Marketing Coca-Cola's Dasani Water in the UK: A Case Study
This paper examines the marketing history of Coca-Cola's Dasani bottled water brand, with a particular focus on its troubled 2004 launch in the United Kingdom. The paper traces Coca-Cola's origins from 1886 to its modern global distribution network, then analyzes the sequence of events that led to Dasani's UK failure: pre-launch criticism that the product was purified tap water, a Food Standards Agency finding of elevated bromate levels, and the subsequent recall of 500,000 bottles. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for a potential re-launch, covering pricing policy, target demographics, product quality standards, and a social media-centered promotional plan.
- Coca-Cola's Origins and Global Expansion: Founding history and growth of the Coca-Cola brand
- The Dasani UK Launch and Its Collapse: 2004 UK launch, tap water criticism, and bromate scandal
- Dasani's Success in the U.S. and Lessons Learned: U.S. market success and key strategic takeaways
- Pricing and Target Market Recommendations: Pricing policy changes and revised demographic targeting
- Promotional Strategy for Re-launch: Social media, TV advertising, and sales script recommendations
- Conclusion: Summary of re-launch strategy and trust restoration
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper grounds its strategic recommendations in a clearly narrated case history, making the advice feel grounded rather than abstract.
- It moves logically from brand origins, to failure analysis, to actionable re-launch recommendations, giving the argument a coherent arc.
- The use of a specific real-world marketing failure — the bromate contamination scandal — gives the paper concrete, illustrative evidence for its claims.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied marketing analysis: it diagnoses a real brand failure using the four Ps of marketing (product, price, place, promotion) as an implicit framework, then translates that diagnosis into targeted strategic recommendations. This approach connects theoretical marketing concepts to a documented business case.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with Coca-Cola's founding history to establish the brand's global reach and credibility. It then narrates the Dasani UK failure in detail before pivoting to the brand's contrasting success in the U.S. The final sections shift to prescriptive mode, addressing pricing, target market, product standards, and a promotion plan in turn. A brief reference list closes the paper.
Coca-Cola's Origins and Global Expansion
The history of Coca-Cola began in 1886 when Dr. John S. Pemberton, a pharmacist from Atlanta, created a drink with a distinct taste that could be purchased at soda fountains. He prepared a flavored syrup, took it to a nearby pharmacy, and mixed it with carbonated water. His bookkeeper and partner, Frank M. Robinson, is credited with naming the beverage Coca-Cola and creating the trademarked script that remains in use to this day. Before Dr. Pemberton died in 1888, he sold his interests to various parties, with businessman Asa G. Candler ultimately acquiring the majority shares. Under Candler's leadership, Coca-Cola was distributed to soda fountains beyond Atlanta.
Joseph Biedenharn became the first person to bottle Coca-Cola after he installed bottling machinery at the back of his soda fountain in Mississippi in 1894. Five years later, large-scale bottling became possible when three businessmen from Chattanooga acquired exclusive rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola — Asa Candler sold them the bottling rights for just $1. Joseph Whitehead, John Lupton, and Benjamin Thomas were responsible for developing what is now the worldwide Coca-Cola bottling system (Coca-Cola History, n.d.).
The Dasani UK Launch and Its Collapse
Coca-Cola launched the Dasani brand water in February 2004 in the United Kingdom, with plans to follow in Germany and France. The company intended to conduct a heavy marketing campaign to introduce the brand into the highly competitive bottled water market. The UK launch, however, can only be described as a disaster.
Before the launch, The Grocer magazine reported that Dasani was simply treated tap water. Specifically, tap water from Sidcup had reportedly been processed through reverse osmosis, re-mineralized, bottled, branded as Dasani, and sold to consumers. Although the company never claimed the water came from a natural source such as a spring, this issue posed a significant marketing challenge, as Coca-Cola had described Dasani as "exceptionally pure."
Approximately three weeks after launch, a further scandal emerged that threatened the brand's image regarding quality and food safety. The Food Standards Agency found elevated bromate concentrations in the bottled water — a chemical whose long-term consumption may increase the risk of cancer. Coca-Cola immediately recalled 500,000 bottles of Dasani. The company attributed the contamination to its standard practice of adding calcium, stating that quality standards had not been met in this particular case. As a direct consequence of the scandal, Coca-Cola abandoned its planned launches in Germany and France (Dasani water: An example of failure, 2014).
Dasani's Success in the U.S. and Lessons Learned
Despite its UK failure, Dasani achieved considerable success in the United States. Coca-Cola's extensive marketing capabilities and wide distribution network were largely responsible for this outcome. In the U.S. market, purified tap water with added minerals was able to compete effectively against spring and mountain-source waters and still win over customers. The contrast between the two markets highlights the critical role that consumer perception and brand communication play in the success of a bottled water product.
For a re-launch of Dasani to be successful in the UK, several changes to the marketing strategy are necessary. These changes span pricing, target market definition, product quality assurance, and promotional approach.
Conclusion
The failure of Dasani in the United Kingdom offers important lessons for global brand management. Restoring consumer trust will require transparent communication about the purification process, competitive pricing, and a robust social media promotional campaign. By addressing the weaknesses that led to the 2004 collapse — opaque sourcing, quality control failures, and insufficient consumer education — Coca-Cola can position Dasani for a more credible and successful re-entry into the UK market.
References
Coca-Cola History. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2016, from
Dasani water: An example of failure. (2014). Retrieved May 17, 2016, from https://imdwater.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/dasani-water-an-example-of-failure/
Kerin, R. A., & Hartley, S. W. (2017). Marketing. McGraw-Hill.
Metcalf, T. (n.d.). How to write a sales marketing script. Retrieved May 17, 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/write-sales-marketing-script-62688.html
Whitehead, L. (2008, January 1). How to create a promotional plan. Retrieved May 17, 2016, from http://www.adbase.com/Blog/Marketing-Planning/PromotionalPlan
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