Analyzing How Brands Apply the Marketing Mix

Poppi - DoorDash - Coca-Cola Brand Stage Comparison 

Poppi, DoorDash, and Coca-Cola demonstrate how businesses at different life cycle stages must adopt different strategies. While Poppi is working to capture attention and define its brand, DoorDash is expanding rapidly to solidify its place in the market. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola focuses on longevity, loyalty, and consistent reinvention to maintain relevant. 

Brand Development - Poppi

Poppi is a health-focused prebiotic soda brand that’s still in the early stages of growth and brand development. During this stage, the company is building awareness, defining its identity, and positioning itself as a healthier, trendy alternative to traditional soft drinks.

Product: A different option in the soda market that is marketed towards health conscious buyers as healthier and with probiotics. Poppis flavors choices are innovative as well as twists on classic sodas such as doc pop (doctor pepper) and alpine blast (sprite). The brand highlights that all of their “sodas” have less than 5 grams of sugar, apple cider vinegar, and less than 35 calories making them “gut-healthy” while still fulfilling the desire for a classic soda. (Why Poppi?, 2015). 

Price: Poppi is priced at a premium compared to traditional sodas but is competitive within the functional beverage market. Pricing reflects quality and health benefits while appealing to consumers willing to spend more for wellness-related products.

Place: Strategic placement in health-focused aisles and influencer-friendly markets helps build credibility and visibility and is now expanded into major retailers like Whole Foods, Target, and Walmart.

Promotion: Poppi relies heavily on social media marketing, especially TikTok and Instagram, where it partners with influencers and uses viral videos to create buzz. The brand also often shares user-generated content and stories to create emotional and authentic connections.

Consumer perception and brand equity at this stage.

Together, these marketing mix elements shape consumer perception by presenting Poppi as a modern, premium, and health-forward beverage. The vibrant packaging and wellness messaging create emotional appeal, while strategic pricing and placement reinforce its identity as a trendy, trustworthy brand. Through targeted promotion and relatable storytelling, Poppi is successfully building brand equity and positioning itself not just as a drink, but as part of a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle.

Brand Growth - DoorDash 

DoorDash has quickly become one of the biggest names in food delivery, and it’s now firmly in the growth stage of its life cycle. After launching and finding its footing, the company is now focused on expanding its reach, building stronger relationships with customers, and staying ahead of growing competitors. From adding new services to improving the user experience, DoorDash is doing everything it can to grow its brand and turn users into loyal, long-term customers.

Product: DoorDash provides convenient food, grocery, and retail delivery through its app and website. It has expanded its services to include DashPass (a subscription), DoubleDash (multi-store ordering), and partnerships with major restaurant chains and local businesses. (DoorDash, 2023). 

Price: DoorDash uses dynamic pricing based on location, distance, and demand. It also offers subscription-based pricing through DashPass for frequent users, making delivery more cost-effective and encouraging loyalty. (DoorDash, 2023). 

Place: DoorDash is available in thousands of cities across North America and continues to expand globally. The app is accessible across devices, making it easy for customers to order from anywhere, anytime.

Promotion: The brand promotes heavily through digital ads, app store optimization, social media campaigns, referral programs, and partnerships (e.g., with Chase and major sports leagues). Promotions often include free delivery, discounts for new users, and rewards for frequent customers. 

Consumer perception and brand equity at this stage.

DoorDash is positioned as a reliable, fast, and accessible solution for modern food and grocery delivery needs. Its expanding range of services enhances convenience, while promotions and DashPass help promote. Strategic placement across platforms and locations ensures visibility. These efforts strengthen brand equity by building trust, increasing usage frequency, and embedding DoorDash into consumers’ daily routines as a go-to service for convenience.

Brand Maturity - Coca Cola 

When you think of iconic global brands, Coca-Cola is probably one of the most common ones that come to mind. With over 130 years in the market, Coca-Cola is a textbook example of a brand in the maturity stage of its life cycle. (The Coca-Cola Company, 2025). At this point, the brand isn’t focused on building awareness, instead, the focus is on staying relevant, maintaining customer loyalty, and evolving just enough to keep up with changing consumer tastes. Coca-Cola has mastered the balance between tradition and innovation, and it relies on the marketing mix to continue strengthening its presence in a highly competitive, saturated market.

Product: Coca-Cola offers a wide range of beverages beyond its original soda like Diet Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, flavored variants, and bottled water and energy drinks through its extended product lines. While the core product remains largely the same, the brand constantly introduces limited editions, new flavors, and packaging innovations to keep things fresh and exciting for consumers. (The Coca-Cola Company, 2025). 

Price: Coca-Cola uses a value-based pricing strategy. The product is priced affordably and consistently across markets, but the brand also uses bundling, promotions, and pricing flexibility to compete with other beverages and adapt to local economies.

Place: You can find Coca-Cola almost everywhere, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, vending machines, movie theaters, airports, and more. Its global distribution system is one of the strongest in the world, ensuring brand visibility in nearly every corner of the market.

Promotion: Coca-Cola is known for its iconic marketing, “Share a Coke,” holiday polar bears, or Super Bowl commercials. It continues to invest heavily in emotional storytelling, seasonal campaigns, and sponsorships (like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup) to maintain its relevance and positive public image. (The Coca-Cola Company, 2025). 

Consumer perception and brand equity at this stage.

By using these elements of the marketing mix so effectively, Coca-Cola has built one of the most recognizable and emotionally resonant brands in the world. The brand’s consistency in product quality and messaging creates a sense of familiarity and trust, while its ongoing innovations and promotions keep it top-of-mind. These efforts all contribute to strong consumer perception as Coca-Cola isn’t just a beverage, it’s a cultural symbol. This is what fuels its brand equity, helping it stay relevant and dominant even in an ultra-competitive soda market.

Looking at Poppi, DoorDash, and Coca-Cola shows just how differently brands operate depending on where they are in their life cycle. Poppi is focused on standing out and connecting with potential customers while DoorDash is scaling fast and building loyalty through convenience and value. Coca-Cola, on the other hand, thrives by staying consistent and globally accessible. Each brand uses the marketing mix in its own way, proving that strategy and understanding your audience is essential no matter what stage you’re in.

References:

DoorDash. (2023). About | DoorDash. https://about.doordash.com/en-us

The Coca-Cola Company. (2025). Coca-Cola history. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/about-us/history

Why Poppi? (2015). Poppi. https://drinkpoppi.com/pages/whypoppi?srsltid=AfmBOoqDZgp_-G7ofr5ixjb0FPt8TMEsIPzbRRpyAEGg6JTlu0yxAkXL