Markedly, companies pursue marketing strategies to acquire several benefits, including
staying ahead of the competition. Ideally, a marketing strategy is the overall game plan of a
business that enables it to reach potential consumers and to convert them into customers who
will then purchase the products that a company offers (Hollensen, 2010). To this end, a
marketing objective becomes a forward-looking approach that is long-term to planning, and its
primary goal is to allow a company to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage (Kottler and
Keller, 2006). Both offensive and defensive strategies are strategies for competitive advantage.
Companies can adopt offensive and defensive strategy to become competitive in the market and
to gain extra market share.
Offensive Strategies
Arguably, companies pursuing offensive strategies will target the market controlled by
the competitor, where they want to gain more market share (Lee & Carter, 2011). An example of
a company that has used offensive strategies is Pepsi. This company operates in the soft drinks
industry, and its main competitor is Coca-Cola. Notably, Pepsi has adopted an offensive strategy
in the following ways.
Direct attack: Pepsi slashes prices for its products, introduces new features for its soft drinks,
and introduce comparing advertisements unfavorable to the competition, which is Coca-Cola.
End-run: Pepsi avoids direct competition with Coca-Cola but still make offensive attacks by
taking its products into unsaturated markets that are ignored by the rest of the sector.
Pre-emption: Pepsi builds relationships with suppliers and also build relationships with super
customers to counter Coca-Cola.
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES 3
Acquisition: Pepsi has acquired some smaller players in the soft drinks market to build its
offensive power and be able to fight Coca-Cola, who is the giant in this sector.
Competitive Advantage
Nonetheless, even with its offensive attacks, Pepsi co has not achieved a competitive
advantage, this remains with Coca-Cola.
Defensive Strategies
Notably, companies pursuing defensive strategies use them to turn back or to discourage
an offensive attack by the competitor (Hollensen, 2010). An example of a company that has used
defensive strategies is Coca-Cola. This company is the giant in the soft drinks industry and has
utilized defensive strategy in the following ways;
Pricing: Coca-Cola has lowered the prices of its products to match similar cuts by Pepsi co
but ensures that the price war is not unmanageable.
Features: Coca-Cola has added new features to its products to make them more appealing and
positive to counter similar actions by the competitor
Exclusion: Coca-Cola has set exclusive arrangements or alliances with the key suppliers in
the market to keep Pepsi out of the game plan.
Advertising: Coca-Cola has carried out a robust public campaign to enhance the confidence
of its products and to show commitment to its customers. This strategy has shown Coca-
Cola's commitment to the competitors' challenge.
Competitive Advantage
These defensive strategies have made Coca-Cola achieve a sustainable competitive
advantage, and it's still the giant and the worldwide market leader in the soft drinks industry.
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES 4
To sum it up, companies can adopt offensive and defensive strategies to become
competitive in the market and to gain extra market share. Companies pursue marketing strategies
to acquire several benefits, including staying ahead of the competition. Ideally, a marketing
strategy is the overall game plan of a business that enables it to reach potential consumers and to
convert them into customers who will then purchase the products that a company offers. Both
offensive and defensive strategies are strategies for competitive advantage.
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES 5
References
Hollensen, S. (2010). Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education.
Kottler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2006). Marketing management. Analyse, Planung, Umsetzung und.
Lee, K., & Carter, S. (2011). Global marketing