Coca-Cola Environments

A company's microenvironment consists of the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, customers, competitors, and publics. Coca-Cola's microenvironment consists of the following:
Company: Coca-Cola and it's valuable employees. Coca-Cola prides itself in employing passionate and driven individuals. It's employees are inspired workers who can make a difference.
Suppliers: The Coca-Cola website offers a special page dedicated to suppliers. On the page are a list of supplier expectations, diversity, and guiding principles. Because suppliers are linked to customer value, Coca-Cola wants it's suppliers to maintain the best quality possible. Coca-Cola provides extensive training to suppliers, and also routine inspections. Suppliers are considered to be Coca-Colas partners.
Marketing Intermediaries: Coca-Cola works directly with it's intermediaries to maximize sales. Coke offers a website (http://www.cokesolutions.com/) to help it's intermediairies with problems such as: was to build traffic and strengthen operations, training employees to sell "value meals", and improving server hospitality to foster consumer satisfaction. Coca-Cola works directly with it's retailers, as they too are partners in business.
Customers: Coca-Cola touches millions of lives per day. Coke dedicates a page on their website for customers to share how Coke has shaped their lives. They also provide Coca-Cola recipes, interactive quizzes, and even email alerts for the lasts Coca-Cola news. Coke cares about every one of it's customers, and strives to reward it's customers with great service, and a great product.
Competitors: Coke's objective is to deliver a better product to it's consumers than any other competitor. Coke is successful in doing so, because it has created brand awareness with it's costumers, is successful in it's advertising, and is also constantly developing new products for its' customers to enjoy. For instance, Coca-Cola is in the process of developing a new resealable can for the convenience of consumers.
(http://www.drinks-business-review.com/article_feature.asp?guid=B5F3C673-5707-4525-98C1-436F56D6F4AB)
Publics: Coca-Cola provides up-to-the minute financial information on it's website for investors. Coke is interested in creating value for consumers and is successful in doing so. Coke also provides a section on it's website to respond to the public. For instance, it has various press releases, speeches and company statements readily available.

A company's macroenvironment includes demographic forces, economic forces, natural forces, technological forces, political forces, and cultural forces. Coca-Cola's macroenvironment includes the following:
Demographics: Coca-Cola employs certain employees to monitor the constant change in the population. The change in individuals leads to different preferences of brand or taste. The ever-changing factors in population must be constantly monitor to deliver the best product to consumers.
Economic Forces: Our country has recently faced an economic crisis. Consumers are begining to cut down on spending. For Coke's off-brand competitors, this could mean an increase in sales. Coca-Cola must begin watching consumer spending habits, as many could be opting to purchase a cheaper alternative cola.
Natural Forces: Coca-Cola is constantly monitoring natural forces on planet Earth. Coke has started a foundation for polar bears, to assist in the preservation of these incredable animals. They have also built the world's largest plastic bottle recycling plant. Also, they have developed cold drink equipment that is energy saving. Coca-Cola is constantly finding ways to help our natural environment.
Technological Forces: Technology is hard to keep up with in today's day in age. However, the clever scientists with Coca-Cola are constantly finding new ways to work with technology. For instance, one promotion that I found interesting, was the conversion of Coke cans into GPS devices. In 2004, Coke ran a promotion that 120 lucky cola drinkers could find a Coke can with a GPS device attached. This type of technology allowed the can to turn into a mobile phone. Who knew you could phone home from a coke can?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2004-05-09-coke_x.htm
Political Forces: All business must deal with political forces, such as laws and regulations. With increased awareness of sanitary issues, Coca-Cola must abide by many laws and regulations set forth by the government.
Cultural Forces: With Coca-Cola plants positioned throughout the world, Coke must be sensitive to the cultural needs of it's consumers and employees. It different countries, for instance, Coke markets it's soft drinks differently. Many commercials from different countries can be viewed on http://www.youtube.com/, or even on Coke's website.

Coca-Cola's Positioning

A company's positioning is it's desireable place relative to competing products in the minds of target consumers. After viewing Coca-Cola's website, it is clear that their target market is individuals who are preteens to early 20s. Their website offers flashy colors, "fresh" music to listen to, and a link to their own facebook page, among various Coca-Cola challenges and quizzes. Coca-Cola's Original Coke has a few cometitors as well. Dr. Pepper's cola and Pepsi's cola are the two major competitors; while off-brands, varying in different regions, can also be classified as competition. I think that many individuals choose Coke's Original cola because it has been a long-standing brand, and because Coke strives to keep it's consumers coming back with effective marketing across the globe. Coke's prices are also competitve. While an Original Coke may be more expensive than off-brand colas, they are priced competitively with Dr. Pepper's and Pepsi's colas. Coke's product, price, place, and promotion have positioned it's cola to be relatively high in the minds of consumers.

Coca-Cola's Core Competency

Brand building is Coca-Cola's core competency. Coca-Cola is known throughout the world. Their image is respectable and dependable, which took them years to build. From generation to generation, Coca-Cola has been one of the most popular soft drinks available. Not only is it a favorite among many individuals, but it has become a household name. Their brand and logo are never mistaken, which is why consumers feel comfortable in purchasing Coca-Cola products. Coca-Cola is a cash cow in the soft drink industry. Being a reliable company, I believe that Coca-Cola will continue to remain profitable in the soft drink industry for many years to come.

Coca-Cola's Mission Statement

Like every company, Coca-Cola has a mission regarding the type of company that they would like to be. It's mission is rather short, to the point, and accurate in it's description. Coca-Cola's primary goal is to make a difference in the lives of not only the consumers, but with anyone who comes into contact with a Coca-Cola product, image, or service. Coca-Cola is known to be a dependable company, and has been refreshing it's consumers since 1885. If anyone knows their cola, it's Coca-Cola! Coca-Cola's mission statement can be found at http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/ourcompany/mission_vision_values.html.