Ibid. 13
[18] . Ibid. 14
[19] . Ibid. 15
[20] . Till, Brian D., and Randi Lynn Priluck. 2000. “Stimulus Generalization in Classical Conditioning: An Initial Investigation and Extension.” Psychology & Marketing 17, no. 1: 55-72.
[21]. Ibid. 16
[22] . Ibid. 17
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