Index IntroductionCoca-Cola CompanyWhy Coca-Cola?What makes Coca-Cola a brand?Brand ElementsHistory, how and whyCoca-Cola's unique selling positionIntroductionClaiming rights to thoughts and feelings of an individual and intentions, induce a fine line between ownership and influence. Brands own us, we let them, or they are simply trying to influence our humanized nature in any way they see fit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Where do we go from here, are the days of subliminal messages gone or are these huge corporations still trying to brainwash and orchestrate our every move. Understanding this concept will allow us to reveal why brands have such a large “market share” within our society and why it is so important to study them and their socio-economic impact. Psychologically the brand shares the impact of the drink we choose to drink to the unconsciously produced rivalry (Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi). Let's dive into one of the most renowned and controversial "brands" in the world. “Did you know? The first servings of Coca‑Cola sold for 5 cents a glass. During the first year, sales averaged nine servings a day in Atlanta. Today, daily servings of Coca‑Cola beverages are estimated at 1.9 billion globally.” (World of Coca-Cola, 2018)Coca-Cola CompanyOften accused of being a vague question at first, "what is the definition of a brand" is simple but at the same time broad as a whole, some experts obviously have their own opinion on the meaning, experts like Seth Godin who has an excellent definition of brand. “A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, explain a consumer's decision to choose one product or service over another.” (S. Godin 2010). This is obviously more of an experience-based definition than a general definition. A more general definition follows more along the lines of: “A trademark is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination thereof, intended to identify the goods or services of a seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of their competitors" (Du Toit et al, 2013). Example: Nike (name) is represented most effectively and generally by the "swoosh" symbol printed on all their clothing, this symbol/logo is easily identifiable and it helps to distinguish one's product from the rest a product and consistency allowing consumers to quickly and effortlessly identify the quality of the product by name or brand Why Coca-Cola is the most popular and holds the recognition of the best-selling soft drink in history as well one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Not only that, but if you're drinking it, it's probably owned by the Coca-Cola holding company. The Coca-Cola Company, one of the most valuable and recognizable brands in the world, is the largest beverage company in the world. “It offers nearly 4,000 beverage options across its 500 different brands, 21 of which generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. In 2016 the company recorded revenues of over $40 billion.” (Team, 2018) These figures add up to a drinks company dominating the industry (not without threats/competition of course). Along with this, Coca-Cola owns and markets four of the top five sparkling soft drinks in the world, namely: Coca-Cola, Diet Coke,Fanta and Sprite. It produces and distributes its beverages through company-owned or controlled bottling plants and distributors, but also contracts with independent bottling partners, wholesalers and retailers. This facility constitutes the largest beverage distribution system in the world. Owning a share in a company like this is not possible without a large expense, even some of the richest people in the world can only afford to own 9%, further proving why The Coca-Cola Company is the ultimate brand when it comes to consumer goods (Fast Moving Consumer Goods). “Billionaire investor Warren Buffett Berkshire Hathaway owns a 9% stake in Coca-Cola. (Team, 2018) In essence the question should not be “why Coca-Cola”, but rather “why not Coca-Cola”. Hegemony. “Did you know? One of the most famous advertising slogans in Coca‑Cola history “The Pause That Refreshes” first appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1929. Coca‑Cola's theme of the refreshment break still resonates in today's marketing .” (World of Coca-Cola, 2018) What makes Coca-Cola a brand? What constitutes Coca-Cola as a brand? In its essence, the Coca-Cola brand is a product that, among other things, has characteristics such as the name and symbol that differentiates them from others on the market. This is what makes their product identifiable and differentiable. This we can see from the tangible elements represented that create a visual, auditory and olfactory brand identity from the following: Trademarks consist of two parts: Brand name: part of the brand that can be pronounced; Example: Coca Cola Brand: Part of the brand that can be recognized, but cannot be pronounced; distinctive figures, designs or coloring or writing; Example: iconic Spencerian script font (Coke) used on a red background. The Coca-Cola brand also resides in the shape and iconic nature of its world-famous bottles. The new Coca‑Cola bottle was so distinctive that it could be recognized in the dark and effectively set the brand apart from its competitors. The Coca‑Cola contoured bottle was registered as a trademark in 1977. Over the years, the Coca‑Cola bottle has been a source of inspiration for artists around the world, a sample of which can be seen at the World of Coca‑Cola of Atlanta. Fast forward to the 1970s when Coca‑Cola advertising began to reflect a brand about fun, friends and good times. Many fondly remember the 1971 Hilltop Singers performing "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" or the 1979 "Have a Coke and a Smile" commercial in which a young fan offered a Pittsburgh Steeler, "Mean Joe Greene", a refreshing bottle. of Coca‑Cola. Brand Elements The seven types of brand elements are used to increase brand awareness, to enable consumers to form strong, positive associations with the brand, and to elicit positive perceptions about a brand. The seven types of brand elements consist of the following: Brand names, logos and symbols, characters, spokespersons, slogans, jingles, packaging. In this essay we will initially refer to all seven, and then move on to a more detailed description of the four elements that make up the brand we have chosen, "Coca-Cola". Brand names: for example, Coca-Cola representing the name of the organizationLogos and symbols: for example, the white Spencerian font of "Coca-Cola" on a red background is used to identify the Coca-Cola company. Characters, for example the Michelin Man (tire company). Spokesperson: For example, Steve Jobs will always be associated with Apple. Slogans, for example,"taste the rainbow", associated with Skittles. Jingles, for example, the song "Five Dollar Foot Long" used in SUBWAY advertisements. Packaging, for example, the unique shape of the Coca-Cola bottle. (Du Toit et al, 2013) The forward looking view of these elements is subject to the first four that I will use to frame the methodology behind the types of elements that I believe support the Coca-Cola company and their brand as a whole. First we will take a closer look at brand names, “The brand name can have a significant influence on consumers' perception of a product” (Du Toit et al, 2013). A brand consists of one or more words, a combination of letters, or even a single letter that forms a unique name that represents a company's market offering. In the case of Coca-Cola, the brand name, as obvious as it may seem at first glance, is certainly the most important element and aspect to immediately identify the brand together with its packaging, I feel that when it comes to Coca-Cola it they grant the privilege of standing out in this, their brand name speaks for itself: no one in the drinks industry can even hold a candle to them. Organizations like “Coca-Cola” have made the conscious effort to develop the perfect name making it distinctive and brandable. The name is recognisable, it provides positivity when combined with the slogans and what they represent. Secondly, slogan: a short but simplified message can be used to help position a brand in the minds of its consumers; slogans usually highlight the benefits of the product or what the company might stand for. Like a good jingle, a slogan should be developed and marketed properly to increase brand memorability. Slogans can have a negative and almost overexposed connotation if overused (Du Toit et al, 2013), which has been achieved by the company in question "Coca-Cola" for which they have had a dozen slogans over the years. Coca-Cola has had many slogans over the years as references and shown in this essay, no more infamous in my opinion than "Open Happiness" or "Life Tastes Good", further atoning the notion seen below regarding the position Coca-Cola's unique selling point and their stance on what makes life 'enjoyable'.Jingle, defined as a “short song”, the sound of a jingle can be associated by adding visual elements of a brand and creating awareness of the product and of the brand as a whole. Increase the likelihood of consumers trying or repeating catchy jingles after the advertisement ends, providing even more opportunities for greater memorability. (Du Toit et al, 2013). "I'd like to buy the world a Coca-Cola" was born in 1971 from 'Hilltop', yet among all the years of jingles and songs from the company what remains one of the most distinct and recognizable sounds, is Coca-Cola's five-note piano. Cola melody followed by the gush of opening the bottle of 'Coca Cola'.Packaging, Packaging is by definition the material that is used to wrap the goods in order to protect the product during distribution. (Du Toit et al, 2013). In addition to the functional aspects of packaging, the element associated with certain brands such as "Coca-Cola", which perhaps has the most iconic bottle shape to date, it becomes seemingly senseless to think that a brand such as Coca-Cola cannot be perceived, but even a quick glance at the shape of its bottle immediately reminds you who it belongs to. Even without the color of the text, the simple image of the "Coca Cola" bottle is easily recognizable. History How and why Better yet who. Who is the brand in question, how it was born and why it was born. The Coca-Cola Company is best known for itsflagship product, Coca-Cola otherwise known as "Coke", invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. The Coca-Cola formula and brand were purchased in 1889 by Asa Griggs Candler (December 30, 1851 – March 12, 1929), who incorporated The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. How: The history of Coca-Cola began in 1886 when curiosity by an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John S. Pemberton, led him to create a distinctively flavored soft drink that could be sold to soda distributors. He created a flavored syrup, took it to his neighborhood pharmacy, where it was mixed with carbonated water and deemed “excellent” by those who tasted it. (World of Coca-Cola, 2018) The Coca Cola logo was created by Frank Mason Robinson in 1885 and the font used in the logo is known as Spencerian script, which flourished from 1850 to 1925 in the United States. The logotype writing is very similar to a font called Coca Cola ii. Frank M. Robinson is credited with naming the drink “Coca‑Cola” and designing the distinct lettering and branding, which is still used today. (World of Coca-Cola, 2018) The 1980s were characterized by such memorable slogans as “Coke is It!”, “Catch the Wave” and “Can't Beat the Feeling”. In 1993, Coca‑Cola experimented with computer animation and the popular “Always Coca‑Cola” campaign was launched in a series of commercials featuring animated polar bears. Each animated commercial in the “Always Coca‑Cola” series took 12 weeks to produce, from start to finish. Bears were, and continue to be, a huge hit among consumers due to their embodiment of characteristics such as innocence, mischief and fun. One of my favorite World of Coca‑Cola features is the ability to have your photo taken with the beloved 7-foot tall Coca‑Cola Polar Bear. (World of Coca-Cola, 2018) Coca-Cola's Unique Selling Position "The factor or consideration presented by a seller as a reason why a product or service is different and better than that of the competition." (Neil Patel, 2018) A unique selling proposition is what your business stands for. It's what sets your business apart from others instead of trying to be known for everything, businesses with a unique selling proposition stand for something specific and it becomes what you are known for. Coca-Cola offers items in a wide variety, however this variety is still kept within the scope of "drinks", what they are uniquely known for is producing the most well-known, consistent and high quality drink, the "Coca Cola ". (USP) or unique selling point is a marketing concept first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern in the successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. The USP states that such campaigns made unique propositions to customers that convinced them to switch brands. (Du Toit et al, 2013) They found that the most successful brands used the Unique Selling Proposition or USP. It has been discovered that Coca-Cola uses USP, if we are to believe the opinions regarding whether this proposal helps companies achieve a more "successful" brand, then we must infer that the initial idea of ​​implementing this within Coca-Cola Company has achieved profound achievements such as holding a majority market share in the carbonated soft drinks industry. Brand positioning involves the act of designing the brand image so that it occupies a specific and valuable place in the consumer's mind. According to "Fundamentals of Branding" Du Toit et al state that the key marketing concept when positioning a brand is that all choices are comparative and consumers make a choice when selecting a brand by establishing comparisons between that product and others, meaning that the brand must be aware of the’.