CHIẾN lược sử DỤNG NGÔN từ và PHI NGÔN từ TRONG TIẾP THỊ của PEPSICO VIỆT NAM một NGHIÊN cứu GIAO TIẾP GIAO văn hóa

ABSTRACT
PepsiCo is one of the leading companies in the soft drinks, snacks and
food marketplace. As considered as the corporation which has the most
successful and suitable strategies, PepsiCo is the object of a lot of research.
However, they just have been focusing on economics fields and business.
Therefore, this is the first project which study on marketing strategy of PepsiCo
interm of the Cross Cultural Communication through verbal and nonverbal
cues used by the Corporation.
The paper begins by reviewing the current literature on Marketing,
Verbal and non-verbal cues, and related studies. The investigation then
analyzing and defining the specific verbal or non-verbal cues used by PepsiCo.
This study also involved the participation of consumers of two generation – the
young and the old, who have used this products and see it every day. The
feelings of the consumers about the products demonstrate how much the cues
are understood and how they work.
The results of the study indicate that 1) Marketing strategies built based
on non-verbal cues which are price, image, and endorsements are much more
effective in Vietnamses market; 2) Cultural factors should be considered first
by producers because of such great affection in controlling consumers buying
behavior.
Based on those research results, the researcher gave some
recommendations for marketing strategies of PepsiCo Vietnam in particular
and other beverage brands in Vietnam’s market in general – where they should
focus on and what can be neglected to minimum Culture shock and maximum
profits.
i
Table of content
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i
ABSTRACT ii
TABLE OF CONTENT iii
Part 1: Introduction 1

1. Rationale for the study 1
2. Aims and objectives of the study 2
3. Significance of the study 2
4. Methodology 3
4.1. Data collection instruments 3
4.1.1. Case study 3
4.1.2. Questionnaire 3
4.2. Data collection procedures 5
4.3. Data analysis methods and procedures 6
Part 2: Development 7
Chapter 1: Literature Review and Theoretical background
1.1. Literature review 7
1.2. Theoretical background 8
1.2.1. Verbal and non-verbal cues 8
- Verbal cues 8
- Non-verbal cues 8
1.2.2. Marketing and marketing strategies 11
- Marketing 11
- Why marketing? 12
- Marketing Strategies and Marketing Activities 13
1.2.3. Verbal and nonverbal cues in marketing 16
Chapter 2: Strategic use of verbal and non-verbal cues in marketing by
PepsiCo Vietnam
2.1. Verbal cues used by PepsiCo 18
2.1.1. Slogans 18
2.1.2. Songs 21
2.2. Non-verbal cues used by PepsiCo 22
2.2.1. Design 22
ii
2.2.2. Endorsement 25

2.2.3. Price 26
2.2.4. Distribution 26
2.3. The combination of the two elements 27
Chapter 3: Findings and Discussions
3.1. Findings 30
- Brand awareness 30
- Key factors 31
- Advertisement 32
- Price 33
- Promotion campaign 34
- Slogans and logos 34
3.2. Further discussion 35
Part 3: Conclusion and Indications
1. Major findings of the research 37
2. Implications 38
3. Limitations 40
4. Suggestion for further studies 40
REFERENCES 42
APPENDICE 45
iii
Part 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale/Reasons for choosing topic
Trade today is becoming global thanks for technological improvements
in transport and communication. And globalization becomes inevitable to any
business, from electronics, technology to cosmetic and food. Globalization has
changed the nature of business activities, from focusing on the producing the
best products with the most reasonable prices, enterprises have to shift their
focus on the market. Simply because they want their customers to believe and
buy their products instead of their competitor’s. In order to do that, enterprises
have to better understand the demand of the customers, need to advertise better

about their products, and to build long-lasted relation between their brands with
their target customers. Because of above reasons, marketing plays an
increasingly important part, especially in this modern economy. Almost all
major corporations are actively involved in marketing their products beyond
their original homeland borders. The main challenge that almost all the
companies have to face is: the cross cultural marketing and how to do it.
The cross cultural marketing strategies including verbal and non-verbal
cues can create the impression or cause culture shock. For example, when
advertising underwear, the clips/images with the man/woman wearing only
underwear can be very normal and acceptable in American and Western
countries, it will be refused or even fined and banned in Vietnam and other
Eastern Countries because of violating the traditional values.
Having a high personal interest in PepsiCo’s productions, the researcher
decided to develop a study on Marketing strategy of PepsiCo Vietnam to
provide an in-depth understanding of the Strategic use of verbal and non-verbal
cues in their marketing activities. Moreover, being a double-major student –
who can work both in economic and language fields, studying on this topic can
help researcher to get the necessary knowledge for the future job. Also, it
1
ishoped that this thesis would be a useful source of reference for further studies
on related topics.
2. Aims of the study
Knowing how successful the marketing strategies of PepsiCo is, the
researcher decided to carry out the study with the first aim to find out what
strategies which include verbal and non-verbal cues are. The second purpose is
to throw a light on how effective Pepsi uses those in their marketing strategies
to attract Vietnamese customers. Finally, from the picture of current issues, I
hopes to propose some suggestions for others companies
In brief, this study would seek to answer the following questions:
1) What are the marketing strategies of verbal and non-verbal cues and

How PepsiCo Vietnam uses them?
2) What is attitude of Vietnamese consumers toward the strategies?
3. Significance of the study
This study firstly provides the general knowledge about the verbal and
non-verbal cues in marketing, then to indicate the key to success of PepsiCo
Vietnam’s marketing strategies in the competitive beverage market in Vietnam,
and how they combine Cultural factors and economic. The knowledge is also
believed to be necessary for future jobs of double major students as the
researcher – who is educated both economy and language in the background of
globalization.
2
4. Methodology
4.1. Data collection instruments
This is descriptive analytic research.For the collection of sufficient
reliable and valid data for this, researcher used a case study approach and used
direct and structured observation and questionnaire as the main data collection
methods. This chapter serves as a report on those procedures.
4.1.1. Case study
Case study is specially chosen because of it allows an in-depth study of
the target phenomena in a single case, with all the ‘common and unique
features’ (Bell, 2010, p.9)
1
. Furthermore, as the aim of the study is to find the
effects of using verbal and non-verbal cues in marketing, case study is most
suitable for indicating the key of success of PepsiCo Vietnam’s marketing
strategies in the competitive beverage market in Vietnam.
4.1.2. Questionnaire
A descriptive research methodology was used for this study and survey
as an important tool for collecting and analyzing information from selected
individuals about themselves. The term ‘survey’ is commonly applied to a

research methodology designed to collect data from a specific population, or a
sample from that population, and typically utilizes a questionnaire or an
interview as the survey instrument (Robson, 1993). The reason that researcher
preferred using questionnaire to interview methodology is that: questionnaires
are less expensive and easier to administer than personal interviews; they lend
themselves to group administration; and, they allow confidentiality to be
assured (Leary
2
- 1995). Robson (1993) also indicates that surveys are
extremely efficient at providing information in a relatively brief time period at
low cost to the researcher.
1
Judith Bell: university lecturer, head of department and vice principal in colleges of further
education; as a senior counsellor and course team writer for the Open University.
2
David E. Leary, University professor, Ryland Hall 320, University of Richmond.
3
The process of this data collection involved the participation of both
young and old consumers. Personal information of all participants was kept
confidential and anonymous for ethical reasons.
Young people are the target customer of all beverage brands in general
and of PepsiCo in particular. Because of the limit of time and convenience,
students in ULIS, VNU was chosen. Older consumers will be the neighbor and
the acquaintances of the researcher, because of knowing that the old are always
hesitate to do something like questionnaire, I want to take advantage of my
relationship to ask them to do it.
The same types of questionnaire were used for different groups of
participants during the survey. The aim of this is to understand the differences
in thought of the two generations, and to understand the choice of target
consumers of PepsiCo.

Beside handout, researcher also created an online survey and used social
network to send it to friends. (With the support of Google Form
3
, work became
easily. Google automatically created a statistical of the survey for user to easily
manage. After being filled by anyone, the statistical will be automatically
updated. Counting and calculating are no longer necessary). The results were
beyond the researcher’s expectation. Because of knowing the importance of
this process toward researcher and not taking too much time, many people were
willing to do the questionnaires, even with the most enthusiastic behavior.
The questionnaire began with a brief explanation of the research topic
and a request for some necessary personal information. On the rest pages, the
researcher proposed a combination of both open-ended and close-ended
questions; even some questions were designed as checkboxes type that allow
participants to choose more than one answer - to facilitate the comprehension
of the collected information and data analysis.
4.2. Data collection procedures
3
Google Forms is tool to help users plan events, send a survey, give students a quiz, or collect other
information in an easy, streamlined way.
4
The procedure of data collection could be put into two phases as
follows.
Phase 1: Preparation
In this phase, the researcher managed to 1) design the questionnaires; 2)
pilot the questionnaires and the interview questions with 2 students – the
researcher’s classmates; 3) make adaptations and finalize the design of data
collection instruments and 4) set up schedule for collecting data.
Phase 2: Disseminations of questionnaires
The questionnaire for the young

ULIS students chosen were researcher’s Economics classmates. The
questionnaires were handed out to the students at the beginning of the class
time, and all members in the class were informed that they are being asked to
participate in a research study. Then they were provided an explanation of the
purposes of the research and the expected duration of their participation
Confirmation of confidentiality was also made so that the students would be
more willing to state their opinions in the questionnaires. The students were
encouraged to look quickly at the questionnaires and questions for clarification
were encouraged to be raised. Then the researcher suggested the classes finish
the questionnaires in their break time and would directly collect all the papers.
The questionnaire for the old
The questionnaire was delivered to researcher’s acquaintances in the
weekdays evening. The researcher also explained clearly the purposes of the
research and its importance and asked for the help. The questionnaire was
recollected in the next day.
4.3. Data analysis methods and procedure
5
The collected data supports the last research question: “What is attitude
of Vietnamese consumers toward the strategies?” It was first classified
according to the type of consumers. The young’ responses were considered
first. The Old’s responses were analyzed in comparison and contrast with the
young’s responses.
The questionnaires had already been divided into sections from the
design stage basing on the criteria of key factors in the marketing strategy of
PepsiCo. Therefore, it was convenient to classify the information gathered.
Data collected from the questionnaires was then synthesized and illustrated by
diagrams.
The above method and procedures of data analysis were useful that they
helped the researcher obtain rich data. From such data, results were found out
and will be presented in the other chapter – Finding and discussion.

6
Part 2: DEVELOPMENT
Chapter 1: Literature review and Theoretical
background
1.1. Literature review
As considered as the corporation which has the most successful and
suitable strategies, PepsiCo is the object of many researches. Many studies
have been conducted on many aspects of the marketing strategy. For example:
In the research “Pepsi across cultures: analysis and cross-cultural
comparison of Pepsi websites” by Alexandra Chirkova (University of
Gothenburg, Sweden, May 2011), the author pays attention to the analysis of
marketing via Internet. The thesis touches one side of possible cultural
reflection on communication in a business sphere and marketing – web design.
After finding the differences between the web pages for Pepsi in different
countries which are related to the cultures, he drew conclusion that PepsiCo
pays attention to the most expressed cultural traits and through them
differentiate websites.
In ‘PepsiCo: International Marketing Report’, a group of researcher
from Benedictine University (Chicago, 2009) analyzed international marketing
strategy of PepsiCo based on foreign market indicators, such as GDP, Import
Tariffs, Political risks, Infrastructure, tax rates and competitors, etc. Three
countries chosen are India, Japan and China for specific illustration. In each
country, PepsiCo has specific strategy that makes them become more and more
successful.
About the role of Nonverbal and verbal communication in business, the
research “Nonverbal communication: a serious business advantage” seems to
be adequate. Experts agree that the combination of gestures, postures, clothing,
7
colors can support or interfere with verbal message that a person or a business
delivers.

After learning previous study as mentioned above, I found that although
Pepsi has been studied, they are just only in economics aspect while mine is
about the combination of Cultural factors and economy, which is not
overlapped with anyone.
1.2. Theoretical background
1.2.1. Verbal and non-verbal cues
A cue is a signal of something or a reminder of something. It brings to
mind something from past knowledge or previous experience that provides a
framework of meaning that can be used to interpret the sign. The concept of
cueing is very important to visual communication because much of past
experience is filed in memory as a visual element. In other words, while cues
can and do work on the semantic level for certain types of information,
perceptual psychologists focus more on the tremendous role of visual imagery
in the cueing process based as it is on experiential knowledge (Moriarty,
2001)
4
.
As we know, communication includes 2 main elements: verbal and non-
verbal cues
Verbal cues
Verbal cue is something that you can figure someone out based on what
they said, or how they said it. Verbal cues are used widely because they
represent the most common way to communicate and the easiest way to
understand the speech of any person.
Non-verbal cues
Oxford Advanced dictionary defined Non-verbal cue as the perceptual
information communicated in a social exchange by signs accompanying the
words used in speech. Such cues include body language, tone, inflection, and
4
Moriarty, P. Nanostructured materials: Reports of Progress in Physics 64, 297–381 (2001)

8
other elements of voice, dress, etc. Patti Wood, a body language expert and
author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and
Charisma
5
says nonverbal cues include “all the communication between people
that do not have a direct verbal translation.” They are “body movements, body
orientation, nuances of the voice, facial expressions, details of dress, and
choice and movement of objects that communicate.” Time and space can also
be perceived as having nonverbal cues. Darlene Price (2012)
6
says “Simply put,
nonverbal cues include all the ways you present and express yourself, apart
from the actual words you speak,” she also adds. “And they are critically
important at work and in business because perception is reality.” – because
how we say something is more impactful than what we say.
The importance of nonverbal cues in the business world has not been
studied extensively, but it only makes sense that it can have a strong impact on
any communication in our daily life in general and in business in particular –
where people always have to satisfy others for their benefits. Nonverbal cues
can help a business owner to get a message across, or to successfully interpret a
message received from another person, or to deliver hidden message to another.
For example, when seeing your partner crosshis arms, it implies
resistance. "People might just be cold, but the stereotype is that they aren't
listening," explains Ronald Riggio, director of the Kravis Leadership Institute
at Claremont McKenna College. Or when someone place a hand under the
chin, it can be understood that a decision is being made. Don't oversell if
someone looks interested afterward, but if you spot negative signals, bring up
your second-best idea stat. Another example is a barrier. Personal space is
sacred in Western business culture, so back off if clients put up a barrier, like a

purse, says Carol Kinsey Goman, president of Kinsey Consulting Services:
"I've seen many managers and salespeople who didn't pick up on that cue and
5
Patti Wood (2012). Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.
New World Library.
6
Darlene Price & Kevin Wilson (2012). Well said: Presentations and Conversations that get
results.Amacom publisher.
9
they lost the deal." Or in selling, an area where the nonverbal actions can make
or break a deal. People are unlikely to want to buy from a sales person who
refuses to make eye contact, who has poor posture, who lacks energy, and who
seems unconvinced about the products and services represented.
On the other hand, nonverbal communication can also send signals that
interfere with the effective presentation or reception of messages. "Sometimes
non-verbal messages contradict the verbal; often they express true feelings
more accurately than the spoken or written language," Herta A. Murphy and
Herbert W. Hildebrandt noted in their book Effective Business
Communications
7
. In fact, studies have shown that between 60 and 90 percent
of a message's effect may come from nonverbal cues. Therefore, it is important
for business owners and managers to be aware of the nonverbal messages they
send and to develop the skill of reading the nonverbal messages contained in
the behavior of others.
There are three main elements of nonverbal cues: 1) appearance (design,
image), 2) body language and 3) sounds.
(1) In normal business, appearance is the way people dress. It
conveys message, affects attitudes - even emotions" according to Murphy and
Hildebrandt. For example, a speaker's clothing, hairstyle, use of cosmetics,

neatness, and stature may cause a listener to form impressions about her
occupation, socioeconomic level, competence, etc. Similarly, such details of
products can affect buying habit of the customer. The one with good design,
color and friendly materials is preferred. For instance, in producing a kind of
beverage, producers have to consider something that is good for health; easy to
hold and preserve; with appropriate color (colors also plays a part in
communication; such as red can increase one’s blood pressure, respiration rate
and heart beat while blue is calming color; therefore, colors are carefully
chosen in advertising); and can be recycled.
7
Herta A. Murphy and Herbert W. Hildebrandt (1991). Effective Business Communication (6
th
Ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
10
(2) Body language, and particularly facial expressions, can provide
important information that may not be contained in the verbal portion of the
communication. Facial expressions are especially helpful as they my show
hidden emotions that contradict verbal statements.
(3) Finally, the tone:it is not what you say but how you say it –
positively and actively or indecisively and hesitantly? It is also important to
note that perfume or other odors contribute to others’ impressions, as does
physical contact between the speaker and the listener. Silence, or the lack of
sound, is a form of nonverbal communication as well. Silence can
communicate a lack of understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face
discussion. In advertising, sound means songs. Is it a song with fast beat and
strong rhythm – to bring young and active feeling; or is it a song with slow and
gentle rhythm – to imply peace?
1.2.2. Marketing and marketing strategies
Marketing

There are many definitions of marketing. According to Business
dictionary, Marketing is the management process through which goods and
services move from concept to the customer.
Kotler and Armstrong (2010)
8
– two marketing teachers found that
Marketing is the social process by which individuals and organizations obtain
what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others.
Another definition by Board of Directors of American Marketing
Association is: Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for
creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value
for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (October 2007).
In conclusion, we can think of marketing as a bridge from the producer
to the consumer.
8
Philip Kotler (born 27 May 1931 in Chicago) is the S.C. Johnson & Son Distinguished Professor of
International Marketing at theKellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. "He is the
father of Marketing Management" says Ashutosh Rathi.
11
Why marketing?
After researching and analyzing the history of marketing, the economists
claimed that Marketing was born first and foremost to effectively support to
commerce activities, consuming products, handling difficulties and risks that
enterprises have to face as well as identifying the chances, and help them have
the most effective business solution.
Marketing has a very important function, which is connecting all the
activities of the enterprises to the market. Marketing directs the leaders to
answer 2 questions:
(1) Does market need or buy the entire products that the Enterprises
produced?

(2) With the price that the Enterprise tend to sell, do the consumers find
it affordable?
By that, Marketing ensure business activities of the Enterprises to follow
market orientation, regard market, demand of the customers as the strongest
support for all the business decisions.
In general, as far as I know, Marketing shows to the enterprises the
following basic elements:
• Who are the target consumers? Where do they live and buy goods?
Male or female? Young or old? How much do they buy and why?
• Which type of goods do they need? What are the features? What
about packaging and price? Why do consumers prefer those features
instead of others? Comparing to other competitors, what are the
advantages and disadvantage of our products? Are there any changes
necessary?
• How about the price? Is it reasonable? When and where and how
much should we increase or decrease the price? To whom?
• How can we let customers know, buy and love the products? Why
should we use this method instead of others?
• Do we need after-sell services? Which services are easy to
provide?
12
In brief, the reason why we need marketing is very simple - it exposes
people to the product and the brand. Marketing let people know why they need
your products. However, marketing is not only a function in business activities,
it is also loadstar for all activities of the enterprises in finding out, meeting and
satisfying the demand of the customers. Without marketing, you will lose brand
visibility, and even clients you had in the past may forget about you. How
many brands do you still remember in spite of not seeing it for a long time?
How many brand you still use in spite of knowing others which is better?
Because of this, people sometimes consider marketing as “advertising”.

In fact, Advertising is a single component of the marketing process. If
marketing is a pie, advertising is one of the slices of that pie.
Marketing strategy
Marketing strategyis a process that can allow an organization to
concentrate its resources on the optimal opportunities with the goals of
increasing sales and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage - Wikipedia
We can easily understand that: A marketing strategy is the result of
decisions which are made about how a particular product or service will be
promoted to its target customers.
Standing on a fork of shares – brand – products, or at the cross of
product – price – distribution – promotion, which direction Enterprise will
follow? It is really a difficult question for all the businesses. But a clear and
appropriate Marketing strategy will help them to direct their necessary
activities with the minimum cost and maximum effects.
Enterprises who have good Marketing strategies will have some
following advantages:
• Understanding market and target customers, knowing what they
need, what enterprises have and what to change to be better
• Having chances to sell and promote
• Understanding competitors and gradually launching appropriate
strategies
13
• Systematically developing, easily managing budgets and evaluating
the effects at the end of each period.
• Timely having plan when market changes
Marketing strategy activities
A marketing strategy includes the coordination of four elements called
4Ps’ of marketing:
(1) Product
“Product” refers to the particular goods and services you offer to the

customers. It relates to what they need.
There are elements associated with the products that attract the
customers: the way it is packed, quality, features, options, services, warranties,
design, and brand name.
Customer research will be a key element for a company to offer a product
that appeal to customers and avoid mistakes.
(2) Price
Price refers to how much you charge for your products or services.
Many small businesses begin their business with the bargain pricing to
create impression. However, it may be a disadvantage if customers think that
your price signals low quality. So that, pricing strategy should base on
following tips:
• Price should be set according to the product demand of public.
• Price should be that which gives the company maximum revenue.
• Price should not be too low or too high than the price competitor is
chargingfrom their customers otherwise nobody will buy your product.
• Price must be keeping the view of your target market.
(3) Placement (or distribution)
Placement refers to how the products get to the buyers
There are many kinds of channel used to get products to the buyers:
retail stores, e-commerce, on-site, door-to-door, etc.
14
The choice of distribution way much depends on the customs of
customers in the country you set up the business. Such as, in the western
countries, people spend much of their time shopping online or watching
programs like Best-buy on TV, e-commerce will work. In contrast, in some
Asia countries where people prefer traditional stores/market, direct sale is
better choice.
(4) Promotion
Promotion is an attempt to influence. Promotional activities are

designed to inform, persuade, or remind the market of the firm and its products
and ultimately to influence consumers’ feelings, beliefs, and behavior - Wen-
fei Uva (2001),Smart Marketing
9
.
This part refers to advertisement and selling promotion (promotional
education, publicity, and individual selling). Promotions might include free
samples, coupons, contests, incentives, loyalty programs, prizes, and rebates.
Channels of promotion: commercials advertisement on TV/newspapers,
leaflets, billboards, ‘word of mouth’.
1.2.3. Verbal and nonverbal cues in marketing
As studying above on definition of marketing strategies and four elements of
them, we can easily indicate that:
• Verbal cues in marketing refers to Slogan, songs, promotion campaigns
(oral advertising)
• Nonverbal cues in marketing refers to Image of the product (design),
images used in advertising, price, and location.
9
New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Dept. of Applied Economics and
Management; Uva, Wen-fei L. Smart marketing [electronic resource]: a compilation of Smart
marketing articles, November 2001-November 2003
15
In business in general and in marketing in particular, those cues do not
separate, they even combine and mutually support each other to bring
effectiveness to producer.
16
Chapter 2: Strategic use of verbal and non-verbal
cues in marketing by PepsiCo Vietnam
PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient snacks, foods and beverages,
with revenues of more than $39 billion. The company consists of PepsiCo

Americas Foods (PAF), PepsiCo Americas Beverages (PAB) and PepsiCo
International (PI).
PepsiCo Vietnam was established in February 1994, when the US
Embargo to Vietnam was lifted marking the phenomenal entrance of PepsiCo
into this new market. Just hours after, Pepsi Cola and 7Up products were
available to the first few thousand local consumers in Hochiminh City.
Officially, PepsiCo teamed up with International Beverages Company (IBC) –
a well-established local joint venture to manufacture and distribute Pepsi-Cola
and 7Up products in Vietnam. In April 2003, the company became a 100%
foreign owned entity – a new entirely run subsidiary of PepsiCo Worldwide
and the name PepsiCo Vietnam (PIVN) was used officially.
10
The company’s diverse product portfolios including Pepsi Cola, 7Up,
Mirinda, Aquafina, Sting, Twister, Lipton Ice Tea, and Poca are widely and
deeply distributed to Vietnamese consumers from the five operations branches
located across Vietnam.
Over time, PepsiCo Vietnam has not only successfully operated in
compliance with its corporate's world-class standard and the local regulations
as well but also sustain its market leadership position driven by impressive
growth. In addition, PepsiCo Vietnam also receives widespread recognition for
its social contribution and tireless fosterage and support of the welfare of the
community via active involvement in related activities and events.
10
Statistics in 2012
17
So far, PepsiCo Vietnam has not only managed the local Vietnam
market but extended to cover the entire Indochina including Vietnam, Laos,
and Cambodia.
Although Pepsi has modern producing system, traditional flavorthat is
100% natural, low in sodium, caffeine-free, and still maintains the flavor of its

original cola, which is very suitable with Vietnamese taste, the marketing
strategy is the key that has created the awareness of Pepsi to the customers and
gets the great amount of sales as present. Pepsi know and understand the
philosophy: “Know – Like – Believe and Buy” of Vietnamese consumers, and
then apply supporting tools such as advertising which takes full advantage of
verbal and non-verbal cues, effectively and creatively.
2.1. Verbal cues used by PepsiCo
Mentioning Pepsi brand, people think about young and active spirit.
Although PepsiCo has over one hundred years history, that spirit still penetrate
deeply throughout the entire Corporation, from young color of logo, from the
famous slogan “The Choice of a New Generation” to fashionable and eye-
catching design products for the young, active promotion campaign, teenager
brand ambassador and aggressive marketing strategies of outstanding young
management team.
Among the products of PepsiCo, Pepsi is the most outstanding ones
because the Corporation began and got the successful with this product – which
is preferred by the young all over the word. Coming to Vietnam, the young
nature of the cola drink rapidly catch up with the life of Vietnamese young
people, the generation is strongly developing with country in the renovation
period.
2.1.1. Slogan
Leading advertising companies always know to use language. Finding a
special slogan for brand is the right way to build unique image of the products
18
in customer’s awareness. Nowadays, when the young do not like using
traditional way of talking anymore and prefer using unregular language style,
advertising also have to follow that direction to satisfy this target customers.
Consumer tends to repeat speech in advertisements and always want to find
new language marks to express their own thoughts and feelings.
Since years, people admits that direct advertising is not effect anymore.

All the expectations are put on the tool which is complicated and difficult to
control - the dissemination of information via customers who used products, or
even just watching advertisement of products. Seth Godin, the author of the
book “Ideavirus”
11
says that before disseminating the idea, you have to think in
advance what that element will say to provide them with the simplest way to
convey the idea, and slogan is the ideal choice.
Slogan is much more effective than any other promotion technique in
doing the main function of the brand which is affirm the image and improve the
sphere of influence of the brand. Slogan is popular first and foremost in the
brands which are introduced by the companies as a special lifestyle, not just a
goods. So that, slogan have to be build up following 5-star criteria, which
means it has to meet 5 requirements: “simple, short, easy to understand, easy to
remember and tied strongly to brand”.
For example, in the ad of Budweiser beer, advertising scenes in which
characters greet each other by loudly said “Whatssup” in the first time on TV
immediately won the consumer’s affection. Or in the promotion campaign of
Chocolate Snickers, the new character that Mars introduced today is a young
man with sport style and interested in doing super nature things. Then, the
slogan “Go on, Snickers!” said by the man became catchwords of the young
during a long time.
Well knowing that, Pepsi also strongly impresses consumers with their
slogans – which is young-people targeted and easy to remember. Because the
target customer of the Corporation is the young – who are active and
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Seth Godin (Dec 2001). Ideavirus. NY: Hyperion Books.
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alwayswant to affirm themselves to the others, the slogan of Pepsi always very
unique and make the young feel they are special with the product. Pepsi is one

of the few companies to spend an amount of money equivalent to the amount
of producing branding right in the initial days setting up the business.
The slogan of Pepsi always stick to the young throughout periods. Here
are some favorite slogans over years: (See full of the slogans in Appendix 3)
1961-1963: "Now It's Pepsi for Those Who Think Young"
1963–1967: "Come Alive, You're in the Pepsi Generation"
1983–1984: "Pepsi Now! Take the Challenge!"
1984–1991: "Pepsi. The Choice of a New Generation"
1988-1989: "Diet Pepsi. The Taste That's Generations Ahead"
1992–1993: "Be Young, Have Fun, Drink Pepsi"
1997–1998: "Generation Next"
1999–2000: "For Those Who Think Young"
2006–2007: “Taste the one that's forever young"
2008: "Something for Everyone."
It can be easily seen that the slogans of Pepsi make people think “Pepsi
is young”, Pepsi is for who dare to dream, dare to take the challenge; who are
very active, energetic; who are the next generation.
Especially, in their slogan, rhetorical devices like metaphor and
hyperbole is used to create the special effects to the customers’ mind. However,
how to use it effectively depends on particular countries because of the
differences in traditional values. Toward different countries, the metaphor
conveys different messages. For example, in the US in the July 12, 2000, Pepsi
launched the product Pepsi Lemon Twist. They used the image the Lemon pees
in the can or a bottle of Pepsi to emphasize that If you drink Pepsi Lemon
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Twist, you have chance to enjoy a lemon flavored cola. The gap between
languages is also problem. Such as in 1967, Pepsi tried to translate their slogan
"Come Alive, You're in the Pepsi Generation" into Chinese, and the result
came out as the sentence which could be understood like “Pepsi brings your
ancestors back from dead”. Or into German: “Come out of the grave”. Of

course that is certainly a bold promise.
Fortunately, that problem has not ever happened over a long period of
operation of Pepsi in Vietnam. All slogans are easily translated and can convey
as much as message to the consumers.
“Pepsi nước uống của tuổi trẻ”
“Bạn trải nghiệm cuộc sống để hưởng thụ, Pepsi sáng tạo để bạn tận hưởng”
“Gia nhập thế hệ Pepsi”
“Sự lựa chọn của thế hệ mới”
“Khát khao hơn/Sôi động hơn với Pepsi”
“Thách thức hơn”
Over years, those slogans are still remembered and repeated by
Vietnamese consumers.
2.1.2. Songs
Another verbal tool in Pepsi’s advertising is songs. Music has become
an important part of the marketing tool’s scope. With the intensifying usage of
TV and radio as the mean of communicating with the consumers, music cannot
be neglected. Music can serve the overall promotional goals in one or more of
several capacities.
In 1938, Walter Mack became new president of Pepsi-Cola and no long
after, he launched a new advertisement for Pepsi 12-ounce and a song with
rhythm “Nickel, Nickle”. The song immediately became popular and was
covered in 55 languages.
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In 1964, Pepsi launched Diet Pepsi with the unique song “Girlswachers”
– one of the top 40 hit songs.
Typicality is changing the official name to “Pepsi-Cole Hits The Spot”,
which was regarded as the immortal songs by LIFE Magazine. In every
advertisement, commercial exhibitions, the theme music always are exciting
song contributing to build up the impression of a product for young people of
Pepsi.

2.2. Non-verbal cues used by PepsiCo
2.2.1. Design
Secondly, when concentrating the Nonverbal cues, we cannot forget the
design of Pepsi – in logo, in bottle. The good design of logo with suitable
colors, image goes along with good design in bottle which is portable, friendly
to the environment will work.
Color
Colors can have an impact on our body and mind. The science of colors
has been used by market researchers to determine how best to apply this
knowledge to influence customer’s perception of business. When choosing
color for a brand or a logo, managers focus more on the feeling which they
want to create than on the unique identity. And when the feeling is regards as
importance, other elements are neglected.
In general, the best color is the ones that most represents the features of
the brand. John Deere is the leading brand of tractor. It is not surprising when
John Deere use green – the color of tree, field – to be the symbol color.
People strongly argue that it is necessary to choose a color that opposites
to the ones that our competitors chose. Especially when you neglect the rules of
color, you will do that. Hertz, the first brand in car hiring service, chose
Yellow. Therefore, Avis, one of the second brand in this field, chose Red.
Another one, National, chose Green.
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