Assignment 2 due tomorrow

Running Head: THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE OF COCA-COLA 1

THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE OF COCA-COLA 2

The Product Life Cycle of Coca-Cola

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The introduction stage of Coca-Cola was in the spring of 1886; Dr. John S. Pemberton introduced the beverage as a soda fountain drink. The demand for the drink grew thus prompting the production to increase; this made Coca-Cola available in every state across America in 1895. The increase in demand led to the bottling of the beverage; this signified its growth stage. The management of the company has undertaken numerous marketing strategies to extend the maturity stage of Coca-Cola, the beverage has undergone product improvement. The management of Coca-Cola has developed new models of the drink in an attempt to extend its maturity stage; this has helped the beverage to enter new market segments through the enlargement of the distribution channels.

Coca-Cola has had a very long product life cycle since its introduction in 1886; the beverage has spent a majority of its life in the maturity stage due to the adoption of effective market strategies which have forced competitors always to be positioned behind it in the marketplace. The production of Coca-Cola is a closely guarded secret in the soft drink industry, this coupled with effective marketing strategies such as the 2014 " Share a Coke Campaign" have ensured the success of the beverage. The sales of the beverage declined slightly in 2015 by 1.2 percent prompting the question whether if the beverage has entered the decline stage, but since it is now the leading global soft drink and it is still actively growing in emerging markets, then it is safe to say that the beverage is still in the maturity stage. The management of the company needs to come up with effective campaigns with the capacity to improve the sale figures in the long-term, this can be achieved through the use of celebrity endorsers to help the target market resonate with the products of the company.