Coca-Cola and Brand Resonance Coca-Cola Brand Portfolio

Coca-Cola is a FMCG brand which has strong relationships with its consumers. Coca-Cola consumers demonstrate every aspect of brand resonance which consists of the consumers loyalty for the brand, their level of personal attachment and identification with the brand, as well as customers willingness to engage with it. Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history, aswell as one of the best known products in the world. Even though Coca-Cola may have started in the United States, its popularity is universal. Coca-Cola was introduced to Australia in 1937, and over the past 73 years has become one of the most popular and best selling drinks in Australia. Today, you can find Coke in every part of the world. There is an average of 1.6 billion servings per day. In 2009, 9.8 billion cases of Coca-Cola were sold worldwide (Coca-Cola Australia 2011). Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. The Coca-Cola Company claims that the beverage is sold in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke or (in European and American countries) as cola, pop, or in some parts of the U.S., soda. Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world of the soft-drink market throughout the 20th century. The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special editions with lemon, lime or coffee. Coca-Cola is the world's most recognized brand and now anchors a portfolio of more than 500 brands and more than 3,300 beverages (Coca-Cola Australia).

Brand Resonance
The final level of the brand equity pyramid connects with the consumers relationship with the brand and Keller (2008) introduces the final step of the model which he calls brand resonance. Brand resonance is considered by consumers intense, psychological and actively loyal relationship with a brand and it leads to high purchase rates and volumes, feelings of attachment, feelings of brand community with other users of the brand and active engagement (Kardes et al. 2011; Krishnamurthi 2007). In this case, the challenge for the brand manager and strategist of Coca-Cola is to develop the bond and increase the number of interactions such as repeat purchases of a product or service through the development of marketing programmes that fully satisfy all the customers needs, provides them with a sense of community built around the brand and even empowers them to act as brand activists (Krishnamurthi 2007).

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 1 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

Behavioural Loyalty
A range of different secondary sources were explored to assess consumers behavioural loyalty relationship with Coca-Cola. Only one specific secondary source could be found referring directly to Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is currently using their coke rewards points promotion as part of a customer loyalty program. "CokeUnleashed" is Coca-Cola Australia's exclusive Rewards program. It's a place where consumers will get access to great rewards and experiences every day of the year, across all the things they love: music, fashion, entertainment, gaming, technology sport and much more (CokeUnleashed 2011). According to a newspaper article, just two years after its launch, the site is one of the most popular consumer packaged sites on the Web (Weier 2008). In 2007, in the third quarter of the year, CokeUnleashed jumped to 8.6 million from 66,000 in the same quarter a year earlier that is a 13,000% increase (Weier 2008). Consumers purchase specially marked Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero and enter the code at the coke unleased website or through sms and receive 10 tokens for each code. These tokens are converted into virtual points which can in turn be redeemed for various prizes or sweepstakes entries (CokeUnleashed 2011). Evidence of consumers use of the Coke Unleashed customer loyalty program is demonstrated through the primary data source of Facebook content analysis. In figure 1 extracted from the Coke rewards page from Facebook are consumers who belong to the Coke loyalty program that have posted how they feel about winning prizes from buying Coke. The consumers loyalty demonstrated through being a loyal customer by being a member of the Coke loyalty program and supporting Coke is a strong behavioural loyalty towards Coke (Facebook 2011). Figure 1

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 2 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

Attachment
The driving momentum behind any customers decision to have a Coke has far more to do with the emotional attachment they have with the brand than whats actually in the soda bottle (Bueno 2011). This is evident through primary research conducted by me through surveys. I took my own investigation of consumer attachment with Coca-Cola by conducting surveys between the age groups of 18-49 years. I used the Likert Scale as a method to conduct their level of attachment to statements. These statements were: - I really love this brand. - I would really miss this brand it if went away. - This brand is special to me. - This brand is more than a product to me. The surveys conducted demonstrated that the level of attachment towards Coca-Cola is high. Evidence to support this is on the Coca-Cola page on Facebook within 6 months there were 4,600+ photos, 95+ videos, 500,000+ likes and 90,000+ comments demonstrating consumers have a high level of attachment to Coca-Cola (Facebook 2011). In figure 2 are photos were consumers also partake in marketing programs initiated by Coca-Cola, for example they will post on Facebook Where have you had Coke lately? or Coca-Cola invites you to upload a photo of the next Coke you drink!. Figure 2

Source: Facebook 2011

Source: Facebook 2011

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 3 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

Community
Coca-Cola Australia conveys a sense of community with its consumers. Consumers have this identification with Coca-Cola because customers feel an affiliation with other people associated with the brand, weather fellow brand users, customers, employees or representatives of the company (Coca-Cola Australia 2011; Keller 2008). An example of this is an observation and a discussion I had with a close friend who works for Coca-Cola Amatil as a full time sales person. I discovered his enthusiasm and his strong sense of affiliation with Coca-Cola is very intense. His very close relationships with his fellow employees about Coca-Cola as well as his customers who stock CocaCola have formed loyal and positive attitudes and intention for Coca-Cola. Fast food chains in Sydney share a sense of community by stocking Coca-Cola in their stores and receiving special offers and promotions as well, thus this connects each other forming a sense of community. The top ten fast food chains in Sydney are listed below and as you can see they are the major food retailers consumers use in Sydney. 1. McDonalds 2. Red Rooster 3. Dominos 4. Oportos 5. Nandos 6. Hungry Jacks 7. Subway 8. Sushi World 9. Eagle Boys 10. Donut King Coca-Cola Australia has branding programs to help build brand communities and this program is an initiative program for consumers to live positively which consists of contributing to the Australian community (Coca-Cola Australia 2011). Coca-Cola Australia stands by the communities in understanding that they can not have a healthy growing business unless the communities are strong and sustainable. Coca-Cola Australia in partnership with Coca-Cola Amatil, contribute sensitively and with relevance to both the economic and social development of the Australian community. CocaCola Australia sponsors the Coca-Cola Foundation to inspire and support young Australians who are facing major social, physical and/or economic challenges in their lives, by funding innovative programs run by community organisations, charities and Non-Government Organsiations. This has taken on board other sponsors to help the Australian community and the rewarding relationships between the community and sponsors have been an inspiration to other programs in the community who have affiliated themselves with the Coca-Cola Foundation (Coca-Cola Foundation 2011).

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 4 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

Engagement
Consumers are willing to invest time and energy to engage with Coca-Cola. Consumers engagement with Coca-Cola is very high and this is evident through consumers receiving updates and exchanging correspondence with other Coca-Cola users and formal or informal representatives of the brand itself through the blog Coca-Cola Conversations and Coca-Cola Australia Facebook fan page. (Keller 2008; Coca-Cola Conversations 2011; Coca-Cola Australia Facebook 2011). Coca-Cola Conversations (2011) is a blog were Coca-Cola representatives share information on a wide variety of topics and encourage bloggers to chat to them. An example of the consumers engaging with other Coca-Cola bloggers is seen through a blog posted on August 17th of 2011 for all fans to have a role in creating the Coca-Cola apps by creating a new name when the winner is chosen they receive four Norman Rockwell Coca-Cola posters. This is evident in Figure 3 below extracted from the blog posted on Coca-Cola Conversations were consumers are engaging with each other (Coca-Cola Conversations 2011). Figure 3

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 5 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

The Coca-Cola Australia Facebook fan page have 486,718 people who like it and consumers who love Coca-Cola are able to engage with Coca-Cola and tell them how they feel and interact with other users about the brand (Coca-Cola Australia 2011). This is evident in the picture below extracted from the Coca-Cola Australia Facebook fan page illustrating comments, feedback and enquiries from consumers.

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 6 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

Conclusion
In conclusion, secondary and primary research results reveal that consumers of Coca Cola appear to have strong loyalty and personal attachment as well as an intense sense of community and a strong engagement towards the brand where they feel connected to Coca-Cola on a basis besides purchase and consumption. Therefore, Coca-Cola consumers meet all levels of brand resonance due to the consumer intensity and activity relationship to the brand.

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 7 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011

References
1. Bueno, BJ 2011, The worlds most valuable brands: how do you make the list?, Brand Modelling, 21 June, viewed 23 August, < http://www.brand-modeling.com/the-worlds-most-valuable-brands-howdo-you-make-the-list/>. 2. Coca-Cola Australia Foundation 2011, What we do, viewed 24 August 2011, < http://www.cocacolaaustraliafoundation.com.au/>. 3. Coca-Cola Conversations 2011, Name that app, viewed 24 August 2011, < http://www.cocacolaconversations.com/my_weblog/2011/08/we-need-your-help-last-october-we-launched-theheritage-timeline-app-for-the-ipad-and-then-this-may-we-updated-the-functiona.html>. 4. Coke Unleashed 2011, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.cokeunleashed.com.au/howItWorksPage.jsp>. 5. Facebook 2011, Coca-Cola Australia, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.facebook.com/login/setashome.php?ref=home#!/CocaColaAustralia>. 6. Kardes, F, Cronley M & Cline, T 2010, Consumer Behavior, South Western Educational Publishing, viewed 24 August 2011, Google Books database. 7. Krishnamurthi, P 2007, Brand resonance pyramid, The FMCG & Retail Marketing Blog, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://fmcg-marketing.blogspot.com/2007/10/brand-resonance-pyramid.html>. 8. Keller, KL 2008, Strategic brand management -building, measuring and managing brand equity, international edition, 3rd edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. 9. Weier MH 2008, Cokes customer-loyalty web site scores big with consumers, Information Week, July 19, viewed 19 August 2011, <http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/ebusiness/209100728>.

Elham Ojee 200088

17038889 Assessment 2: Individual Case Study 30% Part A Page 8 Brand and Product Management Spring 2011