1. Free sample
nova20708@yahoo.comfairygurl1805@aol.comUSAResearchWriters.com Support Gloria
AdamsWorley AdamsUSA – 1-3015389639 (mobile) fairygurl1805@aol.comAssume the
role of Marketing Manager.Details:Final PaperFocus of the Final PaperAssume the role of
Marketing Manager. Select a product (good or service) that is sold in the United States and
has sales opportunities in a foreign market. Apply your critical thinking skills and the
knowledge you have acquired throughout this course and address the following in your
Final Paper:Describe the product you selected in terms of the four utilities of customer
value.Identify the product’ s target market at home and in your stated foreign
market.Indicate the competition of the product category in both home and foreign
markets.Explain how you would apply the segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP)
approach to market the product in the foreign market.Discuss the major environmental
facts and trends in the foreign markets that might affect sales of the product.Explain how
you would develop, execute. and measure a campaign for this product considering the four
p’ s (product, price, promotion, and place).Discuss the U.S. and international ethical
marketing considerations.Writing the Final PaperThe Final Paper:1. double-spaced pages in
length, and formatted according to APA style Writing Center (not including the title and
reference pages). 2. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis
statement.3. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.4. Must end with a
conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.6. Must use at least five scholarly references in
addition to the course text.7. Must document all sources in APA style, Marketing
Management: The Coca-Cola
ProductNameSubjectInstructorInstitutionDateIntroductionProduct marketing is a critical
facet of the supply chain, and usually requires proper management by the marketing
management, to provide seed for the achievement of the organizational goals. With
globalization, the role of marketing managers have become more complex and demanding,
owing to cross-cutting cultural and ethical considerations, open market for competition, as
well as rapidly changing customer tastes and preferences. The United States has been a
force in the global market, maintaining the front position in both imports and exports. One
particular product that has largely been adopted in the U.S. as well as the world over is the
Coca-Cola drink(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). The author of this paper proceeds to discuss
the marketing management strategies surrounding the sale of this product, including its
foreign and local target market, its adoption and positioning in the foreign markets,
environmental concerns raised by the product in line with both the U.S. and international
2. ethical considerations, and an analysis of the product marketing with respect to the four
P’ s.Utilities of Consumer ValueBusiness marketing utilities, also referred to as utilities of
consumer value, are those elements that are needed for purchase or exchange of a product
to take place between a company and business customers. The word ‘ utility’ refers to that
benefit which a customer derives from the above mentioned exchange. These include form,
place, time, and possession. These utilities work synergistically to bring about customer
satisfaction. Firstly, form is the actual product that is offered to the customers. Coca-Cola is
a non-alcoholic soft drink/beverage that is cherished by most consumers around the world.
Developed by John S. Pemberton in Columbus in the year 1886, and later bought by Asa
Griggs in 1892, the beverage has registered profound sales due to its unique form and taste.
It is a carbonated soft drink, with caffeine and cocaine as the principle stimulants
incorporated within in. it was originally purposed to be used as a medicinal drink by its
inventor, but when it was bought by Asa, it became a simple, but widely accepted form of
refreshment(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). The Coca-Cola Company has since developed
several other brands under the Coke brand-name, so as to satisfy specific needs of
customers, including diet Coke, Diet Coke Caffeine-free, Caffeine-free Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola
Cherry, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and Coca-Cola Zero, as well as other special versions with lime,
lemon, or coffee(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). Due its unique nature, Coca-Cola remains one
of the world’ s most valued brands.In terms of place, the marketing of the Coca-Colabrand
has adopted a franchised form of production, which involves leashing out rights to smaller
local entities across the world to engage in active production of the product. The parent
company controls the production by keeping the formula as a secret only known to two
executives. The formula is then supplied to all franchising companies, which produce the
bulk of the product, and delivers to the final consumer(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). With
this manner of marketing, the Coca-Cola has managed to capture over 200 countries
worldwide, and is the largest bottler in the United States and China. This arrangement is
convenient to customers, as the product reaches the final retailer faster. In addition, local
franchises have contacted small-holder vendors, who provide localized services to
customers, coupled with the availability of the product in all supermarkets and retail
outlets. Lastly, the company has developed a website where interested customers could
visit and find answers about pertinent questions regarding the usability, technicality, and
benefits of the product.The utility of time is also very crucial in ensuring customer
satisfaction. As has been mentioned above, the system of marketing which has been adopted
by the Coca-Cola Company is a holistic and comprehensive one that allows availability of the
product at the right time whenever it is required by the customer(Regassa&Corradino,
2011). An efficient supply chain has been developed, where independent firms are
contracted to carry out the distribution process, which is anchored on efficiency,
effectiveness, and timeliness. Due to the myriad of distributors registered with the company
or foster companies, the supply of the product takes place 24 hours, 7 days a week, to
ensure that there is no shortage of commodity in the market. This is one aspect that has
greatly contributed to developing of consumers’ trust and loyalty towards the brand.Lastly,
the utility of possession enables customers to gain ownership of the product, and
subsequently derive benefits from it. There are different forms of possession, ranging from
3. complete ownership gained after full purchase of a commodity, to partial ownership
resulting from financial aids extended to customers to facilitate purchase. A suitable for of
possession allows a consumer to utilize a product to develop and improve the performance
of his own product, which is absolutely a strong benefit that drives most consumers to a
particular brand. Since the Coca-Cola is bought in small quantities, the final consumer
cannot receive financial aids to facilitate purchase of commodity, but the product is
purchased in full, and the customer gains the opportunity to derive exclusive benefits from
the good(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). Since the product has high-performance component,
customers usually derive maximum satisfaction from the Coca-Cola product, owing to its
sweet taste, the effect of carbonation, and it’ s refreshing feel.Target MarketCoca-Cola
considers every consumer around the world as a target and potential consumer. In the
United States, it has been identified that the product is popular among the youth, especially
those between the ages of 15 and 25, but also adults of up to 40 years(Walsh &Dowding,
2012). Older people comprise the minority of its consumers, but the introduction of special
brands under the Coke brand-name such as Coca-Cola Zero has seen a rise in consumption
among the senior adults(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). Based on gender, the males have been
identified as more ardent consumers of the product, as it is commonly used as an
accompaniment with alcoholic beverages. In other foreign markets, especially the African
market, females are better targets of the product, as they are viewed as being more
sensitive and responsive to snacks than their male counterparts.The product utilizes the
emerging trends in economic settings defined by busy schedules, a plethora of departmental
and group meetings, and mobile generation. It targets the youth, who are majorly
dependent on their parents, are fun and entertainment loving, and belong to both the upper
and lower economic classes(Walsh &Dowding, 2012). Based on access to media, the target
consumers are believed to have exclusive or occasional exposure to media, are a mobile
generation and spend time using SMS and MMS services, like innovations, and are lovers of
entertainment and merrymaking(Regassa&Corradino, 2011). This is not entirely true to the
foreign market, as many other economies in the global market are still developing, and may
not be defined in the same capacity as that of the U.S. Instead, the target horizon is extended
for these foreign markets to include adults, executives, and family parties.CompetitionThe
Coca-Cola product has over the years battled with a number of competitors, both locally and
internationally. Coca-Cola has, however, outweighed them in the market due to its
successful market base, and the large number of its loyal customers. Pepsi, a product of the
PepsiCo, is Coca-Cola major rival in the industry of soft drinks, and often emerges as the
second in sales in overall rating, though in some markets, it outsells Coca-Cola. RC Cola
owned by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group is another potential competitor, emerging third in
the sales and manufactures of soft drinks(Walsh &Dowding, 2012).In addition to the above
mentioned giant competitors, there are a myriad of smaller competitors of Coca-Cola
around the world. Some of these include Kola Real in Central and South America, Corsica
Cola in French island of Corsica, Breizh Cola in Brittany, Inca Kola in Peru, Julmust in
Sweden, Tropicola in Cuba, and China cola among others(Walsh&Dowding, 2012). In
addition, other soft non-carbonated drinks produced in other foreign economies especially
in Africa and India are potential competitors, as many consumers move to adopt them due
4. to health benefits. The Coca-Cola Company as managed to acquire most of its competing
companies, including Thums Up among others. This has increased its market share in many
local and foreign economies. Despite the stiff competition faced by Coca-Cola, it has
remained steadfast and unique in the market, and is still preferred by many
consumers.Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning ApproachResearchers have defined
segmentation as the process position a given market into groups of potential consumers,
having the same needs or characteristics, and are likely to exhibit a similar behavior of
purchase. Carrying out market segmentation serves the purpose of providing an analysis
and understanding of the market, so as to help one identify opportunities existing, and
develop a competitive edge over other participants(Heischer, 2013). In the case of Coca-
Cola, I would segment the market based on the following criteria: geographic segmentation,
place of consumption, product type, and demographics. In a new and foreign market, for
instance, Africa, I would segment the market based on geographies. Various divisions would
be created for major continental regions, and head of each division would report to the
parent company. A great deal of autonomy would be given to each division as concerns the
running of operations.The market can also be segmented in terms of place of consumption.
Most of the consumption of the Coca-Cola product takes place in railway stations, cinemas,
restaurants, and homes among others. The commodity would also be segmented based on
the product type. As mentioned earlier, the Coca-Cola Company has introduced other
special brands under the Coke brand, such as Diet Coke. As the promotion of the normal
Coke would be done, the others would also be customized and advertised. Lastly, the
segmentation would be done in terms of demographics, including age and income.The Coca-
Cola product can target segments of a foreign market using different ads(Heischer, 2013).
As identified earlier, the primary target of the product would be the younger generation,
with exposure to media, and have the zeal for entertainment and merry-making. Other
variants of the Coca-Cola product like diet Cola would be targeted at people with special
needs like patients suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, and generally the old.I
would position the Coca-Cola product as thirst-quenching and refreshing. It would be
portrayed as bringing joy, excitement, and jolly mood, as depicted in its latest tagline: Little
Drops of Joy. It would be associated with merry-making and spending some good time with
friends and family, as well as enjoying other forms of leisure like watching soccer. In
addition, it would also be marketed as of high quality and consistent in its
uniqueness.Environmental Facts and TrendsThe environment is becoming increasingly
sensitive to effects of multinational corporations and small local industries, as issues of
global warming and other types of environmental poisoning take shape in the
contemporary society. As a result, many governments have set policies to curb the
indiscriminate operations and use of some components in manufacturing of consumables.
Pesticide use is one particular area that has attracted lucid criticism, especially with regards
to the Coca-Cola Company. It is feared that the water that the company uses in Coke
production contains a substantial amount of unhealthy pesticides as well as other harmful
chemicals. It has been found out that aerated waters used produced by Coca-Cola contains
toxins such as malathion, DDT, lindane, and chlorpyrifos, which are potential precursors of
cancer and immune failure. Policies and regulations set by various economies could in
5. future bar the Coca-Cola Company from operating within the boundaries of such
economies.Secondly, use of disposable containers which do not cause environmental
degradation is a rising issue, and Coca-Cola might finally find itself at cross-roads with some
government legislations. In addition, water preservation and conservation in some parts of
the targeted foreign market may pose challenges to the manufacturing of the product, as it
requires large amounts of the scarce resource, thereby depleting the water table of the local
ground. Lastly, industry effluents from the Coca-Cola franchising companies also cause
environmental pollution, which may, with time, be opposed by some growing
economies.The Four P’ sThe first step in the marketing strategy of any company is to
develop a unique and desirable product that would satisfy the needs of its consumers(Frank
& Jonathan, 2012). Coca-Cola’ s signature product, Coke, is accepted by many consumers as
truly refreshing and thirst-quenching. Based on the nature of the target consumers, the
price of the product should be reasonable and affordable to the youth who largely depend
on their parents.Identifying and defining the place where the product would be sold,
keeping in mind the target consumers is another crucial step that must be undertaken to
ensure successful product delivery. Therefore, it is imperative to outline a succinct
distribution channel for the product ahead of time(Frank & Jonathan, 2012). Lastly,
promotion is critical in creating awareness and demand for the product, and this could be
done through TVs, the Internet, boards, newspapers, and other forms of public media. The
successful manipulation of the marketing mix would be evaluated by percentage of market
cover by the product, as well as the level of customer satisfaction.Ethical Marketing
ConsiderationsThere is an increasing emphasis on the importance of following some basic
ethical practices, such as labor rights, environmental conservation responsibility, and
relation with the community. Corporate social responsibility is particularly critical in
manifesting a company’ s goodwill towards the community, and has been used in various
capacities to portray the good image of various corporations(Gökmen&Öztürk, 2012). The
U.S. has specific rules and autonomous organizations dealing with labor rights, and these
bodies have collectively been mandated to engage in constructive negotiations with
corporations to better working conditions for the workforce. Mistreatment of labors is a
serious ethical malpractice in the international market. Moreover, environmental
conservation is an ethical practice that has been overemphasized currently, and most
economies are moving towards enactment of stringent policies to govern such
practices(Gökmen&Öztürk, 2012).ConclusionCoca-Cola is a unique product that has many
potential opportunities in the foreign markets as well as in the local market. It mainly
targets the youth, and presents itself as a perfect product to segment and position in a
foreign market, through judicious manipulation of the marketing mix. Ethical
considerations such as environmental concerns, labor rights, and community relation are
factors that have to be closely monitored to ensure successful and sustainable marketing of
the product. ReferencesHeischer, L. (2013). Chapter 6: Segmentation, Targeting and
Positioning. Marketing Communications in Tourism and Hospitality, 143-175.Frank James,
L., & Jonathan, B. (2012). Original article: Strategic Marketing, Part 2: The 4 P’ s of
Marketing. Journal Of The American College Of Radiology, 3274-277.Gökmen, A., &Öztürk, A.
(2012). Issues of Business Ethics in Domestic and International Businesses: A Critical Study.
6. International Journal Of Business Administration, 3(5), 82-88.Regassa, H., &Corradino, L.
(2011).Determining the value of the Coca-Cola Company – A case analysis.Journal Of The
International Academy For Case Studies, 17(7), 105-110.Walsh, H., &Dowding, T. J. (2012).
Sustainability and The Coca-Cola Company: The Global Water Crisis and Coca-Cola’ s
Business Case for Water Stewardship. International Journal Of Business Insights &
Transformation, 4106-118.
