pmgehman.files.wordpress.com · Web viewSecondary research was used to analyze Sprite’s current...

Team 3 Spite

Apex ResearchSpring 2016

Bianca Pisegna, Isabella Leon, Carter Sokolowsi, Paige Gehman, Lou Duszynski, Kendra Wilson

Table of Contents

Overview 3

Situation Analysis Introduction & Brand History 5 Product Evaluation 6-7 Consumer Evaluation 7 Competitive Evaluation 7-10 Marketing Evaluation 11-12 S.W.O.T Analysis 12-13 Research Question and Hypothesis 13-14Qualitative Study: In-depth Interviews

Overview 16Interview Analysis 19-22

Quantitative Study: Internet Survey Overview 18-19 Survey Analysis 19-22Conclusions: Rising Up 23-24References 25-27Appendix 28

Research Plan 29Interviewers guide 30-33Transcribed Interviews 34-68Reflections 69-74Survey Questionnaire 75 - 78

Participation Forms

2

Research Overview

Situation Analysis:Secondary research was used to analyze Sprite’s current market and consumer reach. Target consumers were identified through extensive research. This allowed APX research to do a SWOT analysis. With this analysis, APX was able to pin point Sprite’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. All of the information gathered helped build a new and better marketing plan for greater consumer reach. The current target consumer for Sprite is young, urban, African Americans. APX wants to promote Sprite to a wider audience. The new strategy involves marketing Sprite as a health conscious drink, to appeal not only to health conscious youth, but middle age as well.

Research Method I: Online SurveyThe survey APX created to gather quantitative data was done through Qualtrics, a survey generating website that allows surveys to be published and analyzed. The survey consisted of 13 questions that aided to answer the three main research questions APX created in order to produce a marketing plan. One hundred thirteen participants completed the survey. Most of the participants were female students ages 18- 25. The survey was circulated on Facebook and other social media in order to get participants from different demographics.

Research Method II: In- depth Interviews In this qualitative study, APX conducted 10 in-depth interviews with participants with varies lifestyles, hobbies and preferences. The interviews lasted about 25 minutes each, and participants were asked questions about Sprite, and other brand preferences. Out of the 10 participants five were male and five were female. By doing an even number of different gender interviews, APX was able to pinpoint what areas of the market Sprite needed to improve on.

3

Research- Phase I

4

Situation Analysis

Intro ParagraphThis is a situational analysis and market research development plan for Sprite, a brand owned by Coca – Cola. Sprite keeps its loyal consumers with its natural, refreshing taste. The market and research development plan APX assembled is aimed to reach wider variety of consumers. Sprite has previously worked with Drake and other artists in the “Obey Your Verse” campaign.

Sprite has most recently collaborated with Lebron James and went back to its original slogan “Quench Your Thirst.” With these collaborations, Sprite has reached out to young urban millennials. By reaching out to more adult audience, Sprite will be able to make more collaborations with different celebrities and increase sales by appealing to a more diverse audience.

Brand History & EvaluationThough Coca – Cola seems like an all American brand, Sprite was first developed in Germany as Fanta Klare Zitron (Clear lemon Fanta), and introduced to the United States in 1961. The idea of Sprite was to compete with the only other lemon - lime flavor, 7Up. According to Coca – Cola, Sprite has been the leading lemon – lime flavored soft drink for over 50 years. Sprite has been attracting customers with its crisp, real taste. Sprite is a brand of Coca – Cola, which is the number one non-alcoholic beverage company.

Sprite Zero, formally known as sugar free Sprite, was established in 1974. In following, Sprite launched its Cranberry flavor in 2013, for the holiday season. These additions to Sprite allowed for a greater consumer reach. Most recently, Sprite brought back the Tropical Mix flavor, calling the event “A Flavor From Back In The Day”. The return of the flavor was able to remind consumers what the Sprite flavor is all about. Sprite promoted the beverage on Sprite.com as “That refreshing blend of pineapple, strawberry and lemon- lime from back in the day is back. But only while supplies last.”

Since 1961, Sprite has kept its trademark taste, but changed its slogans through the years. In the early 60’s through 70’s, Sprite’s slogan was "Taste Its Tingling Tartness," "Naturally Tart," and "It's a Natural!" From the 80’s until 1994 Sprite’s slogan was modified to target the youth, with the slogan; "I Like the Sprite in You." In 1994, the brand began to appeal to hip-hop followers with the slogan “Obey Your Thirst.” The ads featured hip-hop music and famous athletes promoting the beverage.

Along with the various slogans Sprite experimented with, the logo underwent a few modifications. Below are the logo changes from 1961- present day.

5

Overall, Sprite is aimed at being ripe, refreshing and thirst quenching. By collaborating with artists and bringing back familiar flavors, Sprite is able to keep a young consumer base satisfied, along with those who are fans of previous Sprite flavors. Sprite promotes itself as the drink of choice for athletes and musicians, which allows the brand to stay popular and intriguing to the younger generations.

Product Evaluation Sprite soda offers consumers a crisp, caffeine-free soda. Sprite has a variety of flavors including Sprite Remix, Sprite Cranberry and for those who want less calories, Diet Sprite and Sprite Zero. With thirst being a natural occurrence in the body, Sprite tells consumers to “Obey your thirst,” with one of its beverages. Sprite can be enjoyed by people of any age, but its target consumers are teenagers and young adults. Because Sprite is caffeine and dye-free, its strength is that it is one of the healthier soda selections. (See the chart below to compare nutrition facts between the leading soft drink brands.) However, one of the brand’s weaknesses is that there are not a large variety of flavors compared to its competitors. Even though its logo and brand design have changed, its blue and green containers remain the same and are a staple in the soft drink industry. Sprite can be purchased at any grocery or convenient store, however, studies show that it is purchased and consumed more in the spring and summer (Statista). Carbonated Soft Drink Nutrition Facts (12 oz. can)

Calories Sodium Sugar

Sprite 140 65mg 38g

Coca-Cola 140 45mg 39g

Mountain Dew 170 65mg 46g

Pepsi 150 30mg 41g

6

Root Beer 160 0mg 42g

Consumer Evaluation Sprite was voted number six in a list of top ten soda brands conducted by NBC. The company first targeted alcoholic beverage drinkers because Sprite mixes well with alcohol as a mixer. However, its target consumers have changed more recently.

A specific target demographic is African Americans. The company has tapped into hip-hop and sports culture using notable celebrities such as Drake, Kurtis Blow and LeBron James. More than half of African American consumers are able to remember an advertisement featuring a respected celebrity.

Another specific consumer is young people. People younger than the age of 18 are more likely to purchase Sprite. The chart below shows that because the younger demographic is Sprite’s largest customer base, they have the least education (MRI).

Education Level in Sprite Consumers (‘000)Graduated college plus 67,714

Attended college 45,416

Graduated high school 70,520

Did not graduate high school 30,522

Post graduate 24,233

Competitive EvaluationSprite is owned and manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. The single largest company in competition with the Coca-Cola Company is PepsiCo Inc. Therefore, Sprite is in competition with every carbonated beverage owned by PepsiCo. Coca-Cola is comparable to PepsiCo because they produce similar products, but Figure 1 shows that Coca-Cola led the market. In fact, Coca-Cola’s market shares more than doubled PepsiCo’s market share. Coca-Cola had a market share of 48.6% and PepsiCo had a market share of 20.5%. The market share for a combination of all other carbonated beverage companies combined made up the other 30.9%.

Lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverages are Sprite’s largest, most direct competitors. Sierra Mist, 7UP and Sprite are among the most popular and recognizable lemon-lime

7

soft drink brands on the market because they are manufactured by the leading beverage industries. Sierra Mist is a PepsiCo owned brand and 7UP is owned by Dr. Pepper Snapple. Sprite controls 66% of the lemon-lime category and is the sixth-largest soft drink brand in the country.

Sierra Mist- In 2010, PepsiCo made an adjustment to the formula of Sierra Mist to target consumers who prefer a lemon-lime carbonated without negative health effects (PepsiCo, 2010). The ingredient of high-fructose corn syrup was replaced with stevia leaf extract (Shultz, 2014). The new formula now consists of natural sugar, no preservatives, no artificial flavoring, and no caffeine. The new formula resulted in a 20% calorie reduction of the beverage as well (Shultz, 2014). The beverage began promoting its carbonated beverage as “natural.” Sierra Mist changed the packaging when launching the new product, but did not clearly state the change on the redesigned packaging. According to AdAge, PepsiCo has changed the packaging of the Sierra Mist product eight times since its first launch in the year 2000 (2015).

The change in ingredients and packaging turned out to be unsuccessful. Customers were displeased with the new product and described it as tasting “bitter”, unlike the original Sierra Mist (Northrup, 2015). Angered customers posted on Sierra Mist’s Facebook page expressing feelings of being tricked into buying the new product as it was not clearly stated that the product now contained stevia (Northrup, 2015). The continuous change in packaging has given Sierra Mist a loss of product identity.

7UP- As the 15th largest soda brand, 7UP only controls 1% of the market (Dougherty, n.d.). 7UP was created before Sprite or Sierra Mist and was successful in its early years, but decreased in sales when Sprite and Sierra Mist took over the lemon-lime category. 7UP has no artificial ingredients, no coloring, no artificial sweeteners, and is caffeine free. One of the first campaigns for 7UP was the “UnCola” campaign in 1973. By acknowledging 7UP as the “UnCola”, the brand was stating that it is certainly different from cola and is its own unique beverage (Dougherty, N.D.). 7UP TEN is a product that was introduced in 2012 by Dr. Pepper Snapple, which contains only enough high fructose corn syrup to give customers the taste they expect from a soda with being almost calorie-free, as well as being free from artificial sweeteners (Clarke, 2011). 7UP TEN targeted men by creating saying “it’s not for women” in the campaign ad (Clarke, 2011). They aimed to create an image for this drink being a “diet” drink without the diet image of only being acceptable for women to drink. In 2014, 7UP deviated its original focus toward the growing music genre of electric dance music (EDM) and created the “Bubbling Up” campaign (Stanley, 2015). The “Bubbling Up” campaign includes a #7x7Up program on social media. The yearlong #7x7Up program included 7UP partnering up with seven DJs and seven events to promote the beverage (Stanley, 2015). The slogan accompanying the campaign is “Live It UP.” Compared to the 32% of Americans who consume soda, about 46% of carbonated beverages are Hispanic (Faw, 2014). Hispanics have also been found to consume less of cola and favor lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverages more (Faw, 2014). The #7x7UP movement is targeting those Hispanic soda drinkers as well as a younger generation.

8

The most successful campaign for 7UP was the “UnCola” campaign, resulting in a skyrocket of sales. Consumers, especially those of a younger age, realized how different the “UnCola” was from a cola drink. Consumers embraced the differences in 7UP as the slogan was so widely promoted. 7UP TEN was also embraced by customers, and 40% of the consumers were women (Clarke, 2011). The beverage ended up being accepted by everybody. However, there was not a lasting hype over this product and sales went back down quickly. The #7x7UP movement has been successful for the 7UP brand so far (Stanley, 2015). There has been an increase in traffic on social media for 7UP and profits for the brand have nearly doubled due to the campaign (Stanley, 2015).

Sprite- The Coca-Cola Company has greatly funded the Sprite brand since its first launch in 1961. Coca-Cola promotes Sprite globally, giving it notoriety for being a classic lemon-lime soft drink today. Being the leader in the lemon-lime soft drink market, Sprite is continuing to be innovative while other brands are simply trying to catch up. Sprite has been consistent with its packaging, messages, and product over the years. Most recently, Sprite has aimed to promote “self-expression” and “following your passion” through its brand. One of the ways they did this was by hosting the 2014 NBA all-star weekend in New Orleans (Zmuda, 2012). Throughout the weekend, the Coca-Cola/Sprite team created a number of experiences for the participants of NBA all-star weekend to express themselves. These experiences included Sprites Slam Dunk Challenge, supporting the Boys and Girls Club of America, and painting the town of New Orleans green (Zmuda, 2012). Currently, Sprite is encouraging the global youth to follow their passions through the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign. The newest evolution to this on-going campaign is “Obey Your Verse”, in which Sprite has placed inspiring lyrics on the beverages cans from history’s most famous hip-hop artists (Meadows, 2015). With “Obey Your Verse”, Sprite is representing the hip-hop culture and how these hip hop artists have an inspiring “thirst” to not give up, and it shows this through the lyrics placed on the Sprite cans (Meadows, 2015). The concept is that a Sprite can satisfy the pursuit of self-expression and the “thirst to do more” (Meadows, 2015).

Conclusion- A completely health conscious carbonated beverage, by replacing high-fructose corn syrup with natural stevia leaf extract does not appeal to the taste of consumers, as proven with Sierra Mist. Sierra Mist lost sales because of this adjustment. The 7UP TEN was tastefully successful, but Dr. Pepper Snapple did not continue funding the promotion for this product long enough to be memorable. The #7x7UP movement has successfully gained social traffic, targeted youth and Hispanics, and has driven sales for 7UP. However, consumers of the lemon-lime market seem to respect Sprite’s consistency with its message. In contrast, 7UP and Sierra Mist have not been consistent. Sprite has been successful with the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign by relating to the world’s youth through promotion of self-expression and pursuing their passions, rather than promoting the drink itself. This makes the consumers feel good about themselves and gain respect for Sprite. Through the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign, Sprite is also representing hip-hop culture, which appeals to the younger generation. Sprite does not have a mid-calorie product, which could drive sales even more by attracting consumers who would prefer a health conscious soda with the taste and consistency of Sprite.

9

Figure 1. Market Share of Carbonated Beverages Worldwide as of 2015

Figure 2: Market Share of Sprite in U.S. 2004-2014

10

Marketing Environment Evaluation

Trends- Natural food and beverages are consistently on the rise with health being one of society’s main concerns. Consumers would prefer beverages that are low in calories and health conscious. Between the years 2010-2015, the carbonated soft drink industry faced a large decline in sales due to this trend and soft drinks having an image of being harmful to one’s health. Soft drinks typically consist of ingredients such as aspartame, sugar, caffeine, high-fructose corn syrup, and are calorically high. The United States government has also increased the number of regulations associated with carbonated drinks. The selling of soft drinks to students at some state public school systems have been banned. All of these factors impact the sales of Sprite and other carbonated beverages.

There are expectations for Sprite to be relatable and honest to the customer in order to be successful. Spite has shown to be successful with discovering different ways to promote the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign through relation to the customer, particularly teenagers. Sprite is promoting the customer to pursue self-expression, and be true to themselves whether it is making a decision of choosing a soft drink or what they choose to do with their life. In return, this has driven sales for the beverage immensely and will continue to drive sales if Sprite can continue to be creatively innovative with involvement of the customer.

Social media is a consistently growing trend and is one of the best marketing tools for sending out a mass message at little to no cost. Involvement with social media will target a variety of demographics and age groups. Twitter is one of the more popular social media tools for starting communication among people about a product. More involvement in social media will create more recognition by customers for Sprite.

Economy- The economy will absolutely impact what the Coca-Cola Company can and cannot do to further promote Sprite. Coca-Cola as a company and Sprite as a brand can only grow and prosper if there is economic growth. In contrast, if the economy is declining it can hurt the growth of Sprite. When the economy is low, customers spend less money resulting in less revenue for businesses. When there is economic decline, unemployment rises and businesses must cut costs. If Sprite was facing an economic decline there is less of a chance that Coca-Cola would fund them the money to launch a new campaign due to costs. However, if the economy is increasingly growing, there would be a better chance for successful campaigns and new product launches.

Conclusion- With the healthy food and beverage trend in full swing, it would be effective to create a product that is both health conscious, but can also deliver the same classic lemon-lime taste of Sprite. Customers are success driven in society and really respect the support that Sprite is giving them with the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign. As long as Sprite can continue being consistent with its message, by being innovative and keeping the customers excited about the product message, the sales should continue rise. Sprite should be more involved with social media because it is one of the fastest growing trends and an excellent way to send a mass message. Sprite also needs to be aware of the

11

economy being on the rise or decline because the economy can greatly affect how well Coca-Cola can fund Sprite when promoting a product.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths: Offered in a variety of flavors. Sprite has offered different flavors in the past, such

as tropical mix. These flavors have been brought back and offered to consumers for a limited time only.

Manufactured by Coca-Cola. This is a strength because Coca-Cola is well known, and strong brand.

Well funded Caffeine free, therefor a healthier option than many other soft. Sprite is also a

clear liquid giving it a cleaner and healthier appearance. Mixes well with other drinks. Sprite controls 66 percent of the lemon-lime category of soft drinks. This is a

strength as well because Sprite is control over half of the competition. Consistent marketing strategy. Healthier beverages are becoming more and more popular. High market share 216k Twitter followers and almost 21million Facebook likes. Sprite also has a

Tumblr, and instagram, which have become increasingly popular. The Sprite website has direct links to its social media.

Weaknesses: Only appealing to the younger ages because of rap and athlete collaboration.

Since Sprite mainly appeals to the younger population, it’s leaving out a large chunk of middle age demographics.

The younger demographic has the least amount of education therefor its income levels tend to be lower.

The state of the economy can greatly affect how Coca-Cola funds Sprite.

Opportunities: Variety of flavors offers more opportunity for consumers to buy product. Changing of target demographic offers opportunities for more creative

marketing campaigns. Sprite does not have mid-calorie product, which could drive sales more by

attracting consumers who would prefer a health conscious soda with the taste and consistency of Sprite.

Popular marketing Campaigns like the NBA all star weekend help promote the product.

Social media presents a huge opportunity to promote Sprite. More involvement on social media will create more recognition by Sprite customers.

12

A healthy economy presents a better chance for successful campaigns and new product launches.

Marketing Sprite to a middle age consumer. This could increase sales because many middle age consumers are now health conscious.

Threats: A declining economy threatens sales of Sprite. Sprite is in competition with every carbonated beverage owned by

PepsiCO. Government regulations on carbonated beverages can affect sales and

promotion of the product. Similar lemon-lime drinks including Sierra Mist and 7UP are direct

competitors with Sprite. 7UP was created before Sprite, however only controls 1% of the market.

Research Questions

With statistics thrown around about the rising obesity problem in this country as well as the dangers of a high-sugar diet, consumers are more wary than ever about what they are putting into their bodies. Most regular carbonated soft drinks are high in high-fructose corn syrup content and if they are not, they are high in a dangerous ingredient called aspartame. As a result, sales of natural food and drink products have risen exponentially within the past five years, while the sales of carbonated soft drinks have seen a dramatic decline in sales. The public perception of soft drinks has never been more negative. According to an article by the New York Times, the previous mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, even went so far as to try and make a law called the Portion Cap Rule that would limit the size of cups and containers that food service establishments use to provide soft drinks in (Grynbaum). Research has proven that Sprite is lower in calories and sugar content than most popular soft drinks, but its contents are still damaging enough to potentially turn consumers away from purchasing the product. While Sprite sells products such as Diet Sprite and Sprite Zero, it does not have a mid-calorie beverage that has the same (or extremely similar) taste and consistency as regular Sprite. We’ve concluded that the target audience for this product is a younger demographic (teens to young adults) because they are the ones that consumer the most product. Without a steady income of own, it is most likely their parents who are buying them Sprite have the most influence in the final purchase decision. Whether it is a health-conscious teenager or a concerned parent, we are wondering: if the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make consumers feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?

Research Question One: Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make consumers feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?

As was previously stated, the main consumers of soft drinks are a relatively young demographic (teens to young adults). Considering they are the ones that drink the most soft drinks, they are our target audience. Campaigns in the passed that have resonated

13

with this demographic include the “Obey Your Thirst” campaign that featured such celebrities as rap artist Drake and NBA star Lebron James, as well as buying the naming rights to the “Sprite Slam Dunk Contest” during NBA all-star weekend. All of these marketing moves have been very clearly intended for the demographic we have chosen. One marketing move that we believe Sprite is missing out on is creating a strong social media presence. Nothing resonates with the teen to young adult demographic more than social media sites/apps like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. While Sprite does have a small presence on these outlets, it is not substantial enough to have any kind of impression on our target demographic. For example, the Sprite Twitter account last sent out a tweet on February 14th, rapidly approaching a month of inactivity. Meanwhile, direct competitors like 7UP frequently run successful social media campaigns that help to drive social traffic, spread brand awareness, and inevitably boost sales. 7UP’s latest campaign has been the #7x7UP which has been successfully resonating with the youth and Hispanic demographics. Knowing the success that other brands have achieved from using social media, we are wondering: If Sprite boosts its social media presence, will our target demographic have a more positive opinion of Sprite as a brand?

Research Question Two: If Sprite boosts its social media presence, will our target demographic have a more positive opinion of Sprite as a brand?

We listed some of the limitations that a poor economy would do to Sprite in terms of its ability to effectively market the product through things like new commercials, campaigns, and more. The Coca-Cola Company would likely need to cut costs through the form of cutting jobs or advertising. Also, it is a general knowledge that when the economy is down, customers spend less money resulting in less revenue for businesses. However, there is a chance that Sprite (and soft drinks in general) could be considered an “inferior good”. This means that when the economy is bad, this is a type of good that actually sees sales go up instead of down. As we previously discussed, the biggest buyers and consumers of Sprite have shown to have the least amount of education and transitively have the least amount of money as a result. Organic food and drink products tend to sell at a much higher price then any big brand name soft drinks, so the idea that Sprites sales might go up and natural (more expensive) products sales would go down during economic toil is entirely possible. With all these factors considered, our research question is: would an economic downturn help or hurt the sales of Sprite?

Research Question Three: would an economic downturn help or hurt the sales of Sprite?

Research Phase II14

Qualitative study: In-depth InterviewQuantitative study: Internet Survey

In- depth Interviews

Overview:

15

For these interview, APX aimed to address who the main consumers of the product (Sprite) are. By doing in- depth interviews APX found out who else we can market the product to. Each group member interviewed one male and one female, adding to a total of 10. The interviews were be conduct in various places, wherever was easiest for the participant. The interviews were conducted April 11 – 15. By gathering such a large number of participants of different age lifestyle and preferences, APX was able to use the information to enforce the marketing plan of promoting Sprite as a health conscious beverage.

Participants: APX recruited everyday people, with different lifestyles, and who are of different ages. This can be as simple as a neighbor, or someone passing by the lair. By interviewing 5 males and 5 females, APX was able to see how gender plays a role in the preference of products. APX also picked people who have different lifestyles, for example; active versus sedentary. This will give our team insight on Sprite as a healthier option, and if consumers would choose it over Coke or a Pepsi product.

Interviewers Guide: The interviewers guide for the in- depth interviews works as a reference sheet for the interviewer. The guide explains what the interviewer should say to the participant, all the way from the introduction to the closing. The guide also has recommended phrases each interviewer should say in order to collect an in-depth response from the participant. The guide was made in order to keep the participant and interviewer on the same page, and understanding.

Project Schedule:

March 29-31: Group meeting/creating survey April 6- 10: Distribute and collect surveys April 7-10: Group meeting/organization of interviews April 11-15: Conduct in-depth interviews April 16: Group meeting/compare interviews April 17-18: Finalize In-depth Interview Report April 19-20: Finalize final paper April 21: Group meeting/research overview and project finalization April 22: Final paper due

Results: After the interviews were conducted, APX gathered and analyzed the information. The data collected from the interviews was extensive, detailed, and personal to every participant. Since half the participants were female, and the other half male, all of the

16

answers varied to their personal lifestyle. Most of the males interviewed were active in some way. The female seemed to be more health conscious, admitting to drinking soda, but also aware of the sugars that are in the products. Though the participants hobbies and lifestyles were different, most of them had a positive opinion toward Sprite. Their opinions remained positive towards the brand because of the flavor and refreshing aspect of the drink.

All of the participants had social media, though a few said they had limited interest in it. This would allow Sprite to market on social media with give aways and contests. The participants were excited and enthusiastic when asked if they would follow a brand who promoted contests and freebies on social media.

The results the interviews proved that marketing Sprite as a healthier option would reach more consumers and revenue for the brand. Sprite already has strong social media presence and following, but APX wants to make it even stronger.

Survey Research

Background investigation:

17

This survey was designed to gather information about soft drink consumers, and what they prefer. The survey consists of 13 questions, with one Likert scale and one semantic scale. The survey was made to be short and simple, to increase completion.

Research Objectives:We are conducting this survey to see consumer’s preferences of soft drinks, all the way down to the advertising and logo. This is important for our research because we want to know consumers opinion of the brand and how it contrasts with other brands. By getting an idea of what consumers like in a logo, commercial, or when and where they drink soft drinks, it will help us get a better idea of how to market the product.

Research Methodology:In order to get the survey process started as quickly as possible we decided to do an Internet survey. We believe that with an Internet survey data can be more easily collected and analyzed. Not only is it easier for us as a team, but also for the person taking the survey because it is quick, easy and can be done on a mobile phone. Since the survey is on the Internet it can get a wide reach on different consumer. For our sample, we want to target college to middle age consumers. We plan on doing this by circulating the survey link on Facebook, where students and parents can take the survey and repost the link. The survey should be circulating for about a week, or until we get 100-150 respondents. The questions on our survey are simple, and consist of: the consumers view on Sprites marketing (logo/advertising, when/where/why the consumer drinks soft drinks, and what type of soft drink do consumers mainly prefer.

Time Frame:March 29-31: Group meeting/creating survey

April 6- 10: Distribute and collect surveys

April 7-10: Group meeting/organization of interviews

April 11-15: Conduct in-depth interviews

April 16: Group meeting/compare interviews

April 17-18: Finalize In-depth Interview Report

April 19-20: Finalize final paper

April 21: Group meeting/research overview and project finalization

April 22: Final paper due

April 25: Deadline extension

Limitations:

18

Since this survey is on the Internet there are few limitations. The biggest limitation would be people not taking the questions seriously, and randomly answering, which would skew our data.

Data Analysis:The data collected from the survey was a crucial part in finding consumer opinion, and the main consumers of Sprite. The questions on the survey varied from demographics to how often the participant consumes soft drinks. Below Figures 1-5 examine and explain the data collected.

Figure 1 begins to analyze consumer preference. Forty-seven respondents out of one hundred and thirteen preferred Coca-Cola to any other soft drink. Though Sprite was the second most preferred, it was still more popular than the competition. The information gathered from this question allowed APX to see Sprite’s standing among consumers. With this information at hand, APX was able to generalize a marketing plan to put Sprite in the lead. The information presented in this graphs aides to answer research question one.

Coke Pepsi Dr Pepper Sprite Fanta Other

47

13 13

22

3

15

Preferred Brand of Soft Drink

Male Female Other

43

67

2

Gender of Participants

Figure 1

19

Above in Figure 2, shows the gender of the participants, who were predominately female. This result was expected because the survey was circulated numerous times on social media. APX chose to use Facebook as the main media outlet due to the ability to like, share, and re-share articles that were posted. This data corresponds with research question 2 in the fact that if Sprite were to increase social media presence, male participation would likely rise. The age groups of the survey (not pictured) ranged from 18-25 with the most participants and 51- 64 with the second most. Gender along age group helped APX’s marketing strategy to promote Sprite as health conscious beverage to middle age women.

Figure 3, shows why participants drink soft drinks. This is important because it represents the value of flavor. For example, Sprite is known for its crisp, lemon- lime taste, and this data proves that most consumers consume soft drinks for the taste. The other important element on this graph is refreshment. Second to taste, it is the most valued by the consumer. This is good news for Spite because it is known for its refreshing qualities. This information corresponds with research questions three and one. In the aspect of

Male Female Other

43

67

2

Gender of Participants

Taste Caffeine Brand Loyalty Refreshment I do not drink soda

other

47

13

3

19 18

13

Why Participants Drink Soft Drinks

Figure 2

Figure 3

20

question three, “Would an economic downturn help or hurt the sales of Sprite?”, taste and refreshment are the main reasons why consumers buy soft drinks, therefore are more likely to still purchase them if prices were to rise.

The data shown above in Figure 4 gives insightful information to answer research question two. “If Sprite boosts its social media presence, will our target demographic have a more positive opinion of Sprite as a brand?”, though this question was also answered in Figure 2, Figure 4 re-enforces the information. Most of the respondents in the survey remained neutral between loving and hating Sprite’s logo. There are many reasons this is possible: First, the brand may not be well known among consumers, and second, consumers may not have positive ties with the Sprite logo. The solution APX came up with is to boost media presence. If Sprite were to post more promotions, and sweepstakes from its Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram accounts consumers would likely have a better feeling towards the logo. The positive feelings towards the logo also help promote brand loyalty and brand awareness.

hate it 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 love it

8

2 24

10

44

21

12

6

2 2

Likeability of Sprite's Logo Among Participants

Figure 4

19

48

19 14 13

Places Participants Would Most Likely Purchase a Soft Drink

21

Figure 5 shows where consumers are most likely to buy soft drinks. Most consumers that responded in the survey buy soft drinks from restaurants, followed by convenience and grocery stores. APX wants Sprite to be a household name; therefore consumers need to wanting, and seeking out the product more. As mentioned in Figure 4, in order to increase sales, social media presence must be enhanced. When a consumer is aware of what a brand stands for, and is loyal to that specific brand, they are likely to seek it out more often. If Sprite became more of a household name, not only would it increase consumers, but profit for the company as well.

Rising up: Conclusions and Final Thoughts

Figure 5

19

48

19 14 13

Places Participants Would Most Likely Purchase a Soft Drink

22

Apex conducted a semester long research project that includes a situation analysis, qualitative study and a quantitative study. These methods of research were done in order to get a better understanding as Sprite as a brand, and the consumers of Sprite.

Starting off with the research analysis APX was able to use secondary information to research the history of the brand. After APX was able to understand the product a consumer evaluation, product evaluation and a market evaluation were completed. In this section of the research APX was able to familiarize the brand in all aspects. The research done shows that Sprites target consumers are young, African Americans. Sprite is able to reach this demographic because of the celebrity promotion and ties with urban and hip- hop music.

After APX was able to identify the consumer and the market, a SWOT analysis was done. Research questions were formed in order to expand the brand to other demographics. The plan constructed by APX promotes Sprite as a lighter, healthier soda. By promoting Sprite as a health conscience drink, APX hopes that Sprite’s consumer reach will target middle age women and men.

In order to get a real idea about the demographics of Sprite, APX conducted an on-line survey that consisted of questions relating to the lifestyle and preferences of the participant. Of the 113 respondents most were female who preferred Coca-Cola. The second preferred drink was Sprite. The participants in the survey were the age groups APX expected to target; ages 18- 25 and 51- 64. The respondents of the survey reflected the current and future consumers of Sprite.

Though the survey gave APX crucial information about consumers, the in – depth interviews gathered the most information to back up APX’s marketing plan. The in- depth interviews consisted of five males and five females, with different ages and lifestyles. The interviews asked personal questions about the interviewee’s hobbies, role models, music choice, lifestyle, and overall opinions about soda and Sprite as a brand. Many of the participants had a positive view of Sprite, and were open to Sprite being promoted as a healthy, low- carb beverage. By asking these consumers what their favorite genre of music is and who their role models are APX was able to compare their views, with the views of Sprite. Those who had the closest brand ties to Sprite were those who liked hip –hop and idolized athletes and rap/ hip- hop artists. The participants who answered their music choice with rock, county and oldies, were not able to relate to Sprite as well.

By promoting Sprite as a healthy drink, and even creating a mid calorie Sprite, consumer reach would increase. Many people are health conscious, have active hobbies, and are aware of what they are consuming. With a mid calorie Sprite, it could satisfy all consumers. Sprite is also known for its ties with hip –hop and celebrity promotions. In order to get all consumers involved the Sprite brand, new celebrities should be in commercials and asked to promote the brand. Older celebrities, such as: Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah, Tony Hawk, or Jennifer Aniston would reach a different demographic

23

of consumer. With a different celebrity promotion more consumers would be able to relate to the brand, therefore, purchasing it and forming brand loyalty.

In conclusion, APX has done extensive research to form a market plan modified specifically towards Sprite. This market plan includes promoting Sprite as a healthier beverage choice, and promoting Sprite with different celebrities. With this combination of promotion Sprite will be able to reach more middle age consumer, and health conscience consumers. Sprite is an upbeat brand, with a refreshing product and large fan base. APX wants to increase sales, brand loyalty, and help Sprite rise to the top.

References

24

Davis, M. (2008). The impact of recession on businesses. In . Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/recession-affecting-business.asp

Dougherty, T. What went wrong with 7 up?. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from Articles, http://www.stealingshare.com/pages/what-went-wrong-with-7-up/

Grynbaum, M. M. (2014, June 27). New York’s ban on big sodas is rejected by final court. N.Y. / Region. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/27/nyregion/city-loses-final-appeal-on-limiting-sales-of-large-sodas.html?_r=0

Hartlaub, P. (2011, March 25). Sweet! America’s top 10 brands of soda. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from Food Inc., http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42255151/ns/business-us_business/t/sweet-americas-top-brands-soda/#.Vt3JhOd4xW1

Meadows, A., & Staff, J. (2015, June 11). Label-less coca-cola cans tackle prejudice during Ramadan. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/obeyyourverse-sprite-cans-sport-lyrics-from-hip-hop-legends/

Monllos, K. (2015, April 9). Wieden + Kennedy is the 4th agency to take on Sprite in 3 years. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from Advertising & Branding, http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/wieden-kennedy-4th-agency-take-sprite-3-years-163972

More products. (2014). Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.coca-colaproductfacts.com/en/coca-cola-products/sprite/

News, A. (2011, October 12). I’m a pepper, he’s a pepper ... She’s NOT!. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2011/10/dr-pepper-ten-its-not-for-women-macho-marketing-campaign-says/

Northrup, L. (2015, February 16). Sierra Mist sweetener Switcharoo leaves soda drinkers bitter. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from https://consumerist.com/2015/02/16/sierra-mist-sweetener-switcharoo-leaves-soda-drinkers-bitter/

President, S. V. (2016). Market share of lemon-lime-flavored carbonated soft drinks (CSD) in the United States from 2010 to 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.statista.com/statistics/504787/market-share-of-lemon-lime-flavored-csd-in-the-us/

President, S. V. (2016). Market share of carbonated beverages worldwide as of 2015, by company. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from

25

http://www.statista.com/statistics/387318/market-share-of-leading-carbonated-beverage-companies-worldwide/

President, S. V. (2016). Advertising spending of selected beverage brands in the in the United States in 2014 (in million U.S. Dollars). Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.statista.com/statistics/264985/ad-spend-of-selected-beverage-brands-in-the-us/

Roberts, T. (2015, July 31). Sprite taps into hip hop culture. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://academic.mintel.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/display/744920/?highlight

Schultz, E. J. (2014, September 25). Sierra Mist changes design again, adds Stevia. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/sierra-mist-design-adds-stevia/295127/

Schultz, E. J. (2015, December 18). Sierra Mist is changing its name and look -- again. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/sierra-mist-changing/301864/

Sierra Mist goes natural in response to consumer demand. (2010, September 21). Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.pepsico.com/live/pressrelease/Sierra-Mist-Goes-Natural-in-Response-to-Consumer-Demand09212010

Staff, A. (2000, December 11). A campaign to remember. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from Advertising & Branding, http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/campaign-remember-26768

Staff, J. (2016, February 23). Coca-cola product descriptions: The coca-cola company. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.coca-colacompany.com/brands/product-description/#Sprite

Stanley, T. L. (2015, July 21). How marketers at music Fests are engaging fans on site and online. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from Advertising & Branding, http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/how-marketers-music-fests-are-trying-engage-fans-site-and-online-165963

Strom, S. (2014, August 22). Pepsi and competitors scramble as soda sales drop. Business Day. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/business/pepsi-and-competitors-scramble-as-soda-sales-drop.html?_r=0

Us, C. (2016, February 23). History gets social. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/packages/history/

Zmuda, N. (2010, September 6). Lemon-lime gets boost after years of neglect. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/news/lemon-lime-boost-years-neglect/145740/

26

Zmuda, N. (2012, February 24). Watch the spot: Sprite launches new global campaign. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/news/watch-spot-kobe-lebron-sprite-ad/232951/

Zmuda, N. (2013, October 14). Watch the spot: LeBron and others scream for Sprite in latest campaign. Retrieved March 7, 2016, from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/sprite-aims-back-roots-latest-campaign/244739/

Appendix

27

Research Plan 29

Interviewers Guide 30-33Transcribed Interviews (1-10) 34-68Interviewers Reflections 69-74

Survey Questionnaire 75-78

FiguresFigure 1 19

Figure 2 20

Figure 3 20Figure 4 21Figure 5 22

Sprite Research Plan

Research Questions

28

1. Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite make consumers feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?

2. If Sprite boosts its social media presence, will our target demographic have a more positive opinion of Sprite as a brand?

Primary Research Methods 1. In-depth, individual interviews: these will provide detailed, personal information

and will allow us to get unique information after asking follow-up questions. Another advantage to in-depth interviews is that it will allow the consumer being interviewed to be free from peer pressure and bias. We will conduct 10 interviews in the Downtown library. Each interview will last for 30 minutes, and consist of questions regarding feels about the product.

2. Surveys will give us fast and large amounts of responses to our questions. Surveys can also lead to quick and easy responses from consumers. In addition, respondent anonymity will encourage honesty when answering survey questionnaires. We will strive to get at least 100 survey responses.

Research Sample Sprite’s target demographic consists of teenagers and young adults. Therefore, our research sample will consist of teenagers, young adults and middle age adults in Morgantown, West Virginia. We are in cooperating an older target consumer group in order to gather information about how they feel about the brand. The sample size will be about 100 and will be recruited through social media platforms and during campus/community events.

Research Timeline March 29-31: Group meeting/creating survey April 6- 10: Distribute and collect surveys April 7-10: Group meeting/organization of interviews April 11-15: Conduct in-depth interviews April 16: Group meeting/compare interviews April 17-18: Finalize In-depth Interview Report April 19-20: Finalize final paper April 21: Group meeting/research overview and project finalization April 22: Final paper due

Interviewers Guide

Introduction to Participant:

29

The interviewer should start off by introducing ones self, and explaining the meaning of the research. The interviewer should also include that this research is for a WVU class, and only serves as an educational purpose. After introductions are made each interviewer should provide the participant with the consent form, and review it as needed. Below are the three research questions that were chosen to enhance our study. Read them to the interviewee, and answer any questions they have.Note: the recommended phrases below are not mandatory, but suggested in order to stimulate conversation, and question results.

Research Questions:1. Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make consumers feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?

2. If Sprite boosts its social media presence, will our target demographic have a more positive opinion of Sprite as a brand?3. Would an economic downturn help or hurt the sales of Sprite?

Recommended Phrases: “Do you have any questions before we start?” “This interview should last about 25 to 30 minutes. Feel free to take breaks as

needed. That you for your time and consideration.” “The questions you will be ask correspond with the research questions I stated

earlier, all information is for educational purposes.”

Introductory Questions (Background):

The introductory questions are meant for you to get familiar with the interviewee. These questions will give us insight of who we will be spending the next half hour with. Some of these questions can provide leads to why the participant answered the way he/she did. The questions asked in this section will give our team information on how the consumer can relate to Sprite’s marketing.

Recommended Phrases: “Where are you from?” “What level of education do you have?” “What are some of your hobbies?” “What celebrities/athletes inspire you?” “What’s your favorite genre of music?”

Consumer Preferences:

During this section of the interview, the interviewer should now have a good understanding of who the participant is, which will help the conversation flow and allow

30

the interviewee to express their true opinions. The answers to these questions will supply our team with ideas for RQ1/RQ3.

Recommended Phrases: “Do you drink soft drinks, if yes which ones do you mainly consume?” “When purchasing a soft drink do you look for more health conscious options?” “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying, or not buying

soft drinks?” “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks

have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?

The Consumer and the product:

This is a very curtail section to the interview. Make sure the interviewee understands all the questions asked, and answers them to the fulfillment of the question. In this part of the interview, questions will be asked that tie the interviewee to the product. For example; how familiar they are with the product, if they notice the product and if the product stands out to them. The questions asked in this section go along with RQ1.

Recommended Phrases: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about Sprite? Please

explain why.” “How do you think Sprite compares to other brands like 7up and Mountain

Dew?” “Have you seen many Sprite ads, if so, how do they make you feel?” “Are you more likely to purchase a product if a celebrity is promoting it?” “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a

carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”

Social Media:

The questions in the social media section should reflect answers to RQ2. This will allow the interviewer to get a better understanding of how the participant is active on social media.

Recommended Phrases: How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a

week? A day? Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content

posted by brands on either of these sites? Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions,

and give aways?

Closing:

31

At this point, the interview should have lasted approximately 30 minutes. The interviewer should end the interview, and collect the consent form.

Recommended phrases: “Thanks again for your time, it means a lot to our research.” “Do you have any other questions, or statement that you would like to ad before

the interview comes to an end?” “If you have further questions after this interview about privacy, or statements

that you made, feel free to contact me.”

Back Ground

1. Q: What’s your name?2. Q: Where are you from?3. Q: (If the interviewee is not a student) Did you attend college, if so which one?4. Q: What’s your major, or what degree do you have?5. Q: What do some of your hobbies include?6. Q: What genre of music do you mainly listen to?7. Q: If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would

they be?8. Q: Do you consider yourself health conscience?9. Q: Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?10. Q: Do you consume alcoholic beverages?

Consumer Preferences11. Q: Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?12. Q: Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not,

what do you dislike about them?13. Q: When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose

an option that is more health conscious?14. Q: Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft

drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?

15. Q: Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?

16. Q: Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?

Sprite (Consumer and the product)17. Q: When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?18. Q: Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What

about the soft drink industry as a whole?19. Q: Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and

consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?

20. Q: Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?

32

21. Q: When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?

22. Q: Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?

23. Q: How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?24. Q: If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a

carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?

Social Media25. Q: How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.)

a week? A day?26. Q: Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content

posted by brands on either of these sites?27. Q: Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted

promotions, and give aways?28. Q: Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong

social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?

In Depth Interviews: Transcribed (10)

Interview 1

33

Paige: “First off, hello and thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview. My name is Paige Gehman and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:

1. If the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make consumers feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?


3. Would an economic downturn help or hurt the sales of Sprite?”

(Hands consent form to participant)

Please fill out this consent form if you wish to continue.

(Participant fills out consent form)

Paige: “All of the questions you will be ask correspond with the research questions I stated earlier. This interview should last about 25 to 30 minutes. Feel free to take breaks as needed. Do you have any questions before we start?”Paula: “No, I’m ready to start.”

Paige: “Okay great. Let’s begin then.”

Paige: “What’s your name?”Paula: “My name is Paula Gehman.”

Paige: “Where are you from?”Paula: “I am from New Jersey.”

Paige: “Did you attend college, if so which one?”Paula: “Yes, I went to Towson University in Maryland.”

Paige: “What’s your major, or what degree do you have?”Paula: “I have a degree in speech pathology.”

Paige: “What do some of your hobbies include?”Paula: “I like to work out and go on bike rides.”

Paige: What genre of music do you mainly listen to?Paula: “Rock, classic rock, and sometimes oldies. Whatever’s playin.”

Paige: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?”

34

Paula: “Jamie Eason, Ellen DeGeneres, and Bobby Kenton.”

Paige: “Good choices, hard not to be inspired by them.”

Paige: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Paula: “Yes, very. I love anything outdoors, and physical fitness is a bit part of my life.”

Paige: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Paula: “Yes! I think it’s so important to know what youre putting in your body these days. There’s so many chemicals in so many thinks we eat and drink on a daily basis.”

Paige: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Paula: “Sometimes, mostly on occasion.”

Paige: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Paula: “Not often, I try to stay natural.”

Paige: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Paula: “No. They are unhealthy and hurt my stomach.”

Paige: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Paula: “No, because if I purchase a soft drink I don’t think any of them are healthy. I would rather drink water.”

Paige: “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Paula: “Yes. I don’t like the taste of diet soft drinks because they taste watered down to me.”

Paige: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Paula: “No, since I’m not an avid drinker.”

Paige: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Paula: “I like when brands are ever-changing and up to date.”

Paige: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Paula: “Sugary Soda.”

Paige: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”

35

Paula: “Positive compared to other soft drinks because Sprite has no caffeine. I have a negative opinion about the soft drink industry as a whole because soda is bad for your health in many ways and are filled with chemicals”.

Paige: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Paula: “Possibly, it depends on what the other nutrition facts are.”

Paige: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”Paula: “I have not seen any Sprite ads recently.”

Paige: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Paula: “I am more likely to do research on the product, but not likely to go out and purchase it right away.”

Paige: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Paula: “No.”

Paige: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Paula: “It think they are all comparable and taste the same. I just have heard that Mountain Dew is a little worse than the others because of sugars.”

Paige: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”Paula: “Without. I do not like fruity flavors. I actually prefer more plain beverages, they’re healthier and satisfy thirst better because there are less sugars and less caffeine.”

Paige: “How often do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?

Paula: “About 3 times a week. When I go on social media I only go on to check for notifications, about 5 minutes each time.”

Paige: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Paula: ‘Yes, I do follow some brands and I see brands pop up on my newsfeed often.”

Paige: ‘Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?”Paula: “Only if I liked the brand.”

Paige: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”

36

Paula: “Yes of course because I will be more exposed to the brand.”

(interviewer collects consent form from participant)

Paige: “Do you have any other questions or statements that you would like to add before the interview comes to an end? “Paula: “No, I hope I answered everything alright.”

Paige: “Oh, there’s no right or wrong answer, but you did great.”

Paige: Okay, well thank you very much for your time. This concludes the interview. Your thoughts and opinions are very important and mean a lot to our research.

Interview 2

Paige: “Hello, and thank you in advanced for taking the time to participate in this interview. My name is Paige Gehman and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions in which the information you provide will help us answer include:





Please fill out this consent form if you wish to continue.


“All of the questions you will be ask correspond with the research questions I stated earlier. This interview should last about 25 to 30 minutes. Feel free to take breaks as needed. Do you have any questions before we start?”Eric: “Nope”“Okay great. Let’s begin then”.

Paige: “What’s your name?”Eric: “Eric Scott Kellenberger.”

Paige: “Where are you from?”Eric: “I’m from Maryland.”

Paige: “Did you attend college, if so which one?

37

Eric: “Oh, I’m not a student, and I didn’t go to college, or anything like that. I didn’t feel like it was for me ya know.”

Paige: “Oh yeah I definilty understand, its not for everyone.”

Paige: “What do some of your hobbies include?”Eric: “Depending on the weather, either playing Xbox or free-running haha sometimes both.”

Paige: “ Ha-ha yeah, its hard to tell with the weather here in Morgantown.

Paige: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Eric: “hmm… well, I usually listen to rap, depending on where I am. Sometimes hip-hop.”

Paige: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?”Eric: “I can’t really think of three that really inspire me. I’d have to go for David Bell.

Paige: “David Bell, I’m not familiar with him.”Eric: “Oh, I wouldn’t really expect you to. He’s a professional free-runner. That’s the only athlete or celebrity that has inspired me.”

Paige: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Eric: “No, not really. Even though I like to free run and stuff, I usually don’t really watch what I eat.”

Paige: “So you don’t look at labels for nutrition facts?”Eric: “Nah, that’s kind of a pain.”

Paige: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Eric: “Ha-ha yeah I do. Only sometimes though.

Paige: “Hey now, there’s no problem with that.”

Paige: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Eric: “Yes, everyday. Which probably isn’t the best now that I’m saying it out loud.”

Paige: “What do you like about them, or dislike about them?”

Eric: “I like the taste of them, mainly. It’s something different other than water. I like the carbonation.”

Paige: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”

38

Eric: “No, ha-ha like I said I’m not very healthy and don’t pay attention to the labels. Knowing how bad something is for you takes the fun out of it.”

Paige: “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Eric: “No. …Uh, well some. I guess. I don’t like diet root beer, or diet Sprite. I only like the taste of diet Pepsi. I’m not a big diet drinker anyway.”

Paige: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Eric: “No, no it doesn’t. I mean unless it like a huge amount that’s ridiculous, but if I’m craving a soda I’ll get one, even if its more expensive than water or tea.”

Paige: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Eric: “Ever-changing?”

Paige: “Well for example, if a brand changed their slogan or logo every few years in order to stay popular and keep with what people are into.”Eric: “If a brand keeps their logo, colors and messages the same it becomes outdated and not as appealing. But I also think he brand shouldn’t constantly change. It needs a steady message to, like, reflect what it stands for.”

Paige: “Wow! Couldn’t of said it better myself.”

Paige: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Eric: Honestly…just delicious.

Paige: “Any reason?”Eric: “Yeah, it’s lighter and not so sticky it seems like. The flavor tastes real but also sweet.”

Paige: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Eric: “I have a positive opinion about Sprite because it is what I drank as a kid. I used to only be allowed to drink Sprite because it is caffeine-free. I think soft-drinks are all very refreshing.”

Paige: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Eric: “Sure. I would choose switch to drinking a mid-calorie beverage if it had the same taste and consistency. But I stress same taste.”

Paige: “Yeah I don’t blame ya, I will all things diet were just as good as the regular stuff.”

39

Paige: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?Eric: “Yes, I have seen a lot of Sprite ads. They all just make me want to have a cup of Sprite. They’re also pretty cool, they always are up beat.”

Paige: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Eric: “No, I don’t purchase things because of other people. I only purchase products if I like them. Especially since I’m not really a follower of the celebrity scene.”

Paige: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Eric: No, I feel like I don’t pay attention to commercials that much?”

Paige: “Good point, they do get a little old after a while ha-ha.”

Paige: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Eric: “Sprite has a good mixture of lemon and lime compared to 7UP which has too much lime taste. Mountain Dew is the worst I feel like because it has way too much sugar and caffeine.”

Paige: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”Eric: “Depends on what I am eating. If I eat something spicy, I will drink a fruity carbonated drink. If I am eating pasta or something like that, I will drink a non-fruity carbonated drink. That also depends on my mood too, sometimes fruity is lighter and real.”

Paige: “How often do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?”

Eric: “I’d say about once a week. I go on for about 1 or 2 hours at a time. I don’t really pay attention to it too much. I mainly get on Facebook, sometimes twitter.”

Paige: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?

”Eric: “No I don’t follow any and I rarely see content posted by brands.”

Paige: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?”Eric: “Yes, gotta love free stuff!”

Paige: “I know right!? Too bad I never get to win though, but that’s what makes it actually fun.”

40

Paige: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”Eric: “Yeah. If the brand is active with their customers on social media it shows me that they care about their customers.”

(Interviewer collects consent form from participant)

Paige: “Do you have any other questions or statements that you would like to add before the interview comes to an end?” Eric: “No, I don’t have anything else.”

Paige: “Okay, well thank you very much for your time. This concludes the interview. Your thoughts and opinions are very important and mean a lot to our research.”

Interview 3

Kendra: “My name is Kendra Wilson and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





“Please fill out this consent form.”


“All of the questions you will be ask correspond with the research questions I stated earlier. This interview should last about 25 to 30 minutes. Feel free to take breaks as needed. Do you have any questions before we start?”

Kendra: “Let me start by getting your name and the spelling.”

Kayla: “Ha-ha. K-a-y-l-a-h Summers.”

Kendra: “Alright, sorry about that. I just wanna get everything down correctly.”

Kendra: “Where are you from?”

Kaylah: “Waldorf, Maryland.”

41

Kendra: “Did you attend college, if so which one?”

Kaylah: “I actually go to college here. So far I’ve been having a good time.”

Kendra: “Ha-ha, Yeah its hard to get bored here. There’s always a lot going on. Either downtown or at the lair.

Kendra: “What’s your major, or what degree do you have?”

Kaylah: “I’m an education major with a minor in creative writing. So I’m familiar with the whole interview thing.”

Kendra: “Oh well that’s good. That makes this alittle easier then.”

Kendra: “What do some of your hobbies include?”

Kaylah: “Hanging out with my friends and shopping mostly…when I have time.”

Kendra: “Understandable. Ha-ha that’s what I do in my spare time.”

Kendra: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”

Kaylah: “I listen to a lot of different genres but I listen to hip hop pretty much every day. It really depends on my mood and what I’m doing. I like hip-hop because its upbeat and fast moving.”

Kendra: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?”

Kaylah: Maya Angelou, Nikki Minaj and Beyonce *smiling*

Kendra: “Who doesn’t love Queen B?”

Kaylah: “Who knows, shes perfect, ha-ha.”

Kendra: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”

Kaylah: “I can be sometimes. It gets hard when your busy and in college.”

Kendra: “You can say that again.”

Kendra: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”

Kaylah: “Sometimes, its not something I usually find my self doing haha usually when I’m bored.”

Kendra: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”

Kaylah: *Smiling* “Yes, I do. How can you not at a place like this?!”

Kendra: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”

Kaylah : “Yeah, everyday. I either have them at my house or I grab one going to class.”

42

Kendra: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them? “

Kaylah: “I mainly like how refreshing they are.”

Kendra: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”

Kaylah: “Not really, I usually just pick up what I’m in the mood for.”

Kendra: “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”

Kaylah: “No I always just buy what I’m in the mood for. I don’t like diet sodas because they have a weird taste.”

Kendra: “ Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”

Kaylah: “No, most of the time, they cost the same.”

Kendra: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”

Kaylah: “I like changes in logos because everything is always evolving and it shows that brands are keeping up and paying attention to new and advanced trends.”

Kendra: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”

Kaylah: “Yummy!” *laughing* “One of my favorites.”

Kendra: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”

Kaylah: “I like Sprite, I think it’s healthier than like Coke and stuff. I wish the soft drink industry was a little bit healthier though.”

Kendra: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”

Kaylah: “Definitely. Definitely. I’d probably drink soda more if that was the case.” *laughs*

Kendra: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”

Kaylah: “I’ve seen a lot! I liked the one Drake did a while ago, I’ve seen Lebron’s ad too. They’re pretty cool.”

43

Kendra: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”

Kaylah: “Not really, I purchase things based on my own personal interest.”

Q: Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?

It’s the same thing from before, but I think it’s cool when companies add popular music, especially hip hop because it really shows that they’re paying attention to fans.

Kendra: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”

Kaylah: “I like Sprite better than 7up because the carbonation is better, but I don’t like Mountain Dew because it’s so unhealthy.”

Kendra: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”

Kaylah: “Yeah, I think the fruit flavor adds to it being so refreshing. Plus, its different.”

Kendra: “How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?”

Kaylah: “I go on my social media accounts like everyday, while walking to class and in class. Ha-ha at home, in bed. Pretty much all the time.”

Kendra: “Me too! Its become habit for me.”

Kendra: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”

Kaylah: “Yeah I follow a few brands so I can find out exclusive stuff like new arrivals and items, certain events and stuff like that.”

Kendra: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?”

Kaylah: “Yes! Especially if it’s a brand I love. *smiling* Like if a brand I follow is doing a give-away or sweepstake, I’ll participate.”

Kendra: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”

Kaylah: “Yeah because that means they care about their consumers. Like, there are a lot of brands that only respond to negative reviews online but I like when brands engage in positive interactions too.”

(Collects consent form)

44

Kendra: “Do you have any other questions or statements that you would like to add before the interview comes to an end?”

Kaylah: “No, I that’s pretty much it, I think. Hope I helped.”

Kendra: “Oh yeah! I need all the input I can get. Nice talking to you and thanks again.”

Interview 4

Kendra: “My name is Kendra Wilson and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





“Please fill out this consent form.”



Kendra: What’s your name?Maki: “Maki Toure”

Kendra: Where are you from?Maki: “I’m from Silver Spring, Maryland”

Kendra: (If the interviewee is not a student) Did you attend college, if so which one?Maki: “I went to Alderson Broaddus for one year, then left to join the Marine Corps”

Kendra: What’s your major, or what degree do you have?Maki: “My major was business management”

Kendra: What do some of your hobbies include?Maki: “I work out a lot, chill with my bros, I go to work, and…yeah that’s it. *Laughs*

45

Kendra: What genre of music do you mainly listen to?Maki: “Mostly rap, hip-hop, sometimes R&B”

Kendra: If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?Maki: “Future! Malcolm X, and uhh…Frank Lucas”

Kendra: Do you consider yourself health conscience?Maki: “Of course. I have to be in the Marines.”

Kendra: Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?Maki: “Not that often, I know what’s healthy and what’s not, though.”

Kendra: Do you consume alcoholic beverages?Maki: “Only on weekends.” *Makes finger guns and smiles*

Kendra: Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?Maki: “Sometimes, I mostly drink water and Gatorade”

Kendra: Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?Maki: “I really only drink soda when I go out to eat, so maybe once a week. They’re cool, I only drink them when I’m out to switch things up”

Kendra: When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?Maki: “Not really, I just get what I like. I don’t like brown soda though, they have too much sugar, I think.”

Kendra: Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?Maki: “Somewhat. High sugar drinks make me feel like I have instant cavities.” *Shakes head*

Kendra: Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?Maki: “No it does not, it’s actually cheaper. That’s why I get it.”

Kendra: Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?Maki: “Uh I like when they stay the same. Staying constant is more appealing to me.”

Kendra: When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?Maki: “Drake commercial!” *Smiles*

46

Kendra: Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?Maki: “Mmm, positive. As a whole, negative.”

Kendra: Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?Maki: “Um, no because it won’t be the same thing. With less calories, it wouldn’t be as flavorful.”

Kendra: Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?Maki: “Yes I have, they’re entertaining. Their advertising techniques are effective.”

Kendra: When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?Maki: “It depends on the celebrity, because if Nick Cannon promotes something, I wouldn’t buy it.”

Kendra: Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?Maki: “Correct. The chances are higher if you play Future behind it.”

Kendra: How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?Maki: “I believe Sprite is the original version of 7up. Mountain Dew lowers your sperm count…that’s what I heard.” *Laughs*

Kendra: If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?Maki: “One with a fruit flavor because it’s more flavorful.”

Kendra: How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?Maki: “Uh I go on Twitter like every day, but only to look at the funny tweets.” *Laughs* “People are crazy on there.”

Kendra: Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?Maki: “Absolutely not, I do see them being promoted though.”

Kendra: Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?Maki: “No” *Shakes head*

Kendra: Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?Maki: “No, because the quality of your product could be some unsatisfying.”

47

Kendra “That was the last question I needed to ask you before closing the interview. Is there anything else you wanted to question or ad?”Maki: “Nope, that’s it,”

Kendra: “Okay, that’s easy enough. Thanks you for helping our research.”Maki: “No problem.”

Interview 5

Carter: “My name is Carter and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:




(Hands consent form)

“Please fill out.”



Carter: “What’s your name?”Evan: “Evan Turco”

Carter: “Where are you from?” Evan: “Greensburg, Pennsylvania”

Carter: “What’s your major, or what degree do you have?” Evan: “Currently in the Pre-Pharmacy program”

Carter: “What do some of your hobbies include?”Evan: “I guess my hobbies include guitar, board sports like snowboarding and skateboarding, and video games”

Carter: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”

48

Evan: “I mainly listen to alternative rock music, bands like the Black Keys and the Arctic Monkeys. I do listen to some new rap just so that I can stay up to date on what everyone else is listening to.”

Carter: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?”Evan: “I can’t think of any “celebrities” that inspire me, but athletes like Shaun White who snowboards and Tony Hawk who skateboards really inspire me to be better at those sports. “

Carter: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Evan: “Yes I’d say so. Since I’m in the pharmacy program, we learn a ton about our own personal health and what makes other people unhealthy. So I changed a lot of my bad habits and now I’d say I’m pretty healthy. Except for drinking alcohol, but whatever.”

Carter: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Evan: “Yes, I almost always check nutrition facts for labels now. The main things I look for are sugar content and artificial ingredients. I also look to see if the food I’m eating throughout the day is giving me enough of the vitamins I need, or if I need to eat a multivitamin.”

Carter: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Evan: “Yes, unfortunately maybe to many. I recently turned 21 within the past few months, so I’ve been experiencing what it’s like to be able to go to bars and just order whatever the hell I want without consequence. (Laughs) I should probably consider slowing down a tad, though.”

Carter: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Evan: “I drink soft drinks every once in awhile. Probably twice or three times a week, and it’s always just one, and it’s always Diet Coke.”

Carter: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Evan: “I drink Diet Coke because I learned from some of my classmates that Diet Coke is one of the best ways to give yourself a boost of energy mid-day if you’re feeling sleepy, or whatever, during classes. I also drink it if I’m get tired of studying and it normally works. I don’t drink most soda because I think it tastes too sweet, and in general it is too sweet because the sugar content is way to high for my diet.”

Carter: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Evan: “Yes, Diet Coke as I said. Always and only Diet Coke. I wouldn’t say I’m trying to be super healthy when I drink it though, I know it’s still bad for me but I just want to avoid some of the sugar.”

49

Carter: “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Evan: “Yea, absolutely they do. When I was younger, I LOVED Dr. Pepper. But now I never drink it because of all the negative health stuff surrounding it. For Diet soda, you know the answer to that. I actually do prefer the taste of regular Coke, but I still like how Diet Coke tastes.”

Carter: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Evan: “No, price never really played a factor. Soda is relatively cheap and how infrequently I drink it means it doesn’t really have an impact on my wallet one way or the other. I don’t feel as if I’m saving or wasting any money.”

Carter: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Evan :“I mean, it doesn’t really matter to me. If Diet Coke completely changed it’s label and color scheme it might throw me off for like 5 seconds but after that I probably wouldn’t think about it ever again. Also, I never pay attention to soda commercials or the brand as a whole really, so their message doesn’t matter.”

Carter: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Evan: (Pauses) “I’m not sure, I guess I think green (laughs)? I honestly don’t know. Probably the green bottle.”

Carter: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Evan: “I mean, I suppose a positive opinion. I don’t have any specific problems with them and I’m sure they’re a good brand and stuff. The soft drink industry as a whole is probably a different story, because I feel as if they target kids too much and I’ve been learning a lot about all the negative health effects that happen to children if they drink a lot of soda growing up, diabetes in particular.”

Carter: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Evan: “I don’t think so, because I’m just more of a cola guy. Sprite is good in mixed alcoholic drinks and stuff like that. But whether it’s diet or not diet or halfway diet won’t make me buy it because I don’t really care for the taste of lemon lime soda.”

Carter: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”Evan: “Yea, I guess I remember Sprite ads because they always market through like, the NBA and Hip Hop artists and stuff like. I like those commercials, they seem kind of like sleek and cool.”

Carter: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”

50

Evan: “It’ll make me like the commercial and the brand, but at the end of the day it’s all about taste and health for me, so no.”

Carter: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Evan: “Same answer as the last question, I’ll like the commercial and brand but it won’t make me buy it.”

Carter: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Evan :“If I had to create some type of hierarchy of these drinks, I’d put Mountain Dew first, then Sprite, then 7up. As a kid I loved Mountain Dew, kind of liked Sprite, HATED 7up.”

Carter: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”Evan: “Hmm, with a fruit flavor? No, I wouldn’t want a fruit flavor in it. Because I think the soft drink itself already has enough flavor it that’ll mix with whatever type of alcohol I’m drinking enough already. Like, I wouldn’t want a fruity Jack and Coke.”

Carter: “How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?”Evan: “All of the main social media sites combined? I probably use it about four or five times a day. I’m not sure about in a week. I’ll normally check for anything new or interesting really quickly, and then stop. I’d definitely say I use it less than most people.”

Carter: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Evan: “No, I don’t follow any brands on social media. I feel as if I see enough content posted by the brands against my free will already, I don’t need to follow them.” Carter: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and giveaways?”Evan: “Now that I think about it, I follow a ton of Morgantown restaurants on Twitter because they are constantly giving away free food. So yes, I definitely am a sucker for that.”

Carter: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)? “

Evan: “I suppose so. When I follow these restaurants and don’t win the giveaway, sometimes I’ll order from the restaurant anyways because I’m hungry. The interesting and humorous content wouldn’t really affect me.”

Carter: “Now, that’s going to conclude the interview. Do you have anymore questions before I stop recording.”

51

Evan: “Nope, that’s all.”

Carter: “Alright. Thanks for your input. It will really help out our research.”

Interview 6

Carter: “My name is Carter and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





Carter: “Will you please fill this out real quick.”



Carter: “Lets start off with your name?”Marissa: “Marissa Ann Meltzer”

Carter: “And where are you from?”Marissa: “Cleveland, Ohio”

Carter: “What’s your major, or what degree do you have?” Marissa: “I am an undergraduate accounting major”

Carter: “What do some of your hobbies include?”

Marissa: “I’d consider myself really outdoorsy. I go on a like of hikes, bike a lot and kayak a lot. I’m also big on pop culture. I love Netflix, music, all that stuff.”

Carter: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Marissa: “I listen to a lot of pop, rap and country music. Whatever is new and popular, I’m into it.”

52

Carter: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspired you who would they be?”Marissa: “I’m having a hard time thinking of anyone famous who inspires me. I’m mostly inspired by people like my family and close friends.”

Carter: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Marissa: “Uhh, yes and no. I go to the gym a lot and do a lot of outside physical activities. I guess I try to diet but I suck at it, I’m not much for calorie counting.”

Carter: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Marissa: “No, I almost never check nutrition labels. I’m starting to feel guilty about that now.”

Carter: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Marissa: “Yes, I’m a pretty frequent drinker. Probably like four days a week, is that bad?”

Carter: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Marissa: “I drink soda all the time, maybe like twice a day. I just like twice a day when I’m eating food or drinking alcohol.”

Carter: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Marissa: “I like the taste of a lot of different soda, and it’s unfortunate but I like sweet stuff with a lot of sugar. I sometimes buy diet drinks if I’m trying to go on a diet.”

Carter: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Marissa: “Like I said, only if I’m on a diet will I try to be health conscious. I like the full flavor of soda, the diet taste grosses me out.”

Carter: “Do the negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Marissa: “No, I buy soda because I like the taste of it, I know soda is bad for me do I’m not thinking of my health when I buy it. I guess if I’m on a diet, I’d be less inclined to buy soda. I would never buy diet soda though, I hate it.”

Carter: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Marissa: “Yea, sometimes I’m on a really low budget because I’m a broke college student. Soda would be sometime I wouldn’t buy if I were trying to save money.”

Carter: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Marissa: “I guess I like it if a brand changes because I think it’s new and exciting. I’m easily amused. I think I’d be confused if the brand changed itself too drastically, though.”

53

Carter: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Marissa: “I know Drake did a commercial for them, and I LOVE Drake. So probably him.”

Carter: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Marissa: “I like Sprite! It tastes amazing on its own and it’s perfect as a mixer. Their commercials are all really cool too. I don’t know anything about the soft drink industry as a whole, so I guess good? I don’t know how to answer that.”

Carter:” Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Marissa: “Yea why not! If it tastes the same and it’s a few less calories then I would be totally down for that.” Carter: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”Marissa: “I just told you how I like their ads, especially the one with Drake is in the studio. They all seem like they have like, good energy to them or something. I don’t know, I just like them.”

Carter: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Marissa: “I’ve explained my love for Drake to you already, but weirdly enough I don’t think it’s the reason I buy a product. If I like a product, I’ll buy it. But if I don’t like it but I like the commercial for it, I still won’t buy it.”

Carter: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Marissa: “I think Sprite and 7up are really similar, buy I think Sprite is just a better version of 7up. I think Mountain Dew is completely different from the other two in taste. It’s like, more sugary.”

Carter: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”Marissa: “I’d give it carbonated drink with a fruit flavor shot. I like my girly drinks so yea, I’d probably be more likely to try the fruit flavor. It’s just my preference.”

Carter: “How do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ect.) a week? A day?”Marissa: “I’m really bad with how often I’m on social media. I feel like I’m looking at my phone all the time, I don’t think I can put a number on how often I use social media.” Carter: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”

54

Marissa: “Yea I’ll follow a lot of brands on twitter and stuff because sometimes they’ll post like interesting videos or funny tweets or something.” Carter: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and giveaways?”Marissa: “Yea of course! Who doesn’t like free stuff?”

Carter: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?” Marissa: “Maybe, only if I like the product itself too. It definitely wouldn’t hurt if the brand had a strong social media presence though, because I like that type of stuff.”

Carter” Well, I got a lot of good information from, so I think we’re done here. Thanks for your participation.”Marissa: “No problem, glad to help.”

Interview 7

Isabella: “My name is Isabella and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. This research is being done for a STCM research class that I am in. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





Isabella: “If you would do me a favor and just fill out this consent form.”



Isabella: “What is your name?”Rodney: “Rodney Carroll”

Isabella: “Where are you from?”Rodney: “Washington, D.C.”

55

Isabella: “Did you attend college, if so which one? What is your degree in?”Rodney: “I used to go to the University of Akron but I just recently transferred to Fairmont State University and I am majoring in Business Management.”

Isabella: “What do some of your hobbies include?”Rodney: “I like to play Call of Duty on my Xbox when I am not in class or on the football field.”

Isabella: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Rodney: “Rap is the only type of music I ever listen to.”

Isabella: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspire you who would they be?”Rodney: “I would say Jay-Z for his original gangster music, Floyd Mayweather for his unforgettable performance in the boxing ring, and Kanye West for his don’t give a crap attitude in such a big industry.”

Isabella: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Rodney: “Not at all, I’m an offensive lineman so I am supposed to be pretty big in size so my weight never really concerns me.”

Isabella: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Rodney: “I would say no, I never do but that doesn’t even begin to describe it. I probably couldn’t tell you all the things listed on that kind of label.”

Isabella: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Rodney: “Yes, I am a college student within driving distance from the #1 party school in the country. I consume them a couple times a week.”

Isabella: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Rodney: “Yes, normally with one meal a day. That meal is usually dinner”

Isabella: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Rodney: “Yes I drink them everyday, I like the flavor and how well they usually go with the food I am eating.”Isabella: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Rodney: “No, that doesn’t really matter to me. If anything I don’t choose diet because I feel like it tastes funnier.”

Isabella: “Do the negative health consequences of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Rodney: “No they don’t impact my decision one bit, I don’t like diet soda because it just doesn’t taste them same and it leaves me with a weird after taste.”

56

Isabella: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Rodney: “No, if I want to drink it I will buy it.”

Isabella: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Rodney: “I am really into the throwback things some brands have been doing, so I don’t know if that means I like when brands stay the same or if I just like that idea. But I like when they stay true to themselves and not try to copy another brand.

Isabella: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Rodney: “The green bottle it usually comes in.”

Isabella: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Rodney: “I have a neutral opinion about Sprite, I will drink it if it is in front of me but I won’t choose it over my favorite soda. The soft drink industry is pretty creative if you ask me, all the different things they are coming up with whether it be ads or flavors.”

Isabella: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Rodney: “Yes, as long as it tastes the same. That is the biggest thing for me.”

Isabella: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?Rodney: “No, I don’t think I have ever seen a Sprite ad anywhere, maybe, just a billboard. Since I don’t really I remember I would say they don’t make that huge of an impact on me.”

Isabella: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Rodney: “Yes, especially if it is an athlete and they are promoting something for sports. I love anything that can improve my game.”

Isabella: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Rodney: “That doesn’t really have anything to do with it for me, although if it is a popular song it will get stuck in my head after seeing that advertisement.”

Isabella: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Rodney: “Sprite is so much better than both of them, I hate Mountain Dew and I cant even remember the last time I have had 7up.”

Isabella: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”

57

Rodney: “At a restaurant I would be more likely to order one with a fruit flavor, I love stuff that has a fruit flavor like mango or strawberry. It is just sweeter and yummier.”

Isabella: “How often do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) a week? A day?”Rodney: “I use more than one type of social media probably five to ten times a day.”

Isabella: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Rodney: “I don’t follow any brands on social media except Nike, and the only reason I follow them is for release dates on shoes that I am interested in buying.”

Isabella: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?”Rodney: “Yes I would, I’m sure everybody would. Free is a universal word.”

Isabella: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”Rodney: “Yes, because that would make it more popular in my age group which would make me want to buy it more.”

Isabella: “Alright, that marks the end of the interview. Anything else you wanna go back and address before I stop recording and get your consent form.?”Rodney: “Nah, I’m good. Thanks though.”

Isabella: “Sounds good. Thanks for all of your information.”

Interview 8

Isabella: “My name is Isabella and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. This research is being done for a STCM research class that I am in. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





58

Isabella: “If you would do me a favor and just fill out this consent form before we get rolling.”

Marcy: “Sure, no problem.”



Isabella: “What is your name?”Marcy: “Marcella Pulice, but I go by Marcy”

Isabella: “Where are you from?”Marcy: “Morgantown, WV. But now I live in Fairmont, WV.”

Isabella: “Did you attend college, if so which one? What is your degree in?”Marcy: “Yes, I attended West Virginia University and earned my degree in nursing.”

Isabella: “What do some of your hobbies include?”Marcy: “I like to spend time in my garden, decorate for different events that my friends are putting on, and to take care of my 4 children.”

Isabella: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Marcy: “Hip-hop, it has grown on me since it was usually what my kids would listen to in the car then before you knew it I found myself listening to it without them and I have grown to love how upbeat it is.”

Isabella: “If you could pick 3 celebrities, and/or athletes that inspire you who would they be?”Marcy: “I would have to choose Jennifer Anniston, Lucile Ball, LeBron James.”

Isabella: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Marcy: “Semi health conscience, with having to daughters in their twenties they fill me in on the latest fads with diets and everything so I always know what to watch for but on the other end of that I have a dangerous sweet tooth. I love my sweets.”

Isabella: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Marcy: “Yes I make sure to glance at them but I usually just pay attention to the calories.”

Isabella: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Marcy: “Yes, once or twice a week with dinner usually. My most common beverage of choice is a light beer of some sort usually Michelob Ultra.”

59

Isabella: “Do you consume soft drinks, if so how often?”Marcy: “No, I never drink them.”

Isabella: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Marcy: “I never drink soft drinks, I don’t like the artificial flavoring in them, all the sugar and I hate how carbonated beverages make my stomach feel.”

Isabella: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Marcy: “Yes if I were to ever have to purchase a soft drink like when I have an upset stomach I go to the store and get Ginger Ale or Sprite. When choosing one of those I always go for the diet option.”

Isabella: “Do the negative health consequences of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Marcy: “That is the biggest reason why I don’t drink soft drinks. I really don’t like carbonated beverages but the buzz the surrounds soft drink is mostly negative. Soda has never had a good reputation and every doctor I have ever seen has always told me to stay away from it so that’s what I have tried to do.”

Isabella: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Marcy: “No, price doesn’t have much effect on it, if I really wanted to buy it I would.”

Isabella: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and message or would you rather brands to be ever-changing?”Marcy: “I like the new decorated bottles that Diet Coke has recently come out with it is a great idea and something that everyone was talking about. Although, I can see why brands would want to stay the same to be recognized and everything.”

Isabella: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Marcy: “I think CLEAR, which makes me think about how there is no artificial coloring so it wont stain my teeth.”

Isabella: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about the Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Marcy: “Positive because I either mix it with alcohol or I drink it when I am not feeling well and it helps me feel better. I am not very favorable towards the industry as a whole just because I feel like it plays a large part in how unhealthy this country is.”

Isabella: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite would make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Marcy: “Yes, I found myself to usually drink sprite zero whenever I do rarely drink soft drinks.”

60

Isabella: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?Marcy: “ Wow, now that you mention it no, I haven’t seen many Sprite ads on TV, a lot more Pepsi ads if anything or Mountain Dew.”

Isabella: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Marcy: “If they are just in the commercial that doesn’t usually do much for me but if I constantly see and hear them endorsing the product and it is a celebrity I like then I usually will make sure to see what all the fuss is about.”Isabella: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Marcy: “Maybe, but not always. A catchy song will definitely make me remember an advertisement though.”

Isabella: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain Dew?”Marcy: “It has a cleaner taste if anything, after I drink Mountain Dew I feel like there is a sugar coating left on my teeth and my tongue.”

Isabella: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without? Why?”Marcy: “One without, I’m not crazy about fruity flavored sodas that usually means more sugar. If I wanted the fruit flavor in a drink at a bar I would choose an alcohol that is a fruit flavor.”

Isabella: “How often do you believe you use social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) a week? A day?”Marcy: “I use it every day, my kids make fun of me but I grab my iPad and I check my Facebook while I watch my night time shows every single night.”

Isabella: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you ever see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Marcy: “I don’t follow any brands on social media but ads always end up on my news feed no matter if I follow them or not.”

Isabella: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions, and give aways?”Marcy: “Of course, who doesn’t love free stuff?!”

Isabella: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”Marcy: “Yes because that is more than likely how I will hear about the product.”

Isabella: “Well, that’s it. Thank you for your time, I hope it wasn’t too long for you.”Marcy: “Oh, its no problem. I hope you got everything you needed.”

61

Isabella: “I did, thanks again.”

Interview 9

Louis: “My name is Lou and I am a student at West Virginia University. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





Lou: “Here ya go. If you could just fill this out and Ill collect it after the interview.”

Phillip: “Sure thing.”


Louis: “What is your name ?”Phillip: “Phillip Muth”

Louis: “Where are you from?”Phillip: “Montgomery County, Maryland”

Louis:” What is your major?”Phillip: “Energy resource management”

Louis: “What are some of your hobbies?”Phillip: “Fishing, hunting, traveling and swimming.”

Louis: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Phillip: “Classic rock and country music”

Louis: “If you could pick 3 celebrities and/or athletes that inspire you, who would they be?”Phillip: ”Tom Petty, Joe Flacco and Donald Trump”

Louis: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Phillip: “Somewhat, I like to eat healthy because I grew up eating fresh food. Since coming to college I haven’t eaten as healthy as I would have liked.”

62

Louis: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Phillip: “Almost never.”

Louis: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Phillip: “On weekends yes.”

Louis: “Do you consume soft drinks? If so how often?”Phillip: “On occasion. I usually drink soda when I go out to dinner, and with fast food”

Louis: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Phillip:“ I don’t drink them very often. I don’t like how much sugar is in soda.”

Louis: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Phillip: “ Not really. When I buy soft drinks its usually just what I am in the mood for at the time”

Louis: “Do negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Phillip: “I don’t drink soft drinks often enough to be concerned with health consequences. I hate the taste of diet soda and I don’t think I’ve ever purchased anything diet (laughter)”

Louis: “Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?”Phillip: “ of course it does.. I wont spend more than 3 dollars on a drink... besides beer”

Louis: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors, and messages or would you rather brand to be ever changing?”Phillip: “ yeah I like when brands keep their old brands. Although Ill often buy beer when they are packaging them in retro form” Louis: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”Phillip: “ probably the brand colors. Green and yellow, I also think of lemons and limes (laughter)”

Louis: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Phillip: “ I’d say I generally have a positive opinion about Sprite, I think its pretty refreshing to drink. The soft drink industry has more of a negative opinion of mine. I find a lot of soda commercials to be especially annoying”

Louis: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”

63

Phillip: “ Not really. I don’t really think about the amount of calories in the drinks I’m having”

Louis: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”Phillip:“ I feel like I’ve seen plenty of Sprite ads but nothing specific comes to mind.. so I would say I’m neutral about their commercials. Like I talked about earlier, some soda commercials annoy me, specifically Mountain dew”.

Louis: “When a celebrity is promoting a product does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Phillip:“ Depending on the celebrity it might, if it’s a celebrity that I dislike I most likely wont buy that product”

Louis: “Are you more likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Phillip: “ I think background that I liked probably would make me slightly more likely to buy the product. It also depends on the product and the music being played”

Louis: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up or Mountain dew?”Phillip: “ I would choose Sprite over the other two.. I think 7up is the lesser version of Sprite and Mountain dew has too much caffeine for my taste.. I once drank mountain dew late at night and couldn’t sleep. It sucked”

Louis: “If you were to go to a restaurant, or bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without why?”Phillip:“ Usually when I go out to eat, I order a Coke with my food. Growing up my dad would always get a coke with his food and I guess it made me do it too.”

Louis: “How do you believe you use social media (twitter, Facebook, instagram, etc.) a week? A day?”Phillip:“ I usually use social media daily. I constantly check twitter and instagram on my phone throughout the day, because it’s something to do. I don’t use Facebook as much as I used to though”

Louis:” Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Phillip:“ I don’t follow brands on social media, I see enough commercials for brands and I mainly only follow friends on social media… Yes I do see brands promoted on social media almost everyday. I don’t really look at the content, I mainly ignore it.

Louis: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/ re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions and give aways?”Phillip:“ yeah I guess, it would be cool to get something for free “

64

Louis: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence( posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”Phillip:“ I think if I interacted with a brand on social media I would be more inclined to buy the product. I feel like it would establish a connection with the company

Louis: “Alright, I think we’re done. Thanks for letting me take some of your time today.”Phillip: “No problem man.”

Interview 10

Louis: “My name is Lou and I am a student at WVU. I will be using your answers to further research and make conclusions about purchasing power and preference of soft drinks. All of the information you will provide is for educational purposes only. The research questions that the information you provide will help us answer include:





Lou: “Here ya go. If you could just fill this out and Ill collect it after the interview.”Maci: “Sure, no problem.”

Louis: “What is your name?”Maci: “ Maci Robles”

Louis: “Where are you from?”Maci “ Richmond Virginia”

Louis: “What is your major?”Maci: “ Strategic communications with an emphasis on advertising”

Louis: “What are some of your hobbies?”Maci: “ I really enjoy going to concerts and music festivals. I’m also a big fan of cooking for my friends and myself.

Louis: “What genre of music do you mainly listen to?”Maci: “ahh I wouldn’t say I have a main genre. I enjoy jam bands like phish and sublime. Although I can listen to pretty much anything besides country music ha-ha.”

Louis: “If you could pick 3 celebrities and/or athletes that inspire you, who would they be?

65

Maci: “ hmm that’s a tough question. There are so many. If I had to chose they would probably be Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Hendrix and Bernie Sanders”

Louis: “Do you consider yourself health conscience?”Maci: “ Yes! Very. I don’t eat meat and I try to eat as healthy as possible. But occasionally on weekends ill eat late night junk food ha-ha”

Louis: “Do you often look at labels for nutrition facts?”Maci: “ its rare for me to drink stuff that I don’t already know what has in them, But in the rare case that I do ill usually check the label”

Louis: “Do you consume alcoholic beverages?”Maci: “ yeah mainly only on the weekends, but who doesn’t”

Louis: “Do you consume soft drinks? If so how often?”Maci: “ Sometimes. I usually use them as chasers and mixers with alcohol on weekends. I’m pretty healthy when it comes to my food and beverage choices”

Louis: “Do you frequently drink soft drinks? If so, what do you like about them? If not, what do you dislike about them?”Maci: “I enjoy the taste of them I guess but it’s pretty rare to see me drinking them without another drink next to it. I just never got the appeal in sugary drinks to be honest”

Louis: “When purchasing, or if you were to purchase a soft drink, do you try to choose an option that is more health conscious?”Maci: “Yes absolutely, I would never buy a drink that has tons of sugar in it. This might be because I grew up in a family that drank mainly water at dinner. Sugary drinks are bad for my teeth so I mainly try to avoid them as much as possible”

Louis: “Do negative health consequences (high sugar/calories) of drinking soft drinks have an impact on your purchase decisions? Do you like the taste of diet soft drinks?”Maci: “ Yes I’m sure you’ve noticed that I like to eat and drink as healthy as possibly. I will always choose a drink option that is the most healthy for me.. Yes I like the taste of diet soft drinks but I still rarely buy diet or regular soft drinks”

Louis: Does the price of soda have an effect on your reason for buying or not buying the product?Maci: “ yeah I guess so. In general price will effect anything I’m considering buying”

Louis: “Do you find it more appealing when a brand keeps its original logo, colors and messages or would you rather the brand to be ever changing?”Maci:” I’m a big fan of retro things and I find It cool when a brand keeps their logo and colors the same. I barely ever drink coke but I think its cool that they have kept their can and logo relatively the same over the years”

Louis: “When Sprite is mentioned to you, what is the first thing that comes to mind?”

66

Maci: (about a 10 second pause) “ Refreshment”

Louis: “What do you mean by that?”Maci: “ Sprite kind of just reminds me of feeling refreshed ha-ha”

Louis: “Do you generally hold a positive or negative opinion about Sprite? What about the soft drink industry as a whole?”Maci: “ I have a pretty positive opinion about Sprite.. clearly because it reminds me of refreshment ha-ha.. But the soft drink industry doesn’t appeal to me as a whole. I’ve always liked supporting small businesses that make their own drinks”

Louis: “Would the adaptation of a mid-calorie beverage with the same taste and consistency as regular Sprite make you feel more comfortable in purchasing the product?”Maci: “ Probably slightly because it would be a healthier alternative then the real thing”.

Louis: “Have you seen many Sprite ads? If so, how do you feel about them?”Maci: “ I’ve definitely seen a lot of Sprite ads. One that comes to my mind is when they are playing basketball on a hot summer day and the players drink Sprite and the court turns into a pool. I loved that commercial!, that might be the reason refreshment comes to my mind when I think of Sprite.. That’s really the only one I can think of but I loved that one”

Louis: “When a celebrity is promoting a product, does that make you more likely to purchase that product?”Maci: “ No not at all because I know the celebrity is being paid by the company.. so its mainly about money. The celebrity might not even like the product”.

Louis: “Are you most likely to purchase a product if there is popular music in the background of an advertisement?”Maci: “ Honestly maybe I would, depending on the music. If the music was some of my favorite I probably would but who knows.”

Louis: “How would you compare Sprite to 7up and Mountain dew?”Maci: “ If I had to chose from the 3, I would definitely chose Sprite. Mountain dew reminds me off mountain biking and 7up seems like the worse version of Sprite”

Louis: “If you were going to a restaurant, or a bar, would you be more inclined to order a carbonated drink with a fruit flavor or one without?”Maci: “ Probably would be more likely to buy one with a fruit flavor because it just sounds more appealing then a regular old soda”.

Louis: “How do you believe you use social media (twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.) a week? A day? “Maci: “ I am constantly on social media checking everything, I use Instagram the most and then probably twitter. I only use Facebook for photo’s”

67

Louis: “Do you often follow brands on social media? If not, do you see content posted by brands on either of these sites?”Maci: “ I mainly only follow clothing brands on social media, But I see a lot of promotions on social media by different companies. I usually ignore them though”

Louis: “Would you feel more inclined to follow/ re-tweet a brand that tweeted promotions and give aways?” Maci: “ Yes no doubt. I love getting free stuff especially if I like the brand!”

Louis: “Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence (posts interesting and humorous content, sends out promotions, replies to consumer questions through social media)?”Maci: “ I think so. I think social media is becoming a bigger and bigger part of a brands overall representation. The more I see a brand on social media. The more ill recognize them in a store”

Louis: “Well alrighty, I think that’s it. Anything else you wanna add?”Maci: “Oh, that’s it. That was easy and no I said all I wanted.”

Louis: “Thanks for letting me talk to you today.”

Interview ReflectionInterviewer: Paige Gehman

Paula Gehman is a female from New Jersey who appeared to be middle aged. Paula seemed to be in good physical shape and healthy. She stated that her hobbies include working out and bike riding. Throughout the interview, it was made clear through Paula’s responses that she is against soft drinks and would rather drink water. However, she did state that if she had to drink a soft drink, Sprite is more favorable to her versus other soft

68

drinks because it is free from caffeine and fruity flavors. Paula stated that she will not purchase or drink soft drinks because they are unhealthy and have chemicals. Eric Scott Kellenberger is a male from Maryland who appeared to be about 20 years old. Eric did not have hobbies that included being as active as Paula. Throughout the interview, it was made clear by Eric that he loved soft drinks for the taste of them. Eric is not health conscious and does not pay attention to labels on products. He is a fan of Sprite and explained his desire for a cup of Sprite every time he sees a Sprite advertisement. Eric related Sprite to his childhood because he explained that as a child he was not allowed to drink caffeine soft drinks, and Sprite is caffeine free. Eric noticed that Sprite has “a good mixture between lemon and lime” and did not like that brands such as 7UP and Mountain Dew had and overpowering taste of lime or too much sugar and caffeine.

What I learned: Sprite is a more favorable soft drink versus other soft drinks because it is free

from caffeine. Both participants agreed that if a mid-calorie beverage was available on the

market with the same taste and consistency, they would purchase it over the original product.

Soft drinks are less likely to be purchased among the participant who is active (likes working out, riding bikes) versus the participant who is not as active (plays Xbox).

Soft drinks are less likely to be purchased among the female participant than the male participant.

Both participants felt they would be more inclined to purchase a product from a brand with a strong social media presence.

The female participant follows brands on social media more than the male participant.

Both participants generally hold a positive opinion about Sprite because of the fact that it is caffeine free.

The price of soda does not have an effect on either participant’s reason for buying or not buying the product.

Both participants find it more appealing when a brand is ever-changing rather than keeping its original logo, colors and message.

What I did not learn: How Sprite can be more exposed to participants who do not use social media

every day. The best and most effective way to promote Sprite to people who are health

conscious.

What could be done in the future:In the future it would be more effective if more specific questions were asked to the participants. We did not learn the best way to expose participants, such as Paula, to soft

69

drinks like Sprite and what makes it a “healthier” option compared to many other soft drinks. Next time, we should ask participants where they view most of their ads. Paula stated that she “does see brands pop up on her newsfeed often” but Eric said that he did not. Paula said she “has not seen any Sprite ads recently” while Eric said that he “always sees Sprite ads”. Next interview, we need to asked questions that allow us to conclude where more Sprite ads need to be seen for all participants.

Interview ReflectionInterviewer: Kendra

What I learned:For this project, I interviewed two people, one male and one female. I noticed a lot of differences in some of the answers between the two genders, which was pretty interesting. For example, the female I interviewed was much more open to social media tactics than the male I interviewed. However, the television commercials were sufficient enough for the male participant because they included influential hip-hop and athletic figures.

In terms of health consciousness, the male I interviewed seemed to be much more health conscious than the female. Because he is more athletic, he has a better idea of healthier options. However, he likes the taste and originality of the Sprite brand. I think that if Sprite continues to utilize their advertising tactics with influential figures, they will keep their target audience and consumer base.

Interview ReflectionInterviewer: Carter Sokolowski

What I learned and what went well:

The female participant gave us a lot of useful information on consumer preferences (taste, calories, price, etc), her personal opinions of Sprite, how she likes products to be marketed and branded, and the role social media plays in marketing/branding. She seemed to be a frequent soda drinker that really enjoyed it for the taste. She did not fret about calories and only mildly cared about the price of soda. She liked the idea of a mid-caloric beverage, which could be useful for implementing one in the future. What the she helped out the most on was describing what aspects of Sprite’s marketing campaign she liked in particular. She described how she liked the use of celebrities and the general content in the advertisements for Sprite. She also talked about how she appreciated brands that had a strong social media presence. This is all the information APX was hoping to gather coming in and she thankfully provided it.

The male interview gave APX a lot of good information on what health conscious people think about Sprite and the soda industry as a whole. He gave some really good answers on why he doesn’t drink full flavored soda and all the health concerns he has with soft drinks. Personally, I wasn’t sure if many college students are selective enough to check the nutrition labels on soft drinks. It was interesting to hear that health conscious

70

individuals DO read nutrition labels and even check for certain ingredients used in soft drinks. What was particularly interesting was the male participant’s loyalty to drinking exclusively Diet Coke when he chooses to drink soft drinks. He didn’t seem to waiver in choosing to only drink Diet Coke (except when mixed with alcoholic beverages). As a lemon lime flavored soda, there isn’t much Sprite can do a brand to try to appeal to people who are exclusively into colas and do not like lemon lime flavored soda. It was also useful to know that the he follows the social media accounts of products that do special promotions and giveaways. If his behavior is indicative of the behaviors of other people in his demographic, then a strong social media presence that provides promotions and giveaways would help us get into that market of young men in there early 20’s in college.

What I didn’t learn/what went wrong:

While the female participant mostly provided good, useful information, she did not commit to saying that good marketing leads directly to her purchase decisions. She claims that the product itself is more important, and that the advertising is unrelated. This unfortunately hurts the usefulness of the information that she gave. She also gave mixed answers on whether or not she buys a product is determined by the health related decisions she’s making. She mentioned that she mostly does not consider her health when buying things except for when she is dieting. There is no way to know how often she is dieting, but we do know that while she is dieting, she is not consuming any soda. Another potential problem is her comparison of Sprite and 7up. While it is good that she thinks that Sprite is a “better” version of 7up, it is not good that she relates the products so closely together. APX wants Sprite to have its own identity and stand out to competitors.

The male participant didn’t really give any useful information on what we can change in the flavor and calorie content of Sprite, how we could market and advertise for Sprite better and make it more appealing, or how an entertaining and active social media account would help influence purchase decisions (aside from promotions and giveaways). His loyalty to only drinking Diet Coke and their dislike of lemon lime soda creates some issues when trying to get answers to these questions. Although he complimented some of the aspects of Sprite’s advertisements (using celebrities), he ended every answer saying that he wouldn’t buy the product, undercutting a lot of the substance that the answer previously provided.

What needs to be done in the future:

Based off the both participants’ answers, we should keep implementing celebrities in Sprite ads, as they really seem to resonate with people. It also seems like Sprite should experiment with a mid-caloric beverage, because it was something that the participant had a lot of enthusiasm toward. APX should probably spend more time promoting Sprite’s diet beverages, as many people might be shifting over to more healthy lifestyles

71

and they need to be made aware that Sprite has healthier options. Promotions and giveaways on social media are one thing that absolutely needs to be done going forward, as it seems people would be interested.

Lastly, having an active social media presence is something that can only help the brand, so we will need to post more content and have more people running out social media accounts in the future.

Interview ReflectionInterviewer: Isabella Leon

What I learned and didn’t learn:

Thankfully being in the school of media the required courses in our curriculum prepares us for all different kinds of interactions, interviews being one of them. So this part of the assignment wasn’t hard for me especially since we could interview somebody we already know. Conducting these interviews made me realize how important and how big of a role the demographic plays into a brand or an item. I interviewed two different people with about twenty years in between their age. Their questions varied in more ways than one. Not only because of their age but because of their gender as well. I noticed men are probably more than likely not as health conscious, as a woman will be. Which in todays world is completely believable with the media and all the images created of the perfect weight and body type. Also, healthy is the craze. It is ‘cool’ to be healthy so more there is more of a negative reputation following the soft drink industry than a positive one. Which has changed from the past when Coca-Cola used to be the ‘go to’ refreshing beverage.

What needs to be done in the future:

Something I would do differently for the next interview would be to hold a focus group type interview instead. I enjoyed having the one on one and making the interviews personal but I feel when asking questions about something as large as a brand it would have been more effective to hold a focus group that way each participant could have fed off of each other’s answers and they could have had a deeper discussion than I had with them. It gives you the chance to create more questions as well because the discussion could bring up more things to ask about or talk about.

In conclusion, through this interview I learned that social media is the most important thing when trying to reach your costumers. I believe that is what all companies should spend most of their money on and as the years go by social media will just get more advanced and eventually could possibly be the only form of advertisement so they might as well get a head start on it and put all their focus on that rather than a radio ad or a television ad.

Interview ReflectionInterviewer: Louis Duszynski

72

What I learned and did not learn: Both interviews provided useful information on consumer behavior and brand favorability. I noticed that both participants had a positive view on Sprite and its brand favorability was higher then 7up and Mountain Dew in both interviews. Both of the participants weren’t heavy soft drink consumers, however they both had different input on a variety of questions during the interview. Both of the participants recalled having seen commercials for Sprite and Participant 2 even remembered a specific commercial that she had seen years ago. This showed us that Sprites advertising campaign seems to be working for this age group. Both of the participants were relatively health conscious individuals, however I noticed that they didn’t view Sprite with the same unhealthy stigma that other soda brands get, especially Mountain dew.

I noticed that both participants claimed to be heavy social media users. However, they both said that they don’t follow brands very often participant two followed clothing brands but would be open to purchasing brands that interact via social media. This provides us with a great opportunity to reach younger generations as social media becomes more and more important.

Another observation I made after doing both interviews was that both participants enjoyed when brands kept their logos and colors consistent over the years. Both participants had a positive view of designs from the past. I think people in their 20’s enjoy seeing products with the same brand design that they saw growing up. Both participants said they would be more likely to purchase a product in which favorable music was being played in the background of the commercial, this is difficult to assess because people have all sorts of opinions on music.

As mentioned earlier, both participants had a positive view on Sprite as a brand, however both of them had a rather negative view of the soft drink industry as a whole. This is encouraging for our brand because it shows that we are thought of differently then our competitors. One part of the interviews that didn’t provide us much information was whether they would be more compelled to buy a healthier version of Sprite. Both participants weren’t able to give a clear concise answer to this question.

What I would do in the future:

All in all, I think these Interviews gave us useful information in promoting our product. Suggestions I would make for the future of Sprite would be to increase social media presence. Young people today are constantly on their phones and are prime targets for advertising; this can be easily done with promotions and giveaways. Another thing we can do in the future is to promote and campaign that brings back the original Sprite can for a certain period of time. This change could spark a rise in sails and brand recognition.

73

Soft Drink Survey

Thank you in advanced for participating in this study, this survey was created by students in STCM 421 at WVU. Participants should be 18 years old. The purpose of this study is to discover more information about each participant's beverage preferences. The data gathered from this survey will be used for academic purposes and the answers will be kept confidential

74

Q1 How often do you consume soft drinks? 4-6 times a week (1) 2-3 times a week (2) Once a week (3) Never (4)

Q2 Where is the most common place you would purchase a soft drink? Convenience Store (1) Restaurant (2) Grocery Store (3) Special Event (i.e., sporting event, concert, play) (4) Other (please specify) (5) ____________________

Q3 Why do you drink soft drinks? Taste (1) Caffeine (2) Brand loyalty (3) Refreshment (4) I do not drink soda (5) Other (please specify) (6) ____________________

Q4 How health conscious are you? Extremely (1) Very (2) Somewhat (3) Not at all (4)

Q5 What brand do you usually drink? Coke (1) Pepsi (2) Dr. Pepper (3) Sprite (4) Fanta (5) Other (6)

Q6 Do you prefer a soda with a fruit flavor over one without?

Q7 If yes, why?

75

Q8 I am more likely to purchase something when a popular celebrity is endorsing it. (Please indicate to what extent you agree with the following statements.) Strongly Disagree (1) Disagree (2) Neither Agree nor Disagree (3) Agree (4) Strongly Agree (5)

Q9 How much more attractive is Sprite's logo than other brand's? 0 (0) 1 (1) 2 (2) 3 (3) 4 (4) 5 (5) 6 (6) 7 (7) 8 (8) 9 (9) 10 (10)

Q10 How would you describe your feelings when you see a Sprite ad or commercial? Please indicate on the following scale.

1 (1) 2 (2) 3 (3) 4 (4) 5 (5) 6 (6) 7 (7)excited:bored

(1)

happy:sad (2) energized:lazy

(3)

strong:weak (4)

inspired:lack of motivation

(5)

76

Q11 What is your age? 18 to 25 years (1) 26 to 33 years (2) 34 to 41 years (3) 42 to 50 years (4) 51 to 64 years (5) 65 years and over (6)

Q12 What is your gender? Male (1) Female (2) other (3) ____________________

Q13 What is your origin (or race)? White (1) Black or African American (2) American Indian or Alaska Native (3) Asian (4) Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (5) Other (6) ____________________

77

pmgehman.files.wordpress.com · Web viewSecondary research was used to analyze Sprite’s current...

Documents

Transcript of pmgehman.files.wordpress.com · Web viewSecondary research was used to analyze Sprite’s current...