Analyzing the Marketing Strategies of Coca-Cola's 'Healthier' Drinks

Every second of everyday day, thirteen thousand people in two hundred countries around the world consume a Coca-Cola product (Bodden, 2008). This adds up to more than one billion Coca-Cola products being consumed daily. The brand is worth over one hundred and seventy billion dollars and it is argued to be the most recognizable products on the planet (Butler, 2015). For the first seven decades the company only had one brand, one product and one package size (Butler, 2015). This is no longer the case, with the company now expanded to producing a number of different types of Coca-Cola including Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Coke Life as well as numerous more. The Coca-Cola monopoly ownership of the market does not stop with the one beverage, with it also owning Sprint, Evian, Fanta and countless more (World of Coca-Cola, 2016). This research project will concentrate on the way in which Coca-Cola has marketed their ‘healthier’ alternatives to the iconic drink.

The pharmacist, john Pemberton, the creator of Coca-Cola in 1886, first advertised the drink as a ‘brain tonic’ that cures Morphine and Opium habits (Elmore, 2014). The idea was that if you drink Coca-Cola your mental and physical anxieties will disappear. The drink was also emphasised to “revived and sustained” those who consumed it (Mosher, C, 2013). Coca-Cola has long moved away from suggesting that the drink has health benefits, however, it still advertises the drink in a way associated with a healthy, happy lifestyle.

During the early 1980’s there was a vast increase in diet drink being consumed, with sales in this category growing three times faster than the rest (Moye, 2013). Due to societies new need for low calorie drinks Coca-Cola decided to join the market with their own sugar-free, low calorie beverage in 1982 (Butler, 2015). By the end of 1983 Diet Coke was the number one diet soft drink in the United States and the top soft drink among women (Moye, 2013). In 2011 diet coke launched a campaign called ‘love it light’, which was designed to celebrate the hottest beauty and fashion trends of the season (talking retail, 2012). One of the advertisements for the campaign features three puppet girls shopping for a bag; however, none are the right size for their can of diet coke so they decide to cut the bag to size (YouTube, 2011). The advertisement portrays the can as a perfect fashion accessory, which goes along with the aim of the advertisement to show how ‘fashionable’ the drink is. The advertisement has been stated to be incredibly sexist with the advertisement showing women in a very generic and stereotypical form (Henwood, 2013). The campaign also restricts their audience with the advertisement only targeting women. Many fashion designers have taken part in designing the packaging of Diet Coke. The list includes Diane Von Furstenburg, Karl Lagerfeld, Moschino, Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier as well as Marc Jacobs (Coca-Cola Journey, 2015). They have been used to help sell the product as a fashionable brand, with the inclusion of the designers helping sell the product in a way that targets women.

In 2006, a new drink was launched by Coca-Cola, Coke Zero. The drink is advertised as a low-sugar, no calories alternative to the classic drink. This is the same way Diet Coke is marketed, however, Coca-Cola claim Coke Zero has a different ‘flavour base’ to the original low calorie option (Coca-Cola Journey, 2015). Many people associate Diet Coke with women; however, with the use of the word ‘zero’ instead of ‘diet’ the aim was to target the drink at a different demographic. Coke Zero created a campaign associated with the James Bond, Skyfall film, called ‘unlock the 007 in you’ (Coca-Cola Zero, 2012). The campaign features a man drinking a Coke Zero which then gains him the attention of a woman. The women then leaves with a different man, this creates a chase through town similar to ones features in a James Bond film. The advertisement ends with the man drink Coke Zero winning the women. The way in which masculinity is captured in the advertisement is very stereotypical, with the idea imbedded within how to gain the attention of a woman. The drink is clear target at men with the sleek black can also capturing masculinity.

The newest drink added to the Coca-Cola collection is called Coke Life, which was created in 2014 (Coca-Cola Journey, 2015). The drink is marketed at containing 45% less sugar as well as fewer calories than the regular Coca-Cola (Coca-Cola Journey, 2015). The difference from the original drink is how it is sweetened, a blend of sugar and stevia plant extract (Coca-Cola Journey, 2015). The drink is targeted at those who want to reduce their sugar and calorie intake but don’t want to compromise on the original taste. The drink may be targeted as a healthier alternative; however, the sugar intake in a 330ml can is still 25% of your daily sugar intake (Beech, 2012). The packaging of the product is green which helps suggest that the product comes from the ground and is natural. The way the product is advertised also suggests this with the bottle being captured outside in the grass (Marketing Magazine, 2014).

In conclusion, the three products, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Coke Life all contain lower amounts of sugar and fewer calories than the original Coca-Cola. The main difference between the three is the way in which they are marketed. Diet Coke is promoted as a fashionable drink for women who care about the way they look. Coke Zero is targeted as a masculine drink and Coke Life is promoted as natural, green alternative. The most popular soft drink in the Word is the original Coca-Cola followed by Diet Coke, Coke Zero comes in at 10 with Coke life yet to get on the scale (Caffeine Informer, 2014). This makes you question whether there is any need for three lower calorie and sugar versions of the drink with the original remaining to be the most popular. In 2016, a new marketing strategy was created by Coca-Cola, with the aim to promote all versions in one advertisement campaign (Roderick, 2016).

The next part of this research project is a semiotic analyse of two Coca-Cola advertisements from its newest campaign called ‘one brand’. This campaign will allow the original Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero and Coke Life to be advertised in one way. The aim of the new promotion is to make the choice between the drinks easier, with Coca-Cola suggesting that some people can not distinguish the difference between the options (Hepburn, 2016)

The first advertisement I will analyse from the campaign with be referenced as ‘figure 1’ in the bibliography. The central colour in the advertisement is red, which signifiers the Coca-Cola brand as well as the packaging of the original drink. The iconic Coca-Cola logo, with it serif font, connotes tradition as well as history. This idea is also created due to the longevity of the company. The signifier red also connotes passion and love. This idea is also captured in the way she is holding the bottles of Coca-Cola. She is captured wearing tight, red, leather trousers and a red top. The clothing connotes sensuality with signifier of her facial expression also connoting promiscuity. Desire and lust is signified in the advertisement through the hands reaching to grab the women as well as the Coca-Cola bottles. The model used in the advertisement also suggests sexuality due to her beauty. He beauty appears to be natural which creates the impression that the product she is holding is also natural. The woman’s body language creates the idea that she wants the Coca-Cola bottles for herself, as well as her not wanted the envies hands to claim what appears to be hers. In the women’s hands she has 5 bottles, two of which are the original Coca-Cola. These bottles stand out in her hands more than the others due to the colour red being key in the advertisement. The fact that there are two of these bottles implies that it is the most popular and common. No words are present on the advertisement except for the brand name, Coca-Cola, suggesting brand recognition. Over all this advertisement is simplistic but with the colours able to connote the Coca-Cola brand. One aspect I feel the advertisement doesn’t do is ‘make the choice between the drinks simpler’, with the difference between the four drinks absent on the advertisement.

I will now analyse the moving image advert from the campaign stated as figure 2 below. The main notion the advert connotes is the idea that Coca-Cola creates memories. One way this is created in the advertisement is through the text. An example of this is ‘Coca-Cola with smiles’. This helps suggests that if you consume the product you will instantly be happy. This idea is also reinforced through everyone in the advertisement show with a simile as they are drinking the product. ‘Coca-Cola with strangers’ is also used on the advertisement. This helps suggest that if you drink Coca-Cola it brings people together. Another way this idea is connoted is through the themes of love. The advert symbolized the drink as a romantic product that is able to give people common ground to start a relationship. The way in which repetition is used during the advertisement helps reinforce the messages encoded within the advertisement. This message is that Coca-Cola helps create memories. Another way this message is connoted in the promotion is through the slogan, ‘taste the feeling’. The slogan suggests that the drink makes you happy due to its taste and the feeling it creates. Friendship is encodes within the advertisement with everyone portrayed drinking Coca-Cola with somebody else. Thus suggest that Coca-Cola brings people together. The advert also connotes people being active and healthy with most of the clips used capturing the outdoors. Many of the shots also promote health through the activities show, running, skating, swimming as well as generally being active outside. This idea is also connoted through all the actors used being thin, healthy and beautiful. In the advertisement only two of the four bottles of Coca-Cola are captured, the original and Diet Coke. This makes me question the new marketing strategy due to the aim of the campaign to feature all the products and to help create brand awareness for the different products.

To summarize, the new Coca-Cola campaign, ‘One Brand’, is a new way for the company to market its products. In the past each product has had its own unique marketing strategy. The new goal is to market all the products together to help show the difference between the four. The print based advert features all four products, however, there is a clear emphasis in the advert on the original Coca-Cola. There is a lack of individuality portrayed in the advert between the drinks, with all four shown in identical way. The moving image advert only included Coca-Cola original and Diet Coke. This highlights an issue with their marketing strategy to promote all the drinks together as two drinks don’t feature in the advert. Due to the campaign recently being launched there is a lack of promotional material available. This may suggest why there is a lack of product individuality in the advertisement as well as all drinks failing to being including. In reflection of the current promotional materials in the campaign, their aim has been lost. The difference between the drink has yet to be highlighted in the campaign with the aim to show the difference been lost.