An empirical investigation of Turkish cola market

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to present a broad view and analysis of brand switching attitudes of cola consumers in Turkish cola market.Design/methodology/approachPresents the results of a questionnaire, conducted with 855 university students. Brand preferences and loyalty towards cola drinks were investigated by frequency distributions, T‐tests and cross‐tabulations, using particular factors such as purchasing frequency of the brand, brand preference, repurchase intent, searching for the brand, price and promotion tolerance.FindingsCola Turka, the new cola brand, has captured almost one‐quarter of the market. It has the potential to create loyal consumers. Despite Coca‐Cola preserving its dominance, Pepsi‐Cola has been surpassed by this new product.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough special attention was spent in constructing a sample with high presentation ability, university students, selected from three different cities, may not reflect the whole picture of the cola market. Cola Turka is a newly‐born brand and it is hard to identify whether consumers are loyal or not to such a brand.Practical implicationsOrigin, advertising and image of the product may foster its preference, as in the case of Cola Turka. Men and women have different buying motives and this can be used for attracting new consumers.Originality/valueThis research paper is unique in its field, which aims to depict brand loyalty in the Turkish cola drinks market. It has a particular importance since the research was carried out after the launch of the new Turkish cola brand “Cola Turka”.