This case analysis addresses sales forecasting of Coca-Cola sales in 2012. It includes several sample exhibits, tables, and calculations for its conclusions that are instructive.
Excerpt:
One hundred, twenty five years ago, Dr. John Pemberton had a simple idea. Bring the joy of refreshment to people. Essentially, through that refreshing feeling, people can find joy in life. That is, and has always been, our product. It is not syrup, bottles or cans. It is a simple yet vital part of every person’s life – joy.
In 1886, when Dr. Pemberton produced the first syrup and created Coca-Cola, he sold just around nine servings per day at just five cents per serving. But, as you know, joy is infectious. By World War II, we were in forty four countries, with over “five billion bottles of Coca-Cola consumed by military service personnel during the war.” (Teaching the World to Sing, 2011). Today, one hundred and twenty five years later, we are a dominant, multi-national, multi-billion dollar firm that has established a “deep emotional bond between Coca-Cola and its consumers.” (Teaching the World to Sing, 2011) While we will soon discuss numbers in regards to forecasting our future, there is something beyond the numbers that drives Coca-Cola demand.
