14 DAY TRIAL // Coca Cola markets Coke as a symbol and, at the same time, a necessary ingredient for happiness. Its latest campaign aims to make the Coke bottle even more customizable, by allowing users to print whatever name or word they want on the label, for the price of $5 (€4.42).
However, words like “obesity,” “tooth decay” or “Diabetes” are completely off limits, as the video below shows. It was created by consumer advocacy group Center of Science in the Public Interest and it urges Coca Cola to be more honest in its marketing of its sugary fizzy drink.
Coca Cola and sugar-coating the (sugary) truth
The “hijacking” of the Coke label, as NBC’s Today calls it, comes short on the heels of a report revealing that Coca Cola is paying for bogus research to shift the blame from soda in the obesity epidemics, to the lack of proper exercise.
These studies, carried out mostly through a non-profit organization set up with funds from Coca Cola, actually say that you can drink as much soda as you want or even indulge in several buckets or menus of junk food as a rule, and you won’t be fat if you exercise enough.
What they do not say is that to burn the 250 calories and 16 tablespoons of sugar from a regular soda, you’d have to run for 50 minutes or to walk for about 5 miles (8 km) - and that’s just for that soda, not whatever food you had the rest of the day!
Coca Cola has a history of sugar-coating the truth and this is precisely what it’s doing with its Share a Coke with campaign, the CSPI believes.
Coke doesn’t bring about happiness, but serious health issues
Instead of selling Coke as happiness in a bottle, Coca Cola should be more honest with its consumers about the long-term health implications it entails.
However, honesty is probably the last thing on their mind, since certain damning words have been censored on its website, which allows the customization of the bottles.
“Reducing soda consumption is one of our top priorities,” Jeff Cronin, director of communications at CSPI says. “Coke spends billions of dollars positioning sodas as a source of happiness when it fact it causes diabetes, obesity and heart disease. It's more a source of sadness than happiness.”
Instead of #ShareACoke, the CSPI proposes the hashtag #ShareHonesty, which would keep consumers informed about the kind of damage they’re doing to their bodies whenever they drink soda. It’s picking up some Steam on social media, but not enough to get the attention of Coca Cola, which remains mum on the topic.
