Brand Building Through Cause-Related Marketing: A Case Study of Coca Cola Artic Home Project - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages This research study tests the hypothesis that cause-related marketing can build and/or improve or sustain brand and/or corporate reputation. The hypothesis is tested by conducting a qualitative case study of Coca Cola’s Artic Home Project. Coca Cola is chosen as the subject of this study because it has a long and rich history as a global brand. The case study is conducted in two parts. The first part of the study involves 20 semi-structured interviews with some members of Coca Cola’s supply chain retailer managers. The participants are asked about the trends in coca sales and whether or not those trends correspond with the ongoing Artic Home Project. The second part of the study involves the distribution of a questionnaire to 100 random consumers. The questionnaire focuses on questions seeking to determine the extent to which cause-related marketing and in particular Coca Cola’s Artic Home Project promotion influences the decision to purchase a particular product over another. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Primary Research Question 6 Secondary Research Questions 6 Literature Review 6 Research Methodology 11 Data Collection 12 Research Philosophies 13 Research Approach 14 Findings 15 Semi-structured Interviews 15 Questionnaire 16 Conclusion 17 Further Research 18 Bibliography 22 Introduction Cause-related marketing (CRM) brings together a number of features: fundraising/marketing for non-profit organization, corporate philanthropy, promotion, profit, public relations and corporate social responsibility (Varadarajan & Menon, 1988). At its core, CRM involves a partnership between non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations and is characterized by “profit-motivated giving” (Varadarajan & Menon, 1988, p. 58). CRM is a unique method by which firms communicate with consumers through the use of advertising, packaging, promoting, campaigning and other communication tools about the business’s connection to a social cause and link to a non-profit organization (Bronn & Vrioni, 2001). Pringle and Thompson (1999) argue that CRM deliberately connects a business and it brand to a specific cause in a way that promotes both the cause and the brand. Linton (2005) argues further that businesses choose a social cause via CRM because it is generally assumed that consumers will typically choose a brand that is both “practical” and “expressive” (p. 604). Put another way, businesses will choose a cause via CRM with the intention of promoting consumer loyalty to a brand. In this regard, CRM is used to heighten or tap into consumer social awareness. When a consumer is decidedly already committed to a specific brand, CRM can be used as a method of “brand extension” (David, 2000, p. 132). The Coca Cola Company has always managed to create and maintain brand value despite intense competition from rival companies such as Pepsi and despite the fact that its primary product, Coke is associated with contributing to obesity (Kapferer, 2008). Coca Cola is arguably a household name worldwide and has maintained brand loyalty based its high visibility, availability and its long and sustained logo and marketing and packaging familiarity (Kapferer, 2008). More than a billion Coca Cola products are consumed daily in approximately 200 countries (Bodden, 2008). Coca Cola ...Download file to see next pagesRead More