Orlaith from McCann Erickson wrote last week about Coca-Cola. About how it continues to dominate as a top brand.
I confess I really don't know enough about it as a brand, but have to admire one marketing element - its distribution. I read before that their vision was to be within an 'arm's reach of desire' wherever you are.
I found this to be the case while on holidays these past few weeks. Regardless of where I was, Coca-Cola was everywhere. In the hotel bars, the supermarkets, every restaurant, the vending machines and in every fridge in every little shop along hot dusty roads.
Distribution may not get as much air time as other marketing elements - such as advertising - but must be a major success factor for Coca-Cola.
2 comments:
Hi Paul,
I completely agree on your distribution point and I think the ubiquity of Coke is even more profound when you look into it. Not only does it serve the practical function of making the product always available but I also think it reinforces core cultural associations with the brand. When I travel and I see Coke available all over the world from the smallest village in Africa to the most elite bar in Paris - I think it subconsciously reinforces my perception of Coca Cola as a great democratic brand. It doesn't matter whether you are a pauper or a president - everyone drinks the exact same Coca Cola. You can't buy a fancier Coca Cola with money or status. You see Warren Buffet drinking crates of the stuff to kids on the street in Dublin. Some people might look at it from a cynical globalisation perspective but I think it's a great leveller - and probably represents the best of Amercia, which Coke embodies as a brand.
On another distribution point, you might have come across the Cola Life campaign before:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18947780476
It's a brilliant idea which is campaigning to leverage Coke's amazing distribution to distibute medical supplies in hard to reach regions.
Neasa, OMD
http://theinfluentials.wordpress.com/
Hi Paul, welcome back. I was surprised you resisted posting while you were away.
Distribution was actually the main reason behind innocent joining forces with Coke. The link below is to a letter the founders of innocent posted on their blog explaining the deal.
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/us/our_story/2009-investment/
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