Branding Brief on Coca Cola and New Coke Brand Management

1. THE BIG
MARKETING
MISTAKE WITH
NEW COKE

2. Most
popular
carbonate
SOFT
DRINK in
the world
Recognized
by
EVERYONE
around the
globe
More than 200 COUNTRIES...
Well-known
and WELL-
LOVED
brand

3. BACKGROUND

4. Created as a
patent medicine
by John
Pemberton
First TV ad
Coca Cola
Export
Corporation
Launched the
NEW COKE with
new flavor
1886 1950
1926 1985

5. Target Irrespective of age, sex, and geographical location
Part of a daily
life
Tonic and refreshing
non-alcohol drink

6. NEW COKE !

7. ALL STARTED
WITH THE
FAMOUS
COMPETITOR
…
Brands proliferation around the
world
Pepsi, a trigger component
They won taste tests  sweeter
Created competitive advantages

8. Tests
approved by
190 000
PEOPLECreated a new
formula to
compete with
Pepsi

9. "We set out to change the dynamics of sugar colas in
the United States, and we did exactly that -- albeit not in
the way we had planned.“ – Roberto Goizueta
Taking
Intelligent
Risks

10. CONSEQUENCES

11. Mistake from Coca Cola  losing sight of
what the brand meant to consumers
Social risk and psychological risk
Consumer offered their trust and loyalty 
disappointed
Many reactions  old coca cola drinkers of
American association, sales of vintage
Coca-Cola Bottles, huge amount of call &
emails every day

12. COCA COLA CLASSIC CAME
BACK !

13. WHAT DID THEY
GET WRONG ?

14. ICONIC BRAND PROBLEM
« If you drink New Coke you
are not american anymore »
Management team
was unprepared for
public ‘s nostalgia
The taste is
associated with
identity of the Coke
« If you change the taste of the coca
Cola Classic you change the brand
image »

15. BRAND IDENTITY
AND BRAND IMAGE

16. When we say Coca Cola, consumers think about...
AMERCIAN ICON
FRIENDS
PLEASURE
SANTA CLAUS
ARMY
HERITAGE
CRISIS
RED & WHITE
HAPINESS
AVAILABLE
EVERYWHERE
AUTHENTIC
SODA WITH SUGAR

17. BRAND DEFINITION
“A name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a
combination of them, intended to identify the
goods and services of one seller or group of
sellers and to differentiate them from those of
competition”
From American Marketing Association

18. BRAND ELEMENTS
BRAND NAME LOGO SLOGAN CHARACTERS URL PACKAGING JINGLES
Coca-Cola
Coca leafs & kola
nuts
New Coke 
« The Best just got
better »
Coca Cola
Classic  « Red,
White and You »
NOW  Taste the
feeling
Santa Claus
White bears
Endorsement
: Lillian
Nordica
Bill Cosby,
Tailor Swift
Selena,
Penelope
Cruz,
Courtney Cox
http://ww
w.coca-
colacom
pany.co
m/
The rise of the
“Red Disc”-
essentially a flat,
red circle paired
with the white
Coca-Cola
Spencerian Script
logo

19. STRONG BRAND IMAGE –
High degree of identification
EMOTIONAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE BRAND -
Emotional modifier : fun ; descriptive : family and
friend, functional benefit : beverages
BRAND BEHAVIOR « inspire moments of
optimism and happiness »
BRAND BELIEF « We believe in the uplifting
power of happiness »
SOCIAL INTERACTION & INSPIRED
INNOVATION
STRONG FEELING FOR THE BRAND –
Consumers are looking for what Coca Cola represents
(not only the taste)
Elixir of America

20. SOLUTIONS

21. When they launched NEW COKE,
they should have ….
Invested more in marketing & advertising
Designed a better packaging
Created a line extension for a New Coke
and not replace Coca Cola Classic
“Brand loyalty is an important factor in
maintaining the number one position”

22. HOW IS COCA COLA
IMPROVING ITS
BRAND IMAGE TODAY?

23. « Priority for
Coca Cola:
promote clear
facts by
providing
transparent
nutrition
information »
Context  Media transformation with the rise of digital &
nontraditional communication
Strong ads & Marketing  More money in marketing than on
the product itself
Create Line Extension  Different product for different needs
Innovativeness, Aesthetic product

24. To be connected very well with their
consumers
GOALS
To Increase brand awareness and loyalty
with Advertising, social media and sport
events
To remain leader in soft-drink

25. TV ADS 2016

26. SOCIAL MEDIA
COCA COLA

27. EVENTS
FIFA World Cup
Rugby World Cup
UEFA EURO
London 2012 Olympics Games
And this year …Olympic Games
in Rio, Brazil

28. SUMMARY SLIDE
& REFERENCES

29. PARTS TITLE
1 BACKGROUND
2 NEW COKE !
3 CONSEQUENCES
4 WHAT DID THEY GET WRONG
5 BRAND IDENTITY & BRAND IMAGE
6 SOLUTION
7 HOW IS COCA COLA
IMPROVING ITS
BRAND IMAGE TODAY?
8 SUMMARY SLIDES
Instagram Coca Cola Company
https://www.instagram.com/TheCocaColaCo/
Facebook Page Coca Cola
https://www.facebook.com/cocacolaindia/?ref=br_rs
Coca Cola Facts
https://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/about-us/coca-cola-facts/
New Coke
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-new-coke
Coca-Cola's Big Mistake
http://www.sodaspectrum.com/newcoke.html
Celebrity Endorsement
http://www.nndb.com/company/371/000058197/
REFERENCES

30. DISCLAIMER
Created by Marie Rouxel, in 2016
during the PGP Brand Management
course at IIM Lucknow by Prof.
Sameer Mathur