With over 200 brands around the world, Coca-Cola is a key global player in the beverage industry, if not the most successful, and has been consistently ranked as the top soft drink brand worldwide.

But with more than a century of fame and success, Coca-Cola is certainly not just about its liquid refreshments products, The beverage giant’s global marketing department is not here to play.

Here are the marketing strategies you can learn from Coca-Cola to make your brand’s marketing a success:

Jump to specific parts:

#1 Branding, Branding, Branding!

#2 Target your customers’ emotions.

#3 Innovate your brand and go digital!

#4 Combine offline and online Marketing

#5 Adapt to your customers’ changing demands

#6 Have a brand purpose and show the world that you care.

#1 Branding, Branding and Branding

Image Credits: Coca-Cola

Can you think of Coca-Cola without picturing a red and white logo? What about the sound of a can being opened? Most Likely not, and so does 94% of the world’s population who can recognize a Coca-Cola product even if the name isn’t there. 

That’s what we call a STRONG branding strategy!

The brand relies on multi-sensory marketing to strengthen the connection with its customer and to ensure that its identity is always consistent and instantly recognizable even beyond what we can see with our eyes. 

Coca-Cola has never strayed from communicating its core message of happiness, enjoyment, and pleasure. Reinforcing the importance of not losing sight of what makes a brand of value to customers.

So, how to implement this for your brand? 

Choose what branded sensory components complement your products, and be consistent with your message to make your brand more memorable. 

#2 Target Your Customers’ Emotions! 

Image credits: Coca-Cola

Good branding goes beyond selling the benefits of your offering. It’s also about what you make your customers feel.
Besides its cooling, refreshing taste, Coca-Cola is always associated with joy, having a good time, and celebrating life.
It creates intimacy with its customers by making them feel more, evokes positive memories, and aids them to create a better reality for themselves.

Happiness in a bottle, right!

To be able to implement this to your brand you have to decide on what emotions you want your customers to feel when they think of your brand, or use your products. Is it confidence? comfort? nostalgia? satisfaction?

Once you decide, tailor that emotion to suit your brand and you’ll be able to connect with your customer emotionally, eliciting that unique feeling that will always make them come back.

#3 Innovate Your Brand and Go Digital!

Image credits: PR Daily

Coca-Cola takes full advantage of this digital era by being present on all social media platforms.
It interacts with its customers, executes targeted ads, and share promotional materials through different channels, making it one of their most significant sources of marketing.

So if you are not already, make sure to go digital! it’s an effective marketing strategy that has low costs, extensive reach, and massive popularity. You’ll be surprised by the quick results you’ll get!

This transformation will also encourage you to follow and understand your customers’ habits and interests, which will positively influence your next marketing campaigns.

#4 Combine Online and Offline Marketing Through Smart Packaging

Image credits: Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is constantly implementing new technologies to improve its brand and connect better with its customers. And combining offline and online marketing might just be their best approach. 

The company has been actively working on this approach by integrating mobiles organically into their marketing campaigns in the hope of driving innovation, improving the customer’s product experience, and discovering what content interests them the most.

For instance, when they partnered with Scanlife to create dynamic product QR codes that customers can scan through mobile to access new promotions, exclusive videos, and a social community called SmileWorld.

Or when they collaborated with  Ball Packaging Europe to launch beverage cans that link the customer to the Coke Music Portal making their product experience much more enjoyable.

So how to implement this to your brand? 

You can replicate Coca-Cola’s success by implementing smart packaging to your products, BrandTag is an affordable smart labeling solution that you can opt for to drastically improve your marketing. 

BrandTag uses the latest technologies to give each of your products a unique QR code, that customers can scan and access unlimited product information, personalized marketing, and engagement features while you collect useful data insights. ( you can play with BrandTag’s features for free here)

#5 Adapt to Your Customers Changing Demands 

Image credit: Coca-Cola

As we grow older, our preferences keep evolving and changing and Coca-Cola understands that perfectly, in fact, the reason why the company was able to remain relevant for so long is by adapting to its customer’s ongoing preference changes.

For instance, when certain customers became concerned about their health and are no longer keen on sugary drinks, Coca-Cola adapted by providing healthy options for them.

The company also believes that “everyone is entitled to their drink preferences’ ‘, and that was exactly their response when Cristiano Ronaldo showed his disinterest in the brand even though it has caused them a great loss, which made customers respect them even more.

So, the moral of the story, listen carefully to your customers’ changing needs by interacting with them and adapt your strategies accordingly to keep their interest.

#6 Have a Brand Purpose and Show the World that you Care!

Image credits: Coca-Cola India 

Brand purpose has become a must-have for companies to gain the trust of customers and employees. 

Coca-Cola always believed and acted upon its purpose which is to refresh the world and make a difference. 

To stay true to its message, Coca-Cola aligned itself with many causes and considerations over the years. For instance, the “water conservation and stewardship” initiatives. Where the company proudly took responsibility to respect and protect water resources through different strategies.

“It is critical to the long-term success of our business and the health of our communities. We have a responsibility to respect and protect water resources.”

 – Coca-Cola

Besides, Coca-Cola acts consistently with social issues and continues to engage with different associations to fight for freedom, equality, inclusion, and put an end to racism among others. 

So ask yourself? What is your brand doing that the world can benefit from? And remember that even a small contribution matters!

BrandTag as a Solution

BrandTag is a smart labeling solution  that provides brand owners with the easiest way to prove their products’ authenticity and engage with their customers. 

Powered by Blockchain technology, our Solution gives each of your products a unique ID for consumers to scan and get a wealth of information about your brand. Simultaneously, you can gain an insight into their buying intentions and behaviors, helping you in determining your brand’s next marketing direction.

Want to find out more about BrandTag? Click here