Coke, Coca-Cola is a brand with a very strong visual identity. The Coke visual identity encompasses its word-mark logo which has a great appeal in terms of look and feel. It somehow has that” feel good” effect. In marketing they usual say no product has a universal appeal, meaning we have to target market and focus on a small group of the whole market. I think this does not necessarily apply to the Coke brand. Coke has a global presence and global appeal.
The visual branding Coca-Cola includes the ads in which their product brand in 330ml is presented as ice cold either the bottle depicted as almost ice froze or the same kind of bottles placed on fresh ice cubes. In one advert the bottle is open and the bottle lid placed upside down.
Coke appears to have certain words associated with their brand advertising; they include happiness, refreshing, friendship, togetherness .The brand strategy involves the use of different forms of marketing media channels. Coca-Cola however maintains consistency in their marketing communication or marketing message. The other Coke strategy is targeted marketing campaigns on regional, local or even at national levels. Coca-Cola tagline the real thing, is part and parcel of the brands visual brand identity. The Original Taste is part of the brand identity. The brand insists and maintains freshness. This includes their brand product, relationships and more.
I remember the Coca-Cola marketing campaign targeted for Africa- “A billion Reasons to Believe in Africa.” The brand had to actual state or name those billion reasons , which brand in the world can do that. I cam across ‘Reason no.2, 441,876 Deep down refreshment is only moments away.” The Coca-Cola registered trademark and open happiness TM is also presented along.
The Coke verbal brand includes the soft, velvet voice of a woman making some kind of announcement of part of their adverts. Who can forget the sound that appears to be of a Coca-Cola bottle been opened Shwaaaaaaaahhhhh.! I have observed that for their print ads Coke uses their iconic 330ml bottle. In some instance the brand uses the larger bottled products to emphasise sharing movements of happiness together.
Coke appears to have certain words associated with their brand advertising; they include happiness, refreshing, friendship, togetherness .The brand strategy involves the use of different forms of marketing media channels.
The strategy used by Coca-Cola is the use of Coca-Cola branded refrigerators which are used specifically for the coke brad products. There is no bar, restaurant, shop, general dealer, shop or supermarket without those kind of refrigerators in the whole of Botswana. This helps consumers to easily and quickly find a product brand of their number one choice without wasting much time. This helps push sales. The Coca-Cola ads have that appeal that is so attractive and almost makes one feel thirsty of Coca=Cola and not water. I wonder if most people have observed that one can crave Coke to quench their thirst. The kind of thirst that does not require water for quenching but only Coca-Cola and no other soda/fizzy or drink.
What is also more important and particular about Coca-Cola is their red colours. Red in marketing psychology is associated with the food industry. Red is believed to sharpen apatite and promotes a sense of urgency. This brand identity does wonders for the Coca-Cola brand. According to color marketing psychology more 83% make their purchasing decisions based on colour. It may follow therefore that most consumers buy the Coke brand on the basis of its color for food apatite, its color effect on the sense of urgency and its brand presence and wide visibility. There is an English expression out of sight out of mind, theses can be said to apply to brands that compete with Coca-Cola.
The Coca-Cola brand is synonymous with the soft drink industry in my country, Botswana to a point where someone gives you money they would literally say ‘here is some money, you will buy yourself a Coke.” That is how powerful the Coca-Cola brand is in Botswana. Those who have watched the Gods Must Be Crazy movie, the Coca-Cola bottle played a central role in pushing the brand up. The bottle picked from the most remote parts of the country among the Khoi-San people of the Kalahari desert. The Coca-Cola brand just like Kleenex, Xerox, Google, Surf and Colgate dominate their space to point where all toothpaste products are referred to as Colgate etc.