Comparison of Coca Cola and Pepsi Essay -- Coca Cola Pepsi Business Ma

Comparison of Coca Cola and Pepsi Coca-Cola and Pepsi are the two greatest competitors in the soft drink industry. A brief introduction and history of the two companies will provide a basis for understanding how the companies have come to be where they are today and how they run their companies. The company structure of each will also be briefly explained to provide an understanding of how management style is impacted. Marketing and Advertising The marketing skills that these companies possess are the reason both Coca-Cola and Pepsi are so successful. Our research will provide an in-depth look at the marketing tactics that these companies use and how they compare to each other. The use of new technologies, forecasting, advertising, and political environments will all be included when determining what affects the marketing strategies the companies choose to take. SWOT Analysis To gain a better understanding of each company, we determined some strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each company. Each company has brand recognition on their sides and threats such as foreign, political, and economic situations in countries that Coke and Pepsi are established in. Comparing these aspects of each company will provide a good idea of future successes. Conclusion After a detailed look into Pepsi and Coke’s tactics for managing and successfully running their businesses, a summary of how each company manages its resources ties the research together and compares the overall management of the two companies. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Coca-Cola Company is the world's leading manufacturer, marketer, and distributor of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, with world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Coca-Cola, the Company's flagship brand, and over 230 other soft-drink brands are manufactured and sold by the Coca-Cola Company and its subsidiaries in nearly 200 countries around the world. The Company and its subsidiaries employ nearly 31,000 people around the world. Dr. John Stith Pemberton first introduced Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886. The pharmacist concocted a caramel-colored syrup in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard. The Coca-Cola Company’s operating management structure consists of five geographic groups plus The Minute Maid Company. Other Coke products are: Barq’s Root Beer, Cherry Coke, Powerade, Citra, Mel... .../sectors/3080.asp, (accessed 11/9/2000) Hays, Constance L., (2000), http://nytimes.com/library/financial/Sunday/080600biz- coke.html (accessed 10/8/2000) â€Å"It’s the Real Thing,† (1999), http://www.t- bird.edu/alumni/readingroom/magizine/features/realthing.asp (accessed 11/9/2000) â€Å"Law Firm Chitwood & Harley Announces Class Action Lawsuit Against Coca-Cola Company,† (2000), http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/001027/chitwood_h_2.html (accessed 11/2/2000) PepsiCo, Inc., 1998 Annual Report. Purchase, New York: PepsiCo, Inc., 1999 PepsiCo, Inc., 1999 Annual Report. Purchase, New York: PepsiCo, Inc., 2000 PepsiCo, Inc., www.pepsi.com, (accessed 9/2000 – 11/2000) PepsiCo, Inc., www.pepsico.com, (accessed 9/2000 – 11/2000) Simao, Paul (2000), SoBe deal may spur Coke into new age drinks—analysts, http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/001101/n1340525.html (accessed 11/2/2000) Thompson, Mark (1999), Coca-Cola and PepsiCo find their fizz, http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/invest/sectors/3080.asp?Printer (accessed 11/9/2000) â€Å"When Coke and Pepsi Battle, More than Cola is at Stake†; Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine; Feb 1992