The Failed Coke or The New Coke? Here are 2 things you can learn from Coke’s most memorable marketer!

We talked about him before in a past  Monday “Marvels”  article but this time, I would like to highlight two things we can learn from his experiences as Coke’s former Chief Marketing Officer.

I believe these key takeaways will help you thrive as you pursue a career as an independent professional, business leader, manager, marketer, or communicator.

Keep reading to know what you can learn from one of the biggest marketing blunders of all time.

CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

The Failed Coke or The New Coke? Here are 2 things you can learn from Coke’s most memorable marketer!

Sergio Zyman: The Coca-Cola Company’s Former Chief Marketing Officer

Sergio Zyman, the marketer known for the campaign that launched the “New Coke,” once said:

“If you don’t keep giving customers reasons to buy from you, they won’t.”

Customers are not hard to decipher―give them what they want and they’ll buy from your brand. Otherwise, they won’t.

It’s as simple as that… no need for other complicated formulas to boost your sales conversion rates!

Let’s use that concept in your own career or field of expertise.

What can you do to give your customers or clients―even prospects―reasons to buy your products or services?

In this article, we’ll focus on 2 notable tips! These are important lessons we can learn from Zyman’s experiences as Coca-Cola’s former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO):

1. Be relevant.
   Prior to Zyman’s stint as CMO, Coca-Cola had a famous advertisement where free-spirited people are gathered together, singing:
   “I’d like to teach the world to sing
   In perfect harmony
   I’d like to hold it in my arms
   And keep it company.”
   True enough, the ad stuck in consumers’ minds and the song resonated everywhere. However, as captivating as the ad was, it didn’t sell much Coke.
   Enter Sergio Zyman…
   The moment he was appointed CMO, his first sweeping change was to “dump the ambiguous brand strategy” of Coca-Cola.
   According to Zyman,
   “Forget making people ‘feel happy!’ Let’s sit down and find out why they really drink the stuff.”
   Zyman pushed his team to precisely understand why customers bought Coke. After deliberate thinking, the marketing team came up with 35 reasons why the product had an appeal over other brands.
   What did Zyman do next?
   He helped create 35 different ads to capitalize on those “hot-button” hooks already present in Coca-Cola’s target market!
   Some of those ads included how Coke was a reward worth having after a hard day’s work, went great with a hotdog, and made people feel good during the summer.
   After the release of the new ads, the company went back to “growth mode.”
   See how giving customers more relevant reasons to buy Coke made a huge impact in the company’s business operations and marketing strategies?
   It’s all thanks to Zyman and his team’s creativity and insights!
    
2. Be ready to take risks and to do things differently.
   According to Tony Robbins, an American author and professional speaker:
   “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”
   One secret to getting more out of your business?
   It’s to not be afraid of doing something different!
   When Sergio Zyman’s campaign for the “New Coke” didn’t go as planned, he and his team found themselves working on bringing the old Coke back in its place.
   After the  “biggest marketing blunder in 1995,”  the Classic Coke once again gained traction in the market… and the Coca-Cola Company recovered pretty well.
   When asked to comment about the “New Coke” topic in one of his speaking engagements, Zyman said:
   “… the totality of the action ended up being positive.”
   Meanwhile, Tom Pirko, the President of Bevmark Drinks Consultancy in New York, stated the incident was a wake-up call for the company to “do things differently and take risks in a way it had not done before.”
   Indeed, the “New Coke” blunder and the return of the Classic Coke made Coca-Cola stronger!
   Just like the beverage company, doing things differently every once in a while will help you add life to your brand’s offerings.
   Don’t be afraid to explore new styles, approaches, and techniques in marketing. Experiment with different methods and observe what works better for your brand. Also, don’t be afraid to commit mistakes―it’s in these instances where you’ll learn and improve a lot.
   The process may be hard at the start, but don’t worry! Once you see the “fruits” of your hard work (higher viewership stats, website traffic, sales conversion rates, engagement rates, etc.), you’ll also say the experience is worth it.
   Remember: It’s not always easy working as an independent, a marketer, a business owner, etc. However, with patience, constant practice, and effort, you’ll see yourself improving every step of the way.

A lot of businesses are competing both in the online and offline world to strengthen and grow their customer base. Using different strategies, these brands do everything they can to convert prospects daily.

If you don’t do your part well, you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities to expand your brand’s reach.

So, be on-point and laser-focused in your marketing strategies!

Keep Sergio Zyman’s advice in mind―you have to give your target market clear reasons to choose your brand.

A few secrets to achieve that?

Always be relevant and willing to do things differently.

Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.

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Stay tuned for next Monday’s Marketing Marvels!

IHOP’s fake name change campaign…

Learn more about Jay Conrad Levinson and Guerrilla Marketing on next week’s  Marketing Marvels !