Analysing the impact of advertising in the soft drink market of Mauritius : the case study of Coca-Cola

In an era of high degree of competitiveness, if there is one prerequisite to give businesses a competitive edge, it is the need to advertise effectively and efficiently. Since so much money is being devoted to advertising, analysing its impact remains vital for firms, especially for those forming part of the collusive oligopolistic market of soft beverages, where advertising helps in making the difference in the market place. This paper mainly analyses the degree of influence advertising has on consumers‟ buying behaviour, with particular reference to Coca- Cola advertisements. The methodology used in the study consisted of a survey on a sample of 150 respondents, and the finding revealed the positive impact of advertising on consumption level in the soft beverage market of Mauritius. It was concluded that nowadays, it is important to sustain customer's loyalty to a company's product, hence the need to develop appropriate advertising strategies like brand equity to prevent consumers from turning unloyal to the brand.