Another recession-busting trick has emerged in the food and beverage industry, this time from Coca-Cola. This is definitely not the time to be classed as the No. 2 brand for anything; only being at the top will do.
Coca-Cola announced that anyone who buys rival Pepsi’s Mountain Dew soda will be given a free bottle of Coca-Cola’s version of the drink, Vault. Promoted at the Vault Taste Challenge, the “Don’t Dew It” campaign encourages customers to switch to the Coca-Cola brand.
These clever marketing ploys encourage the consumer to go out there and spend their money in the hope of getting something free. Although a bottle of soda is nowhere near getting a free car like Dodge promoted with their trucks last year, it’s still a very significant way to create brand appeal.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Recession-busting Marketing
- Creating promotional campaigns that incentivize customers to switch brands and make purchases during a recession.
- Freebies for Rival Support
- Offering free products to customers who buy rival brands to encourage brand loyalty and preference.
- Creating Brand Appeal
- Using creative marketing strategies, such as offering free products, to make brands more appealing to consumers.
Where This Applies
- Food and Beverage
- Incentivizing customers to switch brands and purchase products in the food and beverage industry.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Developing innovative marketing campaigns that use freebies to entice customers to switch brands and make purchases.
- Automotive
- Leveraging freebies as a marketing tool to create brand appeal in the automotive industry, similar to Dodge's promotion with free cars.
