Chapter 6: Consumer Decision Making

      Me and my family are consumers of Coca-Cola. Although we limit our intake of this soft-drink, we sometimes just crave this soda to quench our thirst. We could easily just drink water or fruit juice instead but we don't. We drink Coca-Cola and I love how well it goes with a burger or at barbecue. It's the crisp feel that I can't get enough of sometimes and the cultural environment that I grew up with.

     In fact, many of us grew up with it and now with the Coca-Cola Company having more then three times the beverages they offered 10 years ago and even more low-calorie beverages, many of us are even more open to drinking Coca-Cola. All us consumers are now offered a beverage for every lifestyle and occasion. They range from juices, fruit drinks, water, sports and energy drinks, teas, coffee, dairy and soy based beverages. Also beverages with full, reduced, low and/or no calories.

   But even if it does quench our thirst and satisfy our needs for that moment, too much of it can be very bad for your health because of the chemicals and amount of sugar it contains. This being true, it can discourage a lot of us to not drink Coca-Cola at times and go with something else. Something more healthy. But even with us knowing this, Coca-Cola fills a pleasure in us all. It may be a guilty-pleasure but a pleasure none-the-less. 

    With that being said, it all depends on how the Coca-Cola Company markets their product and how they position it in our minds. Us consumers are now basing our purchases on the beverages we drink by its health and nutrition, also on how much it will benefit or not benefit our households. Not only that but also on the ethics of the company we're purchasing it from. 

"People want to interact with brands and companies that share their values and are doing their part to protect and enhance people's lives, communities and the world."

 

     Back in 1985, the Coca-Cola Company introduced the "New Coca-Cola", after changing their formula for the first time in over 100 years. This got people very upset because they felt like they needed the old formula. Consumers felt that the original Coca-Cola formula was just a part of America and could not be changed. There were protest all over the country and artist even wrote songs to honor the old formula. With Coca-Cola noticing how upset their consumers were, they brought back the original formula within that same year.