Which Coke is It? Social Influence in the Marketplace

Abstract

This study concerns the effects of media-based advertising on consumers' opinion. The experiment evaluates the recent advertising campaign for New Coke as an instance of communication and persuasion. The design separated the effects of the type of product (New Coke or Coke) from the description of the product (New Coke or Coke). There was a significant effect of product description that depended on the initial attitude of the consumer. Consumers who did not usually drink Coke had a low opinion of the standard-brand name (i.e., Coke) but were more favourable to the New Coke label. In contrast, consumers who regularly drank Coke were positive to colas with the standard-brand name but derrogated the product when it was called New Coke. The results suggest an attitude change for consumers with a neutral or negative attitude to Coke. Consumers with initial positive attitudes to Coke show a “boomerang effect.” Both outcomes are consistent with a cognitive-response approach to attitude change.