Changing Language Patterns in Coca-Colas Advertisement - Essay Example

Changing language patterns in Coca-Cola’s advertisement Product promotion is one of the important functionsof a company’s marketing department, without which it would be hard for consumers to be aware about availability of certain products, their prices and other important features. Advertising is therefore an essential activity as far as achievement of the company’s sales goals and objectives are concerned (Burcher 432). There are various kinds of advertisements that are used by different companies globally. The choice of a company’s advertisement structure depends on its ability to deliver the intended message, as well as the ability of consumers to identify it without contradiction. One of the important skills in creating advertisement messages by companies is the use of a language that consumers are able to understand. This way, they are able to be convinced and persuaded to buy and test particular company products. This paper examines some of the language that is being used by Coca-Cola Company in advertising its products worldwide, it deconstructs the particular the language used, seeking to evaluate their effectiveness and impacts on customer behavior. The consumer world In modern times, we live in a consumer world, the purchase patterns and behavior of consumers is not that they buy goods because they need them; rather, it is because of the utility its because of the pleasure and utility that is expected from them. In addition, the things that we purchase to portray the picture we are, in most cases, people link the things that have to what they do. Consumers spend most of their time desiring products that are perceived to have certain levels of utility. As soon as consumers get what they were longing to have, they have many other substitutes for them, for this reasons, consumers needs are usually described as being unlimited (Stachowski 67). On the other hand, producers are always aware of this phenomenon; they make products and do all they can to persuade consumers to buy as many goods as they can in order to make profits. Producers use a special language in order to inform, persuade and influence our buying patterns; this kind of communication that they use to influence consumers purchasing decisions is referred to as advertisement. Advertisement is a business on its own; it has to be creatively designed to engage customers in its communication. Advertisements are common on billboards, journals, internet and other forms of electronic platforms; they part of the consumers’ daily life. Successful companies are those that have clearly defined advertisements and general marketing plans besides other company objectives. Coca-Cola’s advertisement history Coca Cola is an American beverage giant that has firmly established itself on the global front through effective marketing and growth strategies besides other important characteristics (The Coca-Cola Company 34-5). The companies advertisements history dates back to its formation in 1886, the language the company employs in its advertisement strategies has often given it a cutting edge in the industry, making it have one of the most successful advertisement stories globally (Hays 45). Language Use in advertisements The success of the company’s advertisements can be traced to the creativity and innovativeness that is characteristic of the ads, for instance, one of the company’s bookkeepers, Frank Robinson, suggested that the two Cs in the name Coca-Cola would serve well when used in an advertisement (Johnson 387). Soon afterwards, there was an advert that appeared in one of the Atlanta journals promoting the brand; it presented Coca-Cola as, “delicious, refreshing, exhilarating and invigorating.” Impacts of the advert Following this advertisement, Coca-Cola was claimed to have the ability to cure several kinds of nervous affections like headache, hysteria, melancholy among others, something that led to an increase in its sales worldwide. This advertisement played a central role in distributing the company not just as a medicament, but also as a beverage for refreshing and quenching thirst, this spread its fame rapidly to many parts of the world (Kjellberg 187). The bottles that are used to package the beverage are specially designed to protect the product and the package itself. The bottle appeared in most of its advertisements in order to bring a form of distinctive visual aid. In one of the advertisements, “Demand the genuine by full name‟ for nicknames encourage substitution,” this way, consumers are encouraged to request for beverages that have the original company brand image. The company has gone head to make several inventions in its packaging, for instance, consumers can buy the product in cases, open-top coolers among others. In another advert, Coca-Cola product has been described as a “social drink, promoting friendliness and getting people together,” this has increase consumption of the drink in most parts of the world. The increased positive effect that such advertisements have had on the brand and company in general have seen it increase its investments in the brand. Coca-Cola has become a single brand that millions of people global can identify with irrespective of their geographical, social and cultural differences. Language as a tool for international appeal As far as advertisement is concerned, the international appeal of Coca-Cola is embodied by a 1971 commercial, in this advert, a large group of young people is gathered in a hilltop in Italy singing, “I’d like to buy the World a Coke.” In this advertisement, the language used signified unison and fun. In this regard, Coca-Cola as a brand is promoted is connected much fun and many good times, it does not just provide refreshment, but also a great deal of enjoyment in life. This is the reason why the brand is used as a refreshment in most social gatherings with many people preferring it. Currently, Coca-Cola is currently rated as the third most powerful brand in the world, coming after Apple and Microsoft according to Forbes.com. The analysis of the impact of language as used in Coca-Cola’s advertisements gives the impression that the company’s products are meant for everybody’s consumption. This is illustrated in the advert that reads, Coca-Cola is “Everybody’s Drink.” The Products by this company are said to be specific on certain needs of the people, they do not always target all people at the same time. However, one think that presents a striking similarity is that Coca-Cola is brought out as thirst quencher, a remedy for refreshment as well as a social and lifestyle drink that cuts across all people, children, youths and the old. Language as a targeting tool Most advertisements in many business organizations happen to be neutral when it comes to age and gender, however, some are specially designed in order to appeal to certain age groups and gender (Martin 87). Coca-cola has also created an advert that has been considered to appeal to women and ladies rather than to men. In the advert, there are two ladies standing side by side with the following words besides them, “take one glass of Coca Cola when weary with shopping - It imparts energy and vigor.” In the advertisement, two ladies have been featured, refreshing themselves with shopping, this is an impression that readers of the advertisement, who happen to be consumers can easily identify with. In this advertisement, women would easily identify with it, first, because of the fact that there are pictures of ladies refreshing themselves with shopping and secondly, shopping is an activity that has been considered a women’s domain. In this case, the language used in this also describes the noble duty of women; they are represented as responsible housewives who care for their households. Role of language in Coca-Colas advertisements The language that is adopt in making such adverts is meant to target certain age groups, for instance, advertisements that target women as housewives and women taking part in their social roles are usually run depicting them serving the drink to their families or friends. These advertisements adopt a language that does not aim at their readers as mere consumers of the brand but those who make the actual purchase. Alternatively, there are other advertisements whose main aim is to target their readers not as consumers of the product and not as purchasers, such adverts include, “I’d like to buy the World a Coke.” There is also another advert that has been created and used by the company, in the advert, a situation is visualized that resembles a trip for fishing, this is often considered a man’s job. The words in the advert read as, “That’s so right – especially when activity calls for a pause, just reach into the handy picnic cooler for a frosty bottle of Coca-Cola, enjoy its tingling goodness and off you go-to play refreshed.” According to the language and visual impression, the reader or other person watching it is presented as a consumer that is promoting new ways of consuming the product. How language appeals to age in the adverts It is important to note that Coca-Cola, has been careful to create advertisements whose language targets certain age groups. In this regard, the company has an advert that is seen to specifically target children; the language in this advert is also strengthened by the image of a small boy drinking a bottle of the company’s beverage product. Besides the picture, the following words are inscribed in the advert, “Boy, it’s keen! or You get your nickel’s worth....,” the main point of focus in this advert is the enjoyment derived from the drink. Besides children, other advertisements whose language targets a certain age group includes “Drink at any age,” also another one promotes the company’s products as, “happy pause for the youths of all ages.” In both advertisements, the visuals used in them enable the readers to identify themselves with the product, thus influencing his purchase decisions. Conclusion Language is an essential component of any piece of advertisement; it enables the readers to identify themselves with the message being portrayed (Mayrhofer 231). At the same, it appeals to the company’s products as serving certain groups of people if not all people, for Coca-Cola, the language used its advertisements present it as a soft drink for all people. At the same time, it presents the product a drink that is meant not only for quenching thirst, but also for general enjoyment in social life. Coca-Cola Company continues to establish itself as an important brand that caters for the needs of all people. Skill in language use has been an essential strategy the company has employed in presenting itself as a leading giant in the worlds’ beverage industry. Works Cited Burcher, Nick. Paid, Owned, Earned: Maximizing Marketing Returns in a Socially Connected World. London: Kogan Page, 2012. Print. Hays, Constance. The Real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company. New York: Random House, 2004. Print. Johnson, Drew. International Directory of Company Histories. Detroit, Mich.: St. James, 2011. Print. Kjellberg, Julie. The Marketing of Functional Foods on the Danish Market Coca Cola Light Plus. Frederiksberg: Unitas Publishers, 2010. Print. Martin, Elizabeth. Marketing Identities through Language: English and Global Imagery in French Advertising. Basingstoke [England: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. Print. Mayrhofer, Ulrike. Marketing International. Paris: Economica, 2004. Print Stachowski, Christopher. 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