The Degree and Generation of Localization in Marketing: An Empirical Study Based on Coca-Colas Localization Strategy

Abstract

In a world where development is no longer limited by geography, globalization has become the slogan and goal of many companies. However, not many have noticed that companies that have achieved international sales, such as Coca-Cola, have adopted a localization strategy. This study aspires to examine the existing cases of localization in the market, how localization is implemented, and the impact of implementing localization, from both macro and micro perspectives. This paper identifies the marketing strategies used by the multinational beverage company Coca-Cola through an analysis of its advertising in China in the process of achieving global sales. Based on the marketing mix, this paper analyzes and compares countries with vastly different degrees of localization to determine the decisive factors for using localization strategies in the four areas of product, price, promotion, and place. Current marketing research on the success of Coca-Cola is still narrow, with studies limited to how marketing success is accomplished in a specific location but does not identify the underlying strategy that had led to such success, localization. Meanwhile, the market lacks practical guidance on localization strategies due to inadequate research and this study fills these currently identified limitations.