An investigation into the role of emotional branding in the cola market with particular reference to Coca-Cola (ePub)

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: 70 % - A, New College Durham, course: BA (HONS) Management, Business and Administration, language: English, abstract: 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.