Coca-Cola’s Biggest Mistake Turned Into a Genius Marketing Move (2024)

FAQs

What is the biggest marketing blunder of Coca-Cola? ›

Pulled from the shelves after just 79 days, New co*ke has since been considered one of the biggest marketing blunders of all time. But 34 years on, the brains behind the drink's ironic 2019 relaunch are hoping the product will help to stir nostalgia among its consumers this time around, rather than resentment.

They tested about 200,000 people in the US and Canadian market and most preferred the taste of New co*ke over Pepsi and even their classic co*ke. Rather than selling New co*ke and Classic co*ke side by side, executives decided to discontinue Classic co*ke and pull it off the shelves entirely.

The American public reacted negatively, and New co*ke was considered a major failure. The company reintroduced the original formula within three months, rebranded "Coca-Cola Classic", resulting in a significant sales boost.

Much of Coca-Cola's advertising success comes from the way they present their brand. Instead of focusing on the actual product, they emphasize the feeling and camaraderie of making the brand part of one's identity.

Coca-Cola is rich in sugar, especially sucrose, which causes dental caries when consumed regularly. Besides this, the high caloric value contributes to obesity. Both are major health issues in the developed world.

First, there was a flaw in the market research taste tests that were conducted: They assumed that taste was the deciding factor in consumer purchase behavior. Consumers were not told that only one product would be marketed. Thus, they were not asked whether they would give up the original formula for New co*ke.

One of the most outspoken critics was Marketing Week's columnist Mark Ritson, who called co*ke Life “the harbinger of death for Coca-Cola”. Ouch. The main problem, he said, was that the 89-calorie product was a “half-way house” between the 139 calorie regular can and the zero calories of Diet co*ke and co*ke Zero.

New co*ke

New co*ke is often cited as the ultimate example of one of the most notorious product flops and brand missteps of all time. New co*ke was launched in the mid-1980s by Coca Cola in an attempt to help the soda company stay ahead of competitors during the so-called "cola wars." Instead, it just annoyed consumers.

Why is co*ke declining? ›

In response to the pandemic, Coca-Cola has accelerated the restructuring of its workforce and slimmed down its portfolio. The beverage giant announced at the end of last year to cut about 11% of the jobs worldwide. Furthermore, the number of brands will be reduced to around 200. Overall, volumes fell by 6% last year.

As per media reports, industry experts believe that it is because the brands are not big enough to thrive in a large distribution system of companies like co*ke, which is designed to maximise the sales of soda.

co*ke focuses on selling an abstract positive concept, such as happiness, family, and sharing. As we can see, co*ke has become an expert at selling these non-concrete concepts in this year's video like many before. They remain true to their core values, which they use in their marketing campaigns year-round.

Integrated Marketing Communications: Coca-Cola employs diverse marketing channels to reach its target audience. The company utilizes television commercials, print advertisem*nts, outdoor billboards, digital marketing, social media, and sponsorships of major events and sports to maximize brand exposure.

Coca Cola is famous for its mistakes in the eastern countries like China and Taiwan. In China, when Coca Cola had to translate its name in Mandarin, they chose 'Ke-Kou-Ke-La', very unwisely because it meant, “bite the wax tadpole” or “a female horse stuffed with wax”.

New co*ke. The 1985 release of New co*ke is widely considered a terrible advertising blunder. Coca-Cola Company executives took their century-old brand and secret formula and threw it out in favor of something new.

A brand blunder is an error associated with the branding of a product, especially a new product in a new market. Reasons for such slips include the lack of understanding of the language, culture and consumer attitudes in the new market.

For example, Coca-Cola is the most consumed soft drink in almost every country, but its consumption is the highest in Mexico, Brazil, and the United States, according to the data collected by Gitnux.