Differentiation via Marketing

Sophie Paridon

Blog Post 4D: Marketing

How to Stay on Top

         The food and beverage industry is one that will always be thriving and of great importance due to the needs of the human race. Despite different income levels, races, genders, or preferences, all humans have a demand for the goods in this industry. Therefore, the various companies within the food and beverage industry are always at a constant struggle to win over the population in order to grow and survive as a company. In order to do this, companies must differentiate themselves from the rest in order to attract customers, which they use marketing in order to achieve.

         In order to attract customers, companies “want to distinguish themselves from the competition, market an ‘exclusive’ product, or introduce a new item” (Guyer). For example, the Coca Cola companies “offers a portfolio of more than 3,500 products in over 200 companies” (Coca Cola Company). The Coca Cola Company releases a new product every few years in order to maintain customer interest, including products such as Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Coke with Lemon, Caffeine-free Coke, Diet Coke with Lime, Diet Coke sweetened with Splenda, and more.

Some other important way that companies can differentiate themselves are by either being healthier, faster (in terms of restaurants and fast food), or being inexpensive. For example, Vita Coco takes advantage of how natural and healthy their product is compared to competing sports drinks, sodas, and juices. Vita Coco advertises itself as being low-calorie, and it is also “pitched as a natural rehydration tool rich in electrolytes, particularly potassium” (Esterl), which attracts customers interested in naturally produced goods.

It is obvious that the food industry will always be on the rise, and every company within the industry will have to keep a competitive edge through marketing, whether by their freshness, convenience, or price.

http://www.athenaintl.com/news/articles/tea-coffee-world-cup-in-europe-how-u-s-foodservice-operators-can-differentiate-themselves.html http://www.virtualvender.coca-cola.com/ft/index.jsp

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203315804577207313086829188.html