The business area of marketing has become increasingly important over the last few decades turning marketing activities into a critical success factor. Emotional benefits in marketing have received more and more attention and discussion because they work beyond the awareness of the customer and influence their buying behaviour.
In an article from the Canadian Marketing Association, Glenn Livingston (2004) says that most of the people do not want to believe that they are or can be emotionally influenced by brands. They do not want to admit to using brands as a method of partially supporting their self-esteem but this is what makes the emotional benefit motivation such an important technique in marketing. It is the case that emotional benefits are so elusive and hidden that it makes them incredibly powerful and persuasive.
Companies like Coca-Cola, Gillette or Victoria’s Secret understand the art of accessing, with intelligence and sensitivity, the true power behind human emotions. They form their brands in a way that they become a face and a character in order to reach the overall aim: the identification of customers with the brand. Today’s most successful brands have built relationships with consumers by engaging them in a personal dialogue that responds to their needs.
In fact, many brands make the mistake of trying to force the emotional benefit by telling the customer directly. As soon as this thought is then put into language and made conscious, a person’s adult mind will make rational decisions and realize that this product does not make them a different person.
As Coca-Cola is the number one on the “Interbrand’s Annual Ranking of 100 of the World’s Most Valuable Brands”, the researcher will take this brand as an example and applies the findings on how consumers are emotionally attached by this brand and how it was able to find its way into consumers’ psyche.
The basic knowledge of marketing and the nature of emotional branding as a specific marketing tool is provided in chapter two through the use of an extensive literature review, which examines the key theoretical perspectives influencing this study.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 NATURE OF STUDY
1.2 AIMS OF STUDY
1.3 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
1.4 STRUCTURE OF STUDY
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 MARKETING IN GENERAL
2.2 ROLE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
2.2.1 THE LOYALTY FACTOR
2.3 THE MARKETING MIX
2.4 THE BRAND
2.5 EMOTIONAL BRANDING
2.5.1 TEN COMMENDMENTS OF EMOTIONAL BRANDING
2.5.2 FOUR PILLARS OF EMOTIONAL BRANDING
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH FAMILIES
3.1.1 QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE DATA
3.1.2 FIELDWORK & DESKWORK
3.2 RESEARCH APPROACHES
3.2.1 CASE STUDY
3.3 RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
3.3.1 DOCUMENTS
3.3.2 QUESTIONNAIR
3.3.3 INTERVIEW
3.4 VALIDITY, RELIABILITY AND GENERALISABILITY
3.5 SAMPLING
3.6 ETHICAL ISSUES
4. FINDINGS
4.1 THE GLOBAL BRAND
4.2 CONSUMPTION
4.2.1 UNITED STATES AS AN EXAMPLE
4.3 COCA-COLA
4.3.1 COMPETITION
4.3.2 ADVERTISING
4.3.3 RIVALRY BETWEEN PEPSI AND COCA-COLA
4.3.4 THE PEPSI CHALLENGE – BLIND TASTE TEST
4.4 EMOTIONAL BRANDING – PLAYING WITH THE SENSES
4.4.1 SOUND
4.4.2 COLOUR – VISIONARY BRANDING
4.4.3 TOUCH – BRANDING THAT FEELS GOOD
4.5 BRAND PERSONALITY
4.6 WHAT MAKES COCA-COLA SO SPECIAL?
4.6.1 THE ‘INVENTION’ OF SANTA CLAUS
4.7 SECRET OF SUCCESS – NOT ‘ONLY’ CUSTOMER FOCUS
4.8 QUESTIONNAIRES
4.9 INTERVIEW
5. CONCLUSION
5.1 AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
5.2 SUMMARY
5.2.1 MEANING AND USE OF EMOTIONAL BRANDING
5.2.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF COCA-COLA’S MARKET POSITIONING
5.2.3 COCA-COLA’S BENEFITS FROM EMOTIONAL BRANDING
5.2.4 INFLUENCES ON CONSUMERS
5.3 SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT
5.4 RISTRICTING ELEMENTS AND LIMITATIONS
5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The research investigates the significance of emotional branding within the beverage industry, specifically focusing on Coca-Cola's marketing strategies. It explores how emotional connections influence consumer behavior, moving beyond rational decision-making to the psychological and sensory realms of brand loyalty.
- Significance of emotional branding as a modern marketing instrument.
- Coca-Cola's market positioning and global brand dominance.
- The impact of sensory branding (sound, color, touch) on consumer perception.
- Competitive analysis of the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
- Psychological mechanisms behind brand loyalty and long-term customer relationships.
Excerpt from the Book
4.4.1 Sound
Sound has an immediate and, to a large extent, cognitively unmediated effect on recall and emotions. Coca-Cola uses a lot of music in its television advertisements, which sounds fresh and dynamic. They want to reflect the consumers’ lifestyle and the easiness of live. Coca-Cola successfully puts this idea into practice. It is hiring DJs to spin hip and trendy record mixes on events where Coca-Cola is represented and people pass by. This provides the edgy and exciting feeling of a club for young customers. Music is a device of used for constructing and identity. By associating a brand with a particular genre of music like the famous ‘Always Coca-Cola ‘ songs, the company can contribute to the distinction of its identity, which is vital for attracting consumers. (Please see appendix three for the whole list of Coca-Cola slogans)
Gorn (1982) demonstrates the importance of music in his study ‘The Effects of Music in Advertising on Choice Behaviour’. By playing music while previewing products, Gorn found that subjects overwhelmingly 80% chose products accompanied by the music they liked.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: Outlines the nature of the study, the research aims, and the limitations of the project regarding the scope of emotional branding.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW: Explores fundamental marketing principles, consumer behavior models, and theoretical frameworks of emotional branding.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY: Explains the research design, including the use of both quantitative surveys and qualitative expert interviews to ensure validity.
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS: Presents data on the global beverage market, competition with Pepsi, and how sensory branding is utilized by Coca-Cola.
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION: Critically reflects on the research findings, summarizing how emotional branding creates lasting relationships between the brand and the consumer.
Keywords
Emotional Branding, Coca-Cola, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Strategy, Brand Loyalty, Sensory Branding, Market Positioning, Beverage Industry, Brand Identity, Consumer Psychology, Global Marketing, Competitive Advantage, Advertising, Brand Personality, Corporate Strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research project?
The research primarily investigates the role and effectiveness of emotional branding within the cola market, using Coca-Cola as a central case study to understand how brands influence consumer psychology.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
The study covers the transition from traditional corporate branding to emotional branding, the significance of market leadership, sensory marketing (sound, color, touch), and the rivalry between major global cola brands.
What is the primary objective of this dissertation?
The goal is to evaluate how Coca-Cola implements emotional branding to gain a competitive advantage and how these strategies foster long-term emotional connections with consumers.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The author utilized a mixed-method approach, combining secondary data analysis, a consumer survey of 80 participants in Hamburg, and a semi-structured interview with a marketing expert from Coca-Cola.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the global brand landscape, analyzes the historical competition between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, and details the sensory and psychological tactics used to embed the Coca-Cola brand into the consumers' psyche.
Which keywords best describe the content?
Key terms include Emotional Branding, Consumer Behavior, Brand Loyalty, Sensory Branding, and Market Positioning.
How does Coca-Cola utilize sensory experiences for branding?
The company leverages sound (music/slogans), color (the distinct "Coca-Cola red"), and tactile elements (the iconic contour bottle design) to create a multisensorial brand experience.
What was the outcome of the blind taste test mentioned?
The research discusses the "Pepsi Challenge," where consumers preferred Pepsi's sweeter taste in blind tests, but ultimately highlights how Coca-Cola maintained its market leadership by focusing on the "original" and "authentic" emotional bond rather than just taste.
What did the author conclude regarding consumer consciousness?
The author concludes that consumers are largely unaware of the extent to which they are emotionally branded, believing they make rational choices based on factors like taste or price, even when sensory associations strongly influence them.
- Quote paper
- Miriam Mennen (Author), 2005, An investigation into the role of emotional branding in the cola market with particular reference to Coca-Cola, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/145844
