Cross Cultural Marketing – Sprite’s Communication Campaigns (“Mixes it up” in China and “Ultimate refresher” in India)

Topic 

Cross Cultural Marketing – Sprite’s Communication Campaigns (“Mixes it up” in China and “Ultimate refresher” in India)

Instructions 

Using the concepts and theories discussed in class and in your readings, as well as from your own further research, write a case study of a brand of your choice, focusing on one of the following scenarios;

  1. Analyze the brand’s marketing communications campaign(s) implemented in two different countries. How successful/unsuccessful has it been? Why?
  2. Compare a pre-digital media environment campaign with a recent marketing communications campaign for the brand within a particular market. What are the differences? Why have the changes occurred? What are the implications of these changes?
  3. Has the brand met consumers’ resistance at some point? How and why did this happen? What were the effects on the brand (if any)? How did the brand cope with consumer resistance through marketing communications?
  4. Analyze the brand’s innovative marketing communications approaches to breaking through the clutter and overcoming consumers’ avoidance in a foreign market (not in the country of origin). Why do you think the brand’s marketing communications approaches are innovative?

Answer Preview 

Sprite adopts a globalized strategy with localized attention as evidenced by Chinese and Indian scenarios. The Crawford, Humphries, and Geddy (2015) refer to this strategy as “glocalisation”; pursuing global success and adapting to specific consumer needs. As an element of global strategy, the Sprite campaigns standardises the theme of “refreshing” to underscore that the beverage is the most ideal to quench thirst or cravings. The India advert shows two young men looking to cool down, and one suggests going to a theatre, but finds it full. One man draws a Sprite and derives instant replenishment, eliminating the need for a “cool” place (Campaign India, 2019). It is the same manifests in the Chinese scenario: the elements include outdoor activities that result in thirst, and Sprite comes in as the ultimate quenching beverage (“Adobo Magazine”, 2019).

In both scenarios, the ads use emotional appeals to remind consumers that they are thirsty, and there is no better way to quench the thirst other than Sprite. To ascertain the effectiveness of the beverage, the adverts convey how users feel before and after taking Sprite. Both adverts show characters in really hot or in exhaustive situations that makes them want to have a cooling drink.

Word Count: 1800