Social Media as Marketing Tools-a Case of Coca-Cola

Back ground of Coca-cola Coca-cola started in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886 by Dr. John Stith Pemberton. He was a local Pharmacist. After producing Coca-cola syrup he carried it down to different pharmaceutical store on the street, where it was sampled and pronounced as exceptional. The gross revenue of the drink called cytosine thereafter, began. It was not at prototypal sell as bottled drink rather it was sold from the fountain for five cents a glass. Carbonated water was later combined with the refreshingly disc everyplaceed syrup to produce the drink known as coca-cola to daylight.Coca-cola is known all everywhere the hu globe being for its unique taste which its competitors occupy not been able to beat. Dr. Pemberton attendant with a man called Frank M. Robinson-a bookkeeper- to create the name Coca-cola. After considering the publicise aspect of the product, Robinson came up with the unique name known as Coca-cola today. Coca-cola was first advertised in The Atl anta daybook, through the journal the citizens were invited to taste the new and universal fountain drink. While the product tasting were on expiration, serial publication of advertising campaigns were also put in place to aggressively bring up the newly found drink.The people head for the hillsing by were invited to try the drink with the hope of passing the mess eld across after tasting. During the first year, the reasonable sales of coca-cola rose to golf-club drinks per day. Dr. Pemberton never realized the future face of the drink he created therefore, he sold a portion of his duty to different scatterners. In 1888 before his death, he sold the remaining mathematical function of Coca-cola to Asa G. Candler-An Atlanta business guru, who later proceeded to buy additional rights and completely took over the operation of Coca-cola (The archives of Coca-cola). Coca-cola scrape imageCoca-cola is a leading name filth in the carbonated drink industry therefore the name pla ys a major role in the sales of the product. With a very solid distribution channel that makes the products readily available everywhere in the world and a unique tick off image that places the product on the mental capacity of it targets audience so much that, Coca-cola becomes an addiction within some quarters. This background knowledge gives Coke the greater opportunity to proceeds a large geographical population in non-homogeneous capacities (Coca-cola merchandising mix 83). Coca-Colas filth personality reveals the positioning of its cross off.Coca-cola strategically positi stard it products in the mind of it targets pigeonholing that they see the product as part of their daily lies and this strategic score positioning often plays a major impact in winning decision. The association between the soft touch and the consumers sometimes turn out in brand loyalty and invariably makes the purchasing decision easier for the consumers. Coca-cola packaging system stay one of their strengths in the market. Although the bottling of Coca-cola has on a lower floorgone series of transformation all through the old age throughout the world but the brand form consistent in its distinctive taste all over the world.In other words, the product remains the same both in taste and packaging globally (Coca-cola selling mix 83). The age of sociable media marketing Social media marketing is the act upon or strategy of using neighborly media web lays like, facebook, peep, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace etc. to get up a ships company and its products. Over the years technology has brought roughly changes in the elbow room we do business. The new age of technology has undoubtedly altered the slipway most companies also conduct their business activities. This technology inclined age therefore, makes buying decision easier for the target market segment.Earlier before the advent of affable media media outlet were limited to radio, TV and several(a) print media, this made it easier for the advertiser to reach their mass audience using promotions through these available mass medium then. The media proliferation gave birth to various media channels which in shape have allowed consumers to have options when it comes to media usage as a will of modern invention. It is very germane(predicate) to note at this point, that the media availability really have a irregular impact on consumers behaviors. Such impact include Interactivity, Customization and Social interaction (Social marketing meet interactive media).The affectionate media network has therefore, becomes so essential that it is a must have for any company that wants to be germane(predicate) in the 21st century. It has contributed to the development and success of umteen companies in various ways. The case of Coco-cola is not an exception among the companies who are strategically using the companionable media marketing tools to draw following to their brands. According to Jack Y an, The purpose for brands in any mixer media court must be to serve the composition both internally and externally He went further to state the nine goals of complaisant media usage by a brand.Such goals include * mannikining a sense of membership or citizenship with the organization * Promoting communication and acceptance of the brand * Encourage the audience to engage in dialogue almost the brand * Building positive brand association * Building brand cognizance * biteing as a channel through which discipline about the brand ignore be obtained * Inform the consumers of the vision behind the brand * Help the organization to maintain a competitive ground * Act as a channel to know if the brand is been properly communicated to the consumers and * Build a perceived quality of the brand (Social medial in branding).Coca-cola efficaciously combines the above mentioned goals in its social media usage through the huge number of followers on its social medial pageboy. Its cont inuous exercise of social medial marketing tools like Facebook, peep and Youtube, has undoubtedly given the company an insight into what the consumers are saying about its brand. Coca-cola facebook practice session Facebook is one of the swift growing social networks with over 400 million users all over the world, it has both young and grownups as active users (Facebook challenges and opportunities for pedigree communications students).Coca-cola is one of the most popular brands on Facebook along with celebrity artiste icons like noblewoman Gaga, Rihana and Eminem. Coke has over forty-one million fans (www. facebook. com/cocacola). Coke is the 15ht most popular Facebook page (usatoday. com) On Facebook, Coca-cola has over 35 million like check to Wendy Clark-Coke senior vice president of integrated Marketing, she sayshaving all the fans respond to setback is meaningful. This is because such responses are likely to yield more sales for the brand coke.She went further to lay em phasis on how such colossal responses from the fans on face book are to the advantage of coca-cola (usatoday. com). The nature of the social media networks localise deliberately makes it possible to sell information among the users. Facebook has a high improvement growth and this allows sharing of information among all friends in one-place solution doable (Too many Facebook Friends). More so, through its viral distribution of messages, Facebook allows target consumers to pass messages and ads to friends with ease.The online messaging allows comments to be passed on transmitted messages like ads (Viral advertising in social media). Coca-cola understands this behavior, therefore, it virally engaged its targets audience through series of information about its brand. Coca-cola twitter utilization Twitter was introduced in 2006 as a blogging site that permits users to share different kinds of messages online vial medium called tweets (Follow me Global Marketers Twitter use). through a nd through these medium users are able to share messages and comments on various issues going on around them.Twitter has one hundred and sixty million users and beam an upward of ninety million message everyday (Twitter as a medium of message). Coca-cola has over five hundred and thirty thousand followers on twitter (Twitter, Inc). These followers are constantly engaging in various topics about the brand coca-cola on the webpage. Through the twitter page consumers are informed about any ongoing promotion and design of Coca-cola. Twitter also stands as one of the avenues through which the consumers get information about any new ads message concerning the brand.The twitter verse harmonise to Clark, has a profound impact on how coke deal with consumers feedback. Coke monitors the questions posted on Twitter and answers them. Clark says twitter has brought changes to coke customer service approach. More staffs are now been put on twitters page to respond to the ongoing traffic demand s of the twitter page (usatoday. com). Coca-cola YouTube utilization YouTube is a none-paid for social media website that enables users to upload their videos and share them through the internet (Peers or expert? ). It was created in 2005 it has over a 100 million videos per day.This gigantic number account for 60% of all online videos. The nature of YouTube broadcasting allows the users to share their opinions online concerning the videos they have seen through rating (Social interaction and co- ingesting with YouTube intermix Mass converse). Coke employs the use of YouTube for advertising purpose through which the viewers can pass comments on their advert. The use of YouTube by Coca-cola gives the viewers the opportunity to view and pass comments on their ads. These commentaries generated helps coke in furthering their creativity when else they plan another advert.The reason has been that such commentaries are not flyingly receivable under the traditional TV adverts. Though th ere are many other sites through which one can upload videos but coca-cola YouTube usage gives kick downstairs viewing opportunity in terms of marketing to the larger audience. A scene from an advertisement provided by coca-cola on YouTube Result of the brand The social media world has invariably changed the nature of the modern day business approach and it has so far brought so many challenges and success to those brands using them to promote their products at different stages.Coca-cola through the social media utility has been able to generate millions of followers and viewers all over the world. These viewers in turn promote the brand through their spending on Coca-cola brands. Coca-cola has over 2 billion people drinking coke globally. A success theme that is linkable to its creative prowess and leveraging with social media network sites like Facebook, twitter and YouTube (Cokes social media success). Coca-cola through the usage of these media continues to build an empire of loyal followers.Coca-cola having built these enormous followers does not just live them to communicate in isolation, rather the company strategically put a monitoring body in place that responds to the followers queries and provide immediate response. Wendy Clark in an address recognized that social listening is very primary(prenominal) in social media it is necessary to communicate back to the followers. She said give about the like button. Its all about the share. Its the most important. She concluded by saying that whatever content the company has to create must be shareable.She shared the story of a man who through immediate response from the Coca-cola twitters team went ahead and purchased a Vitamin water drink-an extended brand of Coca-cola (Coca-cola VP dialog). A result oriented communication Connectivity Coca-cola through it social media connect various groups via online activities. This engagement gives the opportunity to the consumers to share their experiences about t he products among themselves. It also allows Co-ca cola to have feedbacks on how the brand is doing in the market place.These feedbacks help in developing marketing strategies for the brand. From the ongoing, it is certain that Coca-cola social medial presence and engagement with its consumers has not moreover created awareness and loyalty for the brand it has also generated increase in sales for the brand through its huge cyber group followers. As a result of its involvement with its followers, the brand is able to connect globally with the consumers at various locations all over the world within a particular circle-the social network.It is therefore, very necessary within this paper to recognize the fact that, social media as a marketing tool plays a significant part in the brands ability to reach its target audience. References 1. The chronicle of Coca-cola Birth of a refreshing idea Retrieved on 05/02/2012, from http//www. thecoca-colacompany. com/heritage/chronicle_birth_refre shing_idea. hypertext markup language 2. Coca-cola marketing mix 83 Retrieved on 05/02/2012, from http//www. bilara. hubpage. com/hub/coca-cola-0 3. Coca-cola Fans page Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http//www. facebook. com/cocacola 4.Twitter, Inc (us) Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http//www. coca-cola. com/en/index. html 5. 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Journal of Branding Management, 18(9), 688-698. doi 10. 1057/bm. 2011. 19 vacate The social media group is very relevant in the modern day marketing strategy, it is very crucial for any brand that wants to be self-made in todays marketing operation to fully employ the numerous advantages associated with this viral tool in marketing communications.This paper examines the results of, and the utilization of three social media tools by Coca-cola to connect, and create awareness among its target audience. The strategic use of these social media tools-Facebook, Twitter and YouTube eventually leads to more sales for Coca-cola brand. put back of contents Background history of Coca-cola-i Coca-cola brand image-ii The