Coca-Cola’s mass communications strategy has
evolved over the years and today mixes a wide range of
media including television, radio, print, online, in-store,
digital, billboard, public relations, events, paraphernalia,
and even its own museum. The company’s target audience
and reach are so massive that choosing the right
media and marketing message is critical. Coca-Cola uses
big events to hit huge audiences; it has sponsored the
Olympics since 1928 and advertises during the Super
Bowl. Red Coke cups are placed front and center during
top-rated television shows like American Idol, and the
company spends over $1 billion a year on sports sponsorships
such as NASCAR and the World Cup. Coca-
Cola’s global campaigns must also be relevant on a local
scale. In China, for example, Coca-Cola has given its regional
managers control over its advertising so they can
include appropriate cultural messages.