Characterizing Carbonated Soft Drink Industry in the US Case Study - 35

Characterizing Carbonated Soft Drink Industry in the US - Case Study Example According to the paper, the major soft drink companies include Coca-Cola and Pepsi. These companies are distributed all over the country each having branches and distributers in cities and towns. For instance, Coca-Cola North America and the Bottling Company of Southern California introduced Fanta and Manzana Lift. This came about because a research conducted showed that fruit-flavored drinks were the best choice for many Hispanics. Therefore, these two drinks are the ones that met the consumers’ preferences. Pepsi, a stiff competitor has Mountain Dew, which is the fourth best-selling soft drink in the U.S and best-flavored drink. To improve its marketing, they have commercials that only focus on the Hispanics among other diverse advertisements because ethnic markets are so profitable for these firms. This brand focuses mostly on teens and the 20-39 year population is its secondary market. Squirt soft drink originates from Great Depression of 1930 but Cadbury Schweppes was the main marketer for Squirt since 1993 until Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. took over since 1995. The drink came to market in 1938 and to heighten its market, the owners introduced an appeal called little squirt for advertisements, hence popularizing its recognition. After change of ownership in 1977, the drink rebranded its logo and due to new upcoming trends, squirt made the first low calorie drink in 1983. Squirt is bottled and distributed by 250 bottlers in America, a third are independent and some owned by Dr. Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. whereas two-thirds are part of Coca-Cola and Pepsi. This wide distribution makes it possible for supply of the product amounting to over 85% of Americans’ soft drink by volume. Squirt has a diverse range of products with diet and ruby red Squirts being the leading products having generated 20% of the total sales. Its products compete stiffly with those of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the market.