1.8 billion servings of Coke beverages are severed every day in more than 200 countries. Beyond being the most widely consumed beverage brand, it is the best known brand, the world over. Beyond the beverages, Coke is a brand that is loved. Indeed, love and happiness are brand goals for Coke the world over.
I was fortunate to hear Melvin Landis, Chief Retail Sales Office for Coca-Cola and Alison Lewis, senior Vice President, North America, for Coca-Cola speak at the National Retail Federation Big Ideas Show in New York last week.
The keynote presentations focused on how Coke positively promotes its various sub brands and connects these with happiness and how Coke helps retailers leverage the message of happiness and drive sales. From large businesses to small, Coke has an integrated campaign from the product through paid advertising, using social media and plenty of in-store activity to help retailers like newsagents drive sales.
Here are some of the (unedited) notes I took during the presentations:
Here are some key points about the value of the Coke brand and its connection with today’s consumer:
- Coke is a brand that inspires optimism and happiness and hope.
- Coke’s mission is about refreshing the world. It does this using a message of happiness and optimism.
- Millenial consumers very concerned about the environemnt. Coke connects with them. On … water stewardship … recycling … climate protection.
- Coke engages consumers with stories with strong and emotional content. The stories share value and create connections. This creates brand love and shared value.
- Stories are the new currency for Coke in bulding their brand.
- Coke invites all businesses to join in this journey on happiness and shared values.
- The biggest shift in retail being driven by techology / mobility.
Their targeting of millennial consumers was a surprise. I had not seen (realised) this myself and was enthralled by their pitch and their understanding of the millennial consumer.
The Coke message showed the importance of going beyond a one-off in-store offer and developing a long-term fully integrated offer that harvests shopper data, drives long-term impulse purchases and uses the main brand and a host of sub brands to attract shoppers who might otherwise not have visited the business. This is actually massive – using a beverage story to drive traffic.
Too often promotions are run in newsagencies that leech off existing traffic. While that’s okay, it is not good for the long-term growth of our businesses. we need more campaigns, products and supplier relationships that drive new traffic.
The Coke supplier / newsagent relationship is two-way, tapping into the global resources of the company. It is built around growing the newsagency business and not just seeking to drive volume of one or two beverage products over a short / medium term campaign.
To finish, here is a video of a Coke campaign in Singapore. It reflects the type of emotional connection around optimism and happiness that the company so often embraces in its consumer campaigns.
I used to think of Coke as a sugary syrupy drink that was not necessarily good for health. The reality is that in the family of products Coke offers plenty of healthy choices … all promoted through the same prism of optimism and happiness.
Isn’t well planned and applied spin wonderful.
Interesting notes Mark. It is good to get a perspective outside the day to day sales. yes they are a huge brand, no denying their success. My Coke sales are up 15% year on year.
Mark – Coke IS “a sugary syrupy drink that is not necessarily good for health”. I’ve got the huge dental bills to prove it. Nonetheless, I continue to drink it, excusing myself on the grounds that it’s one of my few vices. I enjoy it – it makes me happy, so the saturation advertising works! LOL
I went with Coke this year for this reason. Customers love the brand. Plus some of their healthier drinks. Good insights.
I quit coke a few years ago I got sick of them changing what the minimum order was just to suit there monthly sales targets . I told my schweppes rep to go work for coke and fix the problem his reply was never again .
Unhealthy? Certainly. Very saleable yes.
Our coke sales are also up on last years – about 20%
Iconic brand but as i said to our coke rep, the day you can supply me with the product at the same or better than when it is on special at the Coles or Woolies is the day i will place an order. It is cheaper for me to buy from the supermarkets than direct from Coke. So who is screwing who.
I only sell in cans and it all comes from Coles/Woolies cant afford the distributors. same applies to Mars Bars etc. Talk about duopoly buying/screwing power
Gave coke the flick, sick of their inflated wholesale prices. Changed to swhepps huge savings, no drop in sales.
wally ted same here i don’t even get customers ask for the 600ML bottles they are quite happy with a can ,and thats way better return than any 600ml can offer .
Sweppes cans when on special can be cheaper than woolies so why is coke different .