I selected
to evaluate the commercial company Coca-Cola, because logistically, no other
company on earth has been able to match their worldwide product delivery. According to a June, 2011 Business Insider article, “Around the world, the average person
consumes a Coke product every four days.”
This is just one of many other mind blowing facts about Coke listed in
the piece. Given that the company does
such a great job on the ground, I thought it would fun to evaluate how they fare
in cyberspace, and if that performance is contributing to their success, or
rather selling themselves short of expectations.
At first
glance the Coca-Cola website seems simple, fun, and easy to follow. In other words, it is not too busy, it has
familiar characters that we know well from Coke ads (like the polar bear). The layout shows clear links to the social
media websites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flicker, respective to Coke’s
popularity on those sites, in addition to links to amusing videos and links to
interactive sister websites. Coke’s
classic colors, red and white, make the site pop and are appealing to the
eye. Indeed, at first glance the
Coca-Cola website seems to have all the “good content” spoke about in
lecture. What follows is my evaluation
of those specific attributes.
The
Coca-Cola website is extremely interactive
and participatory, for example one
could go explore the world of “AHH” (a
branding) at www.ahh.com and pick between 50+ interactive
games. One in particular, you can ride a
rollercoaster while trying not to spill your Coke by moving your mouse cursor
about. Or next, follow a link on the
homepage and end up watching “The Polar
Bears,” an animated movie produced by famous producer Ridley Scott. In this way the Coke website is tremendously
entertaining. I thought I would be able
to bash Coke on their customer service portal, but no, they offer a FAQ section
and a Virtual Agent to type problem slash inquires to. Coca-Cola’s Email address, 1-800 numbers,
physical addresses, and a comment section are all obviously visible at the
bottom of the contact us page. There are
several ways to create user generated
content besides the ability to provide feedback and share photos. For example, they have a section that is
solely dedicated to answering to rumors and conspiracy theories. Perhaps they have learned a powerful lesson
from the Chevy experiment by not letting users control too much. I give the Coke website a five star rating
which I cannot say this for most other commercial websites.
Premiums come in the form of the My Coke Rewards program. Membership is free and points are earned by
collecting caps or codes under product labels.
So while one still has to work for their “free stuff” there is defiantly
some incentive provided. There is also a
ton of meaningful content
provided. For instance, The Student Zone
provides a space for academia and aspiring students to connect with job
opportunities within the Coca-Cola Company. There seems to be a focus on helping local
communities. As far as Content flow, I pick up the vibe as “always
changing.” The site is well maintained
and is regularly updated.
In
conclusion, I do not even regularly drink soda, and I am especially against
diet drinks. However, when I
occasionally have one, I choose Coke.
They have an amazing distribution process and extensive product line
that is recognized universally around the world. I found little to nothing wrong with the
content of their cyber presence, it is attractive to even the most average of
user. In addition, they have a social
media presence that cannot be contended.
It seems Coca-Cola has the right virtual formula.
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