Chapter 8: Segmenting and Targeting Markets

     

Many markets include groups of organizations or people with different product needs and/or preferences. That is why segmenting in the market industry is so important, because it helps define customer needs and wants more accurately. 

     I found a great example of market segmentation while reading Chapter 8 of our book where they stated a point that I also previously have. Before 1960, the Coca-Cola Company really only produced one very special beverage and they aimed that one beverage everywhere; nearly at the entire soft drink market. And now as we all now, Coca-Cola offers more than a hundred different products to market segments which they base off of a variety of customer preferences for flavors, calories, sugar, caffeine, & etc.

     I believe that in order to stay around for so long AND remain as relevant as Coca-Cola has through-out the years, then you must learn to adapt, and to market certain products towards specific segments. Marketing segmentation plays a key role in the marketing strategy of almost all successful organizations.

It's no surprise Coca-Cola's target market are teenagers from all parts of the globe. We watch the most television and Coca-Cola is mostly advertised on television. We want the coolest things available and we're willing to spending money for it, and so Coca-Cola is both seen and advertised as such a cool beverage to refresh ourselves with after a long day of doing whatever it is that we do. I think that the colors they use for their product helps is appeal even more to both sexes. Not red nor white can't nether be specified towards a certain sex and thats pretty cool. Teenagers are also more active then other age groups as they are more likely to be outside playing sports. Coca-Cola is known to sponsor many sporting events which also appeals to younger people because we are more likely to play these sports and have them as a hobby, that helps Coca-Cola define a target market. 

As a teenager myself, I love how fun Coca-Cola advertisements are and how happy everybody (or everything) in the advertisement is. They [the advertisements] significantly increase my crave for Coca-Cola at the moment and makes me forget just how bad for my health too many of those drinks can be. At the same time, their advertisements also remind me just how happy you should go on living your everyday life and not to always worry about the negative factors in things because the negativity may consume you.
And so as Coca-Cola says -- "Live Positive."

Drinking Coca-Cola still seems like the right thing to do.

I've noticed that Coca-Cola doesn't target market older women as much as they do to other segments. I feel thats because older women are now more focused on watching their weight, keeping their figure, and how much sleep they get every night. With Coca-Cola acknowledging that their signature product may bring a negative effect to those three focuses of women, they see women more likely to have their Diet Coke or caffeine-free cola in order for them to be able to maintain their healthy lifestyle.

Families are another target market for Coca-Cola, when the Holidays come around there many different offers surrounding Coca-Cola products that encourage families to not only buy one of their products, but two or even three. Their famous Polar Bear commercials involve a mother/father polar bear with their cub and the Christmas commercials have Santa Clause bringing the Christmas spirit to families, one Coca-Cola at a time.
Growing up there was always Coca-Cola in the fridge when the Holidays came around and as I grew older, I began to associate the holidays and my family with Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola reminds me of when I was still a kid during holiday seasons, enjoying myself with my loved ones and I'm sure other people make that connection as well. With feelings like that is how Coca-Cola has managed to build such loyal customers and continues to build them all across the world.

 I don't see why this commercial was banned! 
It has Phil Collins AND Polar Bears! 

What more could you ask for ??