About Coca-Cola and Pepsi

Coca-Cola was born in 1886, while Pepsi was later than Coca-Cola 12 years. Pepsi has always played the role of challenger, and Coca-Cola still far exceeds Pepsi in market penetration and brand value. So people still think that Coca-Cola is the boss and Pepsi is the challenger, which is an indisputable fact from the situation in China.

According to the continuous monitoring of China Market and Media Research (CMMS), a new generation of market monitoring organization, Coca-Cola has been "far ahead" of Pepsi-Cola by virtue of its "pulling the net" market strategy. In 2000, the penetration rates of 20 cities in China were 83.9% and 85% respectively, while the penetration rates of Pepsi were only 65.5% and 67.9% respectively. But after careful analysis, we will find that the market penetration rate of Pepsi is slightly higher than that of Coca-Cola, the former is 3.7%, while the latter is only 1.3%, and this trend. Especially recently, the media reported that the market value of PepsiCo's equity surpassed Coca-Cola for the first time in a hundred years, which made people think of the sharpness of a new generation of PepsiCo and the helplessness of Coca-Cola.

Pepsi's market performance in various cities is obviously polarized. The market penetration rate is even higher than that of Coca-Cola, while the market penetration rate is less than 50% of Coca-Cola. This is exactly what PepsiCo hopes to see in the near future, because their purpose is to seize the soft spot of Coca-Cola's strategy of "casting a net all over the sky", concentrate superior forces to implement a breakthrough in the center, focus on campuses, tourist attractions, entertainment venues and other channels, intensively cultivate and dig deep into channels. Finally, it won the "Two Music" campaigns in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Changchun, Harbin, Wuhan and Shenzhen. In the two music wars in Beijing, the situation is also changing, and the balance is slowly tilting towards Party B of Pepsi.

The struggle between the two musicians is not only lingering for a hundred years, but also more and more like a never-ending Broadway play, during which the competition is ups and downs, and there are countless classic cases. However, judging from the process and results of their competition in recent years, a large number of facts have puzzled the marketing community, and we have seen the marketing incompetence of industry leaders in many ways.

In China 65438-998 carbonated beverage market, four of the top five brands are Coca-Cola Company, and half of the carbonated beverage market share is occupied by Coca-Cola Company. At that time, many consumers should have had this experience: you asked the waiter to take a "Coke" drink in a restaurant, and the waiter usually gave you a "Coca-Cola". But after 2002, three-dimensional posters of Pepsi can be seen everywhere in restaurants in many large and medium-sized cities in China. Usually, when you ask for a coke drink, the waiter will take it out and say Pepsi. When you ask for Coca-Cola, she will make you feel unclear with a reproachful expression. This also shows from one side that Pepsi's position as a challenger in China market has gradually occupied many commanding heights, and the market is changing.

Why does Coca-Cola, which represents American culture, always seem to be unable to cope with the "choice of the new generation" and its moves are scattered? From a marketing point of view, the coverage may be too large. Pepsi's differentiated communication strategy, unique product mix strategy and public relations wisdom are remarkable everywhere. The author wants to discuss how to win in the strong competition between industries from the channel strategy and team management of Liangle marketing.

Camera playback: Harbin market: Pepsi's blue position

Harbin market is a battleground in the northern market, especially in the beverage industry, and it is difficult for domestic brands to get a share. Since the establishment of 1993, Coca-Cola has always occupied an absolute dominant position in Harbin market, accounting for 70% of the market share of carbonated drinks at its peak. However, in the action of challenging Coca-Cola, Harbin Pepsi-Cola Company has not set up a local factory (the factory is in Changchun) for many years, and its sales volume has increased substantially year by year. In 2004, Pepsi-Cola slightly surpassed Coca-Cola with a market share of 365,438+0%, and Harbin market was rated as "the fastest growing market" by Pepsi-Cola Company. Walking in the squares and busy streets of Harbin, you can see the blue ocean and strong new generation atmosphere of Pepsi everywhere. So I often hear some college students say, "We like Pepsi because we are a rebellious generation and we like innovation. However, in the face of the pressure of employment and survival, we can't make ourselves romantic as exaggerated by Coke. " Therefore, in the face of cruel market competition, Coca-Cola is neither "delicious" nor "coke", but "I wish you Pepsi" has become a holiday or birthday blessing for young people who keep pace with the times.

Why so far:

Behind the success, there are good channel strategies, promotion strategies and well-trained personnel management, which makes the marketing system have a benign and lasting impetus.

1. Good channel management.

Pepsi divides front-line salespeople into WAT (wholesale assistant) and DSD (direct seller), of which DSD is the main force, engaged in direct sales in regional markets. The work of WAT and DSD mainly includes customer visit, line management, bottle box management, refrigerator management, shelf display, POS posting and management, sales and procurement management, competitive product feedback, etc. At the same time, PepsiCo strictly implements the standardized line visit system and faithfully implements the "four times and eight steps" terminal development strategy. From the market reality, this intensive channel model is very effective. Although the model is similar, Pepsi's performance in recent years is obviously better than Coca-Cola's, and it is natural for Coca-Cola's strategic position to be shaken.

In the early 1990s, in order to quickly open the market and seize the commanding heights, the newly established Shanghai Pepsi decisively adopted the direct selling model. As a result, a huge Pepsi sales team began to appear on the streets of Shanghai. Then, Shanghai Pepsi spent a huge sum of money to buy 20 Iveco cars and deliver them to your door. From this day on, the customer's sense of emperor was born. PepsiCo constantly changes its methods and brings forth new ideas in its channels. It introduces the mode of wholesaler cooperation, subsidizes part of the operating expenses at great expense, helps wholesalers to serve the final customers, acts as the postman of street terminals, and realizes the ultimate intensive marketing intention.

During the period from1992 to1993, Shanghai Pepsi successively imported 1500 bulk beverage machines from abroad in order to adapt to the new business of differential land rent in different sections of Shanghai. This way, which combines many advantages such as quickness, on-site configuration, freezing and disposable drinking, has been accepted by Shanghai citizens. At the end of 1990s, Shanghai Pepsi-Cola has gained considerable market share and popularity.

The overall market strategic pattern of Pepsi-Cola can be basically described as follows: one kind of strategic market is directly operated and meticulously carved, and the second kind of market is set up with auxiliary sales offices to help dealers sell; The three types of markets implement the management of normal visits by personnel and have the potential to manage resident personnel. No matter which mode, PepsiCo has not forgotten the development and control of channels, and the control and management of channels is one of the core contents of PepsiCo marketers at all levels. The competition in the future market is the competition of brands and channels, just as the army cannot do without the air force. The 3A principle advocated by Coca-Cola (affordable, affordable and willing to buy) is an axiom in truth, but the fact is that when you buy Coca-Cola in many cities, the shopkeeper will often tell you that there is no one. When you left, he said I would look again, and then there would be one. Facing the well-publicized Pepsi, I think this is the channel crisis of Coca-Cola. There is nothing wrong with the brand. Consumer's brand purchase is the best comment, which is caused by his problems in promotion, personnel and channel strength. Without channel driving force, no matter how good the brand is, it has little impact on sales. I often go to the terminal to check the display of various consumer goods, talk to the shop owner about the sales staff of each family, and listen to their views and opinions. Shopkeepers often say: "Although they all patronize regularly, Pepsi's business can come once every four days, and delicious business often comes once every seven days. At the same time, the representatives of Coca-Cola dressed neatly and listened to them. Just don't do things, Pepsi is different. Adjust the product display, wipe the dust, and even look at the inventory in a narrow warehouse. It is also very timely to have promotional notices. Don't ask me why I sell Pepsi in my store. " In addition to the lack of channel planning and management, it seems equally important to improve the quality and training of human resources in enterprises. High-frequency and high-quality access is often efficient channel control, and strong control brings huge sales.

2. Flexible promotion strategy

Promotion, also known as sales promotion or commercial promotion, is the most pragmatic marketing strategy in 4P marketing mix, and it is also the most powerful means to influence and attract consumers. It can be divided into SP tactics for consumers and distributors. Pepsi's achievements are inseparable from its flexible and thorough promotion methods. Comparing the promotion methods and contents of Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola, it is not difficult to find that both of them have made great efforts to dig their minds and express their feelings, and they are both wonderful, but after in-depth understanding, Pepsi-Cola seems to be slightly better. During the period from1998 to1999, PepsiCo launched activities such as ring pulling, bottle cap redemption, football star prize redemption, 7-up romantic passbook redemption and Macau tourism in China market. From 2000 to 2005, PepsiCo gradually launched a series of promotional activities, such as "only hard work can win", "infinite desire" and "blue storm", which were divided into live lottery and card redemption. Well-designed and novel Pepsi star shirts and star illustration pictures have become the endorsement evidence of Pepsi's rebellion, passion and innovation. These activities have a wide coverage and great influence, which has played a positive role in terminal promotion and sales promotion.

For distributors, PepsiCo mainly adopts promotional strategies such as hitchhiking, price concessions and discounts. In the sales of carbonated drinks in 2002, the wholesale price of Pepsi was the lowest among competing brands, and Pepsi often made a fuss about the product capacity, which made Pepsi's products very competitive. In addition to direct low prices, Pepsi also provides dealers with one-month credit support, free travel, quarterly lottery, VCD prizes and other activities. For dealers with good cooperation and novel ideas, PepsiCo has a variety of promotion methods, such as providing training opportunities for dealer employees and providing human resources to support the market. Whether attacking the heart or attacking the city, the subtle sublimation of potential is the effect of accumulation and accumulation, which is envied by envious people.

3. Strict and systematic sales staff management

PepsiCo has a modern marketing concept that has been internationalized for hundreds of years, a modern marketing management system based on it, and a management team familiar with the China market. All these have created an efficient, pragmatic and successful management platform for PepsiCo, which also constitutes a huge advantage of PepsiCo's human resources. At present, the management of PepsiCo's bottling plant in China is almost entirely from China. Managers who know the characteristics of employees in China market and China can foster strengths and avoid weaknesses in China market and adopt appropriate strategies to win. When Chinese people become top managers, they know the traditional advantages and disadvantages of Chinese people, and can make practical management policies according to local conditions and different people, give full play to people's subjective initiative, and avoid the vicious situation that strategies and policies wander in the sky and grass-roots work wander on the ground. Now, through the investigation, the author knows that the marketing staff of each branch of Pepsi are under great pressure and may be fired at any time.

What PepsiCo has achieved today is inseparable from its strict and standardized sales staff management. Marketers all know that even if there are high-quality brands in today's China market, it doesn't mean sales and profits. Only by mastering the channel terminals and mastering the consumers; In order to truly own the market. PepsiCo adopts the line pre-sale sales system that has been used abroad, and divides the front-line sales staff into WAT (wholesale assistant) and DSD (direct seller), among which DSD is the main force engaged in direct sales in various markets. The work of establishing WAT and DSD mainly includes line management, marketing props management, product shelf display, dynamic file registration management, competitive information feedback and so on. Payment settlement with customers is completed by the driver responsible for delivery. The directors of all districts of PepsiCo conduct on-site supervision and management, and every visit of business personnel should be recorded. The number of daily visits (face-to-face visits) has gradually developed from 30, 35 and 40 times in the past to 45 times today! Strict management and crisis awareness make marketers dare not slack off.

In order to give full play to the execution of the enterprise's good scientific marketing system, Pepsi has also established a strict and meticulous table system, and has a process supervision and management system for marketers at all levels. For marketing managers at all levels, Pepsi takes the responsibility system at all levels, and the sales target and marketing expenses are implemented to people. Everything is quantified and institutionalized, a? %B