M RahmanMarketing mix of PepsiCo (4Ps of PepsiCo)
This is a detailed analysis of the marketing mix of PepsiCo. It analyses the 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) of PepsiCo and explains the company’s business & marketing strategies. PepsiCo is a multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation, headquartered at New York in the United States.
PepsiCo products
PepsiCo offers customers a wide range of products. Its products are available around the world. Its portfolio includes 23 brands and these brands come under four broad categories i.e. global brands, good-for-you brands, fun-for-you brands, and better-for-you brands (PepsiCo, 2021). These brands are so well-known in their own distinctive ways that many people may not even know that they belong to PepsiCo.
Pepsi, 7up, Miranda, Doritos, Quaker, Walkers, and Tropicana are some of the most famous members of the PepsiCo family. Entering into the markets such as snacks and breakfasts has helped PepsiCo grow around the world. It takes comprehensive measures so that its products can meet the highest food safety and quality standards.
However, it should be mentioned that not all PepsiCo products are successful. Some of its products e.g. Crystal Pepsi, Josta, and Cinnamon-flavoured Pepsi failed miserably. Likewise, Pepsi A.M. (a soft drink to be consumed for breakfast) was an epic failure as well (CBS, 2021).
Price and pricing strategies of PepsiCo
Pricing is the next issue to explore in the Marketing mix of PepsiCo. The non-alcoholic beverage industry is dominated by two big giants i.e. PepsiCo and Coca Cola. Therefore, PepsiCo must take competition into consideration while developing its pricing strategies. PepsiCo prices its products competitively; however, neither PepsiCo nor Coca Cola seems to be interested in waging price wars against each other. Therefore, both companies focus more on branding than on pricing. The CEO of PepsiCo made it clear by reiterating that the company has to be “competitive in the marketplace”, and lower pricing is not part of the company’s strategy to gain market share (Vizard, 2020).
Place/distribution channels of PepsiCo
An important issue in the Marketing mix of PepsiCo is distribution channel. The products of PepsiCo are available in more than 200 countries and territories in the world. The company has six global divisions which either independently or in conjunction with third parties, make, market, distribute and sell a wide variety of food and beverages (PepsiCo, 2021).
It is worth noting that there are variations in PepsiCo’s distribution strategies. For example, some of the products are sold to authorized bottlers, independent distributors and retailers in some regions. The company also has its own bottling plants and distribution facilities in certain markets.
Promotional strategies of PepsiCo
PepsiCo implements a wide variety of promotional strategies to reach out to the target customers. It carries out advertising campaigns on TV, social media, radio, print media and other outlets. Its celebrity endorsement started with Michael Jackson, and this tradition included celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Madonna, Beyonce and many others.
PepsiCo has made a very good use of public relations and sponsorship of events over the years. It increased its advertising focus on its healthier products in the last few years. In the past years, it planned to increase advertising spending behind its big brands, through both major ad campaigns such as for Mountain Dew at the Super Bowl and through better in-store displays. However, since the economic slowdown in 2020, it has been adjusting its marketing strategies. For instance, it decided to rein in marketing spending in countries where lockdown was imposed and the sales declined (Vizard, 2020).
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Last update: 21 January 2021
References:
CBS (2021) Epic, embarrassing product failures, available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/epic-embarrassing-product-failures/5/ (accessed 20 January 2021)
PepsiCo (2021) About, available at: http://www.pepsico.com/About (Accessed 20 January 2021)
Vizard, S. (2020) PepsiCo marketing becomes ‘more selective’ with focus on fewer, bigger activities at: https://www.marketingweek.com/pepsico-marketing-selective/ (Accessed 20 January 2021)
Author: M Rahman
M Rahman writes extensively online and offline with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Also, graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA in Business & Management Studies and completed a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University.
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