Coke’s Case
Coke introduced a new taste to the audience in 1985; however, the company received negative feedback from the customers. Coke decided to alter an old taste after Pepsi presented the “Pepsi challenge” advertisement that had success, and Coke started losing its popularity. Hence, they decided to develop a drink that would taste more like Pepsi.
Conducting marketing research is an essential step as it helps to conduct a value proposition that allows the customer to understand how to benefit from the product. Problem definition is the first step in marketing research, which includes the purpose of conducting research (White, 2019). In Coke’s case, the company had a valid reason to conduct research to take further steps as their reputation was at risk.
The second stage is research design, which means that the company needs to identify the research method and data type. Cola used a primary research method as it was conducted by the researchers directly. For data type, they used quantitative research over qualitative as they collected information by testing the new taste. However, qualitative research could be a more beneficial solution in this case, as the company did not dedicate time to collect the data on the customer’s opinion and received many unsatisfied calls after they launched a new product.
Data collection is the third step, and it consists of the implementation of the plan into action. Cola tested its product on 200,000 individuals (Edwards, 2015). This step was implemented correctly; however, they did not consider the consumer’s behavior and failed to measure how they consume the drink. The test passed verification, and people found the taste of new Coke better in small doses. The last step is report presentation that expresses insights of gained knowledge, and researchers decided to introduce a new drink to the customers based on the positive tests conducted.
To stop the introduction of a product, I would suggest that researchers carry out a more in-depth analysis of consumers’ behavior to identify how they will react to the new drink. Moreover, I would recommend conducting the testing differently and measure the taste according to the customer’s behavior and check how they react to the drink in more substantial quantities instead of small doses.
Subaru Case Study
In this scenario, I need to choose a company in regard to its past accomplishments and marketing strategies. I would like to pay attention to Subaru for my marketing internship. There are many reasons for explaining this choice, and the most critical ones depend on my personal interests and the image the company created. Firstly, one should admit that being a Japanese company, Subaru has already penetrated the world market and introduced its products to millions of people. Secondly, this brand is a combination of stars, which also includes its cars’ elegance, power, and credibility. Following its Twitter posts, it is easy to learn its vision and mission.
Another important explanation of why Subaru was chosen for analysis is its unique selling proposition (USP). According to Reeves, a well-known contributor to marketplace communication (as cited in White, 2019), USP major constituents include the recognition of a potential customer, the evaluation of competitors’ possibilities, and motivation for all customers. In Subaru, its USP is introduced by a variety of methods. The company focuses on people’s recent interests and fashionable trends to make sure it knows its customers and respects their choices. In addition, Subaru USP lies in the necessity to combine different qualities either for families, business, trips, or other purposes.
In the chosen tweet, the company recognizes the interests of customers by respecting natural resources and using modern vehicles for comfort. The advertisement motivates to preserve national parks and use Subaru cars. Finally, not many companies are ready for a challenge set by national parks, and Subaru is unique with its propositions. Its USP is properly reflected, underlying a specific area of human activities and the appropriateness of Subaru cars. This ad is not about power or money only, but it is about options and choices that make people free and satisfied with their destiny.
References
Edwards, P. (2015). New Coke debuted 30 years ago. Here’s why it was a sugary fiasco. Vox. Web.
White, S. (2019). Principles of marketing (2nd ed.). Web.