Consumer buying behavior
Consumer behavior is the process people who want to buy goods and services take before purchasing. Consumer buying behavior is the study of customers’ behavior while deciding to buy the products they need to satisfy their needs. It means examining the actions that drive customers into buying certain products. This study is essential to the sales and marketing team because it enables them to understand the products liked by a specific customer type to release it to the market with surety that the product will sell. The study also helps marketers know the likes and dislikes of their target market and design the products and services based on their results. In consumer buying behavior, one study situations such as what the customers buy, what drives their taste, when they buy, and how often they purchase these products—consumer behavior changes as disposable income, fashion, technology, and living style change. Consumer buying behavior helps in consumer differentiation or in distinguishing customers to be able to target a particular group. It also helps to retain customers because the company provides goods and products consumers need. Studying consumer buying behavior helps marketers design the best marketing campaign that speaks specifically to a target group of people. This paper discusses the marketing strategy of Coca Cola Company through its consumer behavior model.
Coca Cola is the largest producer and distributor of nonalcoholic beverages in the world.
External Influences
Culture
Coca Cola bottle is seen in many paintings, commercials, and movies. It is an American icon. Over the years, the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle has changed many times. Coca-Cola is ever-present in many American pop culture movies. For example, in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the world,” movie characters are seen taking Coca-Cola. In the film “Elf’ ‘Will Ferrell’ can be seen drinking a Coca-Cola and enjoying the occasion. Many celebrities in America and all over the world are seen drinking Coca-Cola. Famous American culture icons such as Disney World and McDonald endorse the brand in their advertisements and through partnerships. Many popular figures such as Britney Spears, Sara Jessica, and Miley Cyrus in the United States have, on many occasions, been seen holding Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is an American symbol and their way of life and shows the perfect way of living for the American. Coca-Cola was an American consoler in difficult and best times, such as World-War II, the Great Depression, the Olympics, and will continue for many more years to come.
Demographics and Social stratification
Coca-Cola Company distinguishes its customers through its demographic variables because the consumer preferences, usage, and wants are associated with its demographic variables such as age, occupation, race, nationality, social class, and education. The wants and abilities of Coca-Cola consumers change with age and life-cycle because different age groups have different wants and needs. However, the Coca-Cola target market is the youth because this age group needs refreshments and energizers to cope with their everyday activities. Additionally, gender determines the consumption rate of the drink. Although Coca-Cola targets both men and women, socialization practices and genetic makeup determine which gender consumes most. Men seem to consume more Coca-Cola products more than women.
Ethnic, religious, and regional subculture
America is made up of many ethnic groups, religion, and regional subcultures. Ethnic groups influence the consumption of Coca-Cola. For example, if most people in a particular ethnic group love Coca-Cola, then the whole group is likely to consume it. Conversely, if especially the elders, do not like the drink, only a few people will likely consume it. There is not religion reported as being against Coca-Cola, and its consumption depends on personal preferences. The attitude and perception of the people in a particular regional subculture determine how Coca-cola is consumed.
Families and Households
Families with more teenagers and youths consume Coca-Cola more than those with young children or older adults. Additionally, families from low-income backgrounds do not consume many Coca-Cola products as those from the middle and high-class background.
Groups
In America and worldwide, groups tend to be the highest consumer of Coca-Cola. When groups meet to discuss an issue, for example, a football team, religious group, youth groups, and family groups, the easiest ready to consume drink is Coca-Cola soft drinks.
Marketing Activities
Some Coca-Cola advertisements have been criticized for selling women’s sexuality. In one advert, the woman is in a bikini, and this seems to encourage males to view women as indecent. Men now want women who look like those in Coca-Cola advertisements, and women are put under pressure to look and dress like those women to get the attention of men. Such Advertisements have made Coca-Cola products unpopular to women.
Internal Influences
Perception
In marketing, perception is a process where customer identifies, organizes, and interprets information to classify it as wants and needs. Each consumer has their perception of Coca-Cola products. For some, they see it as a need to be taken in the summer season while others may view it as a good drink in a social gathering and, therefore, want not a need. Those who perceive it as useful for summer and warm weather will purchase it to meet the need. Those who find it good to drink together with friends will rarely consume it when alone.
Motive
It is a psychological incentive or reasoning. Many consumers will purchase Coca-Cola products because of the expected enjoyment rather than the health benefits they may acquire. Most consumers report that they enjoy taking the Coca-Cola soft drink. Pleasure is their motivation.
Learning
Learning is a psychological variable that influences the buying decision of many consumers. It is a process of gaining new knowledge, skill, value, and preferences. Some consumers buying habit of Coca-Cola is influenced by their learning. For example, if they have learned that the drink is not good for health because it has more added sugars, they will not buy or will buy it very few times in a year to avoid the adverse health consequences.
Memory
Memory can influence buying behavior. Some people buy Coca-Cola products as a reminder of an occasion they enjoyed or when they want to remember a departed friend or member of a family who loved taking the soft drinks.
Personality
Personality is inner psychological characteristics such as qualities, mannerisms, and attitudes that differentiate people. Personality influences a person’s buying preferences. Many people buy goods and services that match their personality traits. For example, extraverts are more likely to consume Coca-Cola soft drinks together with friends than introverts.
Attitude
It is a psychological variable known to influence the buying decision of most consumers. An attitude can have a positive or negative assessment of a product or service. It is hard to measure attitude. However, those with a positive attitude towards Coca-Cola will buy it, and those with a negative attitude will not.
Emotions
Consumers are buying decisions influenced by their emotions generated from past experiences. Brand name products have some positive or negative emotional attachments. For example, if a person took a Coca-Cola soft drink and developed a stomach upset, then that person will always attach the negative feeling to the soft drink and will not want to take it. If another person enjoyed a friend’s company where they took a soft drink, he/she would always want to buy it to help relive the occasion.
Situation and Consumer Decision
Consumers make decisions to purchase a product depending on the problems in their situation or the opportunities. For example, children like taking Coca-Cola soft drinks at Christmas as they enjoy the company of relatives and friends. Therefore, the purchasing decision will be influenced by the occasion or situation. Additionally, during “Black Friday,” many people will purchase Coca-Cola products and put them on the fridge for future consumption not because they need them but because they are cheaper and will save them some money.
Self –Concept and Lifestyle
Self-concepts is how a person perceives him/her` and views his behavior in the market place. It is one’s attitude towards him/her-self that influences the buying decision. Self-concept is, in most cases, unrealistic because of the presence of some unconscious components. There are several types of self-concept. Actual self means how an individual perceives himself. An ideal self is how he would like to perceive himself, while the social self is how he would like others to perceive him. Ideal social self means how one would like others to perceive him. Situational self is an individual’s image in specific situations. There is always a relationship between the products one wants to buy and his/her self-image. For example, a person who thinks he is from a middle or high socioeconomic class will purchase a Coca-Cola soft drink not because he/she wants it but because he wants to feel a sense of belonging in that class. Conversely, a person who has risen from a low-income to a high socioeconomic class may not buy a Coca-Cola soft drink because he does not perceive himself as belonging to a class that qualifies to take the soft-drink.
Lifestyle
It refers to how consumers spend time and money as well as how they live. Past experiences, inborn characteristics, and situations in a person’s life determine one’s lifestyle. A person’s lifestyle influences his needs and wants. A heavy spender of money will not mind buying Coca-Cola products while a low spender will not want to. Moreover, A person who likes spending time with friends will likely buy more soft drinks in a month than he who spends his time alone indoors.