Interesting marketing info from Coca-Cola

[jIM_Ohio]

I don't know for sure, but I'm sure it was about cost.

Coke and other products like to advertise that they've been selling the same product for umpteen years when in reality, some of the ingredients they use now, like HFCS, haven't been around nearly as long as their products have, so whether they admit it or not, they must have changed the recipes at some point.

Wife used to work in HR department of a flavor company. There are chemists, chefs and other professions which get a product off the store shelves, take it to the lab, then try to duplicate the flavor at any cost.

Cheese is a common one (when my wife's former employer tested cheese, I could tell by the smell of her coat or clothes), because potato chips were a common thing to flavor or common customers of her employer.

I am sure Coke could hire the same people, change their recipe, keep their same flavor and use cheaper ingredients. Food companies have r&d costs too.

[PrincessPerky]

I don't know for sure, but I'm sure .....

Heh, Not sure but sure

I also agree, I do not know 100% but I bet it was cost, high fructose corn syrup is cheap, sugar is not.

[disneysteve]

Heh, Not sure but sure

I guess that didn't make much sense, did it?

[jIM_Ohio]

I don't know for sure, but I'm sure it was about cost.

Coke and other products like to advertise that they've been selling the same product for umpteen years when in reality, some of the ingredients they use now, like HFCS, haven't been around nearly as long as their products have, so whether they admit it or not, they must have changed the recipes at some point.

If you remember Coke changed their formula after the "Cola wars" where people were asked which flavor they liked better- Coke or Pepsi.

Pepsi won most and it was determined about 55% of the people preferred sweeter cola.

The problem was Coke grossly overestimated the 45% which prefer the more bland taste of coke. When they went to the sweeter formula, their loyal customer base was without a cola they liked. That was the big reason for the change back to coke classic.

I am sure there are other reasons (like cost) which went into the change. I also remember doing case studies on this in economics is both HS and college.

Sometimes consumer loyalty is more important than market share.

I am a pepsi drinker myself. Mountain Dew is even better.

[disneysteve]

If you remember Coke changed their formula after the "Cola wars" where people were asked which flavor they liked better- Coke or Pepsi.

Pepsi won most and it was determined about 55% of the people preferred sweeter cola.

The problem was Coke grossly overestimated the 45% which prefer the more bland taste of coke.

I remember the Pepsi Challenge. Took it a couple of times myself. The two products taste totally different so I always picked Coke just to mess them up. I heard a lot of reports of them serving the Pepsi fresh and cold and the Coke room temp and flat.

It's odd that you describe Coke as bland. I think Coke is definitely the more syrupy sweet one of the two. Pepsi is lighter and "cleaner" tasting IMO. Coke is heavier or fuller. I would definitely say Coke is the sweeter one.

[kork13]

I think I'll take this opportunity to mention that if you're ever in Atlanta, an afternoon at the Coke museum is DEFINITELY worth it. I visited there a couple months ago, and it's really cool to see everything that goes into the process, and even more so, the history of it all. Plus, at the end you get to taste-test literally DOZENS of different flavors of Coke's products from around the world. Very cool, even if you prefer Pepsi, or just don't really drink sodas (like myself).

[disneysteve]

at the end you get to taste-test literally DOZENS of different flavors of Coke's products from around the world. Very cool, even if you prefer Pepsi, or just don't really drink sodas (like myself).

They have a smaller version of this at Epcot in Disney World. I think there are 8 products you can try. Beware of Beverly. It is horrid. Some of the others are quite tasty, though. I wish they were sold in the US.

[kork13]

They have a smaller version of this at Epcot in Disney World. I think there are 8 products you can try. Beware of Beverly. It is horrid. Some of the others are quite tasty, though. I wish they were sold in the US.

Yes!! Beverly (from Italy) was horrendous!!! I've never met a person who likes it, or even who doesn't hate it. Not sure how it sells over in Italy... I tried just about all of them (not easy to do... that's ALOT of soda, even just trying little 1oz samples of them), and that's the one that I regret even considering.... blech...

[jIM_Ohio]

I remember the Pepsi Challenge. Took it a couple of times myself. The two products taste totally different so I always picked Coke just to mess them up. I heard a lot of reports of them serving the Pepsi fresh and cold and the Coke room temp and flat.

It's odd that you describe Coke as bland. I think Coke is definitely the more syrupy sweet one of the two. Pepsi is lighter and "cleaner" tasting IMO. Coke is heavier or fuller. I would definitely say Coke is the sweeter one.

Coke is a good industrial strength cleaner.

If you have rings in your toilet bowl, pour a 1/4 can of coke in it, let it set for an hour or so and flush. Toilet is ready for company now.

The trucks coke ships the soda in have their engines cleaned with coke.

No thanks, I will drink pepsi. LOL.

[woodie96]

I worked as assistant manager for national auto parts chain. I found it funny that when we had to change signage each week. Lots of the starburst signs said "Now only 2.99". The sticker on the shelf aready had 2.99 on it, but it was amazing to see how many people would pick up the starburst item, because they "assumed" the item was on sale.

[disneysteve]

I worked as assistant manager for national auto parts chain. I found it funny that when we had to change signage each week. Lots of the starburst signs said "Now only 2.99". The sticker on the shelf aready had 2.99 on it, but it was amazing to see how many people would pick up the starburst item, because they "assumed" the item was on sale.

A while back, I posted some results from a marketing study. I don't remember the exact details but here is the basic idea:

They priced an item at $2.50. Very few sales.
They changed the sign to 2 for $5.00 and sales increased a lot.

They did a couple of similar experiments where the way the item was advertised drove sales much more than the actual price. Doing things to make people think they are getting a bargain increased sales much more than actually lowering the price.

[kork13]

A while back, I posted some results from a marketing study. I don't remember the exact details but here is the basic idea:

They priced an item at $2.50. Very few sales.
They changed the sign to 2 for $5.00 and sales increased a lot.

They did a couple of similar experiments where the way the item was advertised drove sales much more than the actual price. Doing things to make people think they are getting a bargain increased sales much more than actually lowering the price.

i saw one (maybe the same, who knows) that saw similar results by "restricting" purchases... "Limit of 4 per customer" signs saw dramatically more purchases, even though most people only bought 2-3 of the item anyway.

[disneysteve]

i saw one (maybe the same, who knows) that saw similar results by "restricting" purchases... "Limit of 4 per customer" signs saw dramatically more purchases, even though most people only bought 2-3 of the item anyway.

Yes, that was part of the same study.

[neguy11]

This Christmas, I saw bottles of coke at Walmart but they were in the shape of a ball ornament. They were pretty cool looking, about $1 and I would guess maybe 13 ounces? I would have bought one but all they had was Coke, no diet Coke.

I can honestly say the promotions work for me. Since Pepsi Stuff is ending, I'm switching back to Diet Coke to collect the rewards point. I loved Pepsi Stuff though, because I used them to download TV shows off Amazon to my Tivo.

[disneysteve]

This Christmas, I saw bottles of coke at Walmart but they were in the shape of a ball ornament. They were pretty cool looking, about $1 and I would guess maybe 13 ounces? I would have bought one but all they had was Coke, no diet Coke.

I saw those and thought they were really novel. I'm sorry I didn't buy one. I told my daughter about them and was upset that I hadn't brought her one. I don't think they have them anymore.