Coca-Cola Joins Green-Marketing Rush

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Big Red says it's going green, hitching its wagon to the sustainability marketing train already hopped on by General Electric Co., Toyota, IBM and others.

But Coke's campaign broadens the definition beyond environmentalism, centering on the concept of "sustainable well-being." The first two executions, for example, don't focus at all on environmentalism and instead paint the soft-drink giant as a corporate good guy concerned with meeting consumer needs and supporting worthy local education and sports programs.

"We're thinking of well-being from a mental, physical, community and environmental perspective that encompasses every part of our North American business," a Coca-Cola spokeswoman said. "We're using this to talk to all of our stakeholders and show our desire to be a better partner to all of them."

The campaign breaks this week with a three-page print spread aimed at opinion leaders and influencer's such as academics, dietitians and pediatricians. It will appear in publications such as The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. The ad uses a number of Coke products to highlight the theme of how it has evolved and will continue to evolve with the needs of its customers.Article source: adage.com By Michael Bush
Green Coca-Cola image: Illustration: Marc Simon