Chapter One: The Four Quadrants of Public Relations

Link: www.tinyurl.com/CocaColaMidterm
After reviewing how the Coca-Cola Company helps fight the global initiative to fight obesity,
determine how the Four Quadrants of Public Relations are utilized. Describe the types of
material produced and which quadrants they belong in. Is there overlap between the
quadrants? Are all four quadrants used, or only a few within the campaigns?

Ans. Coca-Cola Company and the soft drink industry received a lot of criticism for contributing
to the global obesity epidemic that lead to decline in sales of the product. To combat that the
soft drink industry giant launched this campaign and to address the issue of rising obesity.
Upon reading about the campaign I think the company has used/utilized all four quadrants of
PR – Media, Community, Business and Government.

Media: On the media front they have launched two video ads ‘Coming together’ and ‘Be OK’
Both of them aired on national TV. The stories about their initiative of Fight against Obesity
were also carried out by various media outlets. The company faced a backlash for unhealthy
products and I feel they chose very honest approach to address the problem for example the
‘Coming together’ video encourages the viewer to be mindful of calories they consume
including Coke so, in a way they are accepting that yes their product has lots of calories. It also
suggests the alternative offered by company such as low calorie and zero calorie products. The
second video shows upfront that coke has 140 calories and fun ways to burn those calories.
Here also they have an honest approach with possible solution like in real life also despite
knowing the calories we consume certain products just for the taste. Their website has press
release for with detailed information about the initiative.

Community: To help or giving back to community the company took several initiatives at
different levels and kinds like ‘Coca-Cola foundation’ roped in veterans to achieve fitness goal
by vets teaching military level fitness and nutritional techniques to the most needy. For general
public they roped in National Park Foundation, America’s State Parks and National Recreation
and Park Association and donated $100,000 recreation grant to the most voted park by citizens
and grants to three additional winning parks. Over all they donated $15 million for restoration
and renovation of parks that will help boost and inspire people to play and be active. They also
supported BCGA and their program ‘Triple play’ encourages kids towards a balanced diet,
become physically active and engage in healthy relationships. They also joined hands with
National Foundation for Governor's Fitness Councils® and the American College of Sports
Medicine and dedicated $5 million to place 100 new fitness centers in schools across the U.S.
They are trying to reach and contribute towards different communities and people from
different walks of life like for bikers, hikers and trail lovers they donated $800,000 through their
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy program that to transform abandoned railroad corridors into trails
that can be used for multiple purpose. From health care community also they have roped in
Brigham and Women’s Hospital that launched climbs corps program that aims at
revolutionizing the cardiovascular health and wellness of the American public.
Business: Well, the company is definitely reaching developing and maintaining relations with
business community. With their nutritional labeling initiative they became the first beverage
company in the U.S to place dual nutrition labels. They also united with America’s beverage
companies and important leaders and organizations to help the initiative and address the issue.
At some of the places business and government (another overlap in quadrant) came to a
common platform for the cause like in School Beverage Guidelines President Bill Clinton
(government) the American Beverage Association, and other major U.S. soft drink companies,
(both business community) all joined together to set up national school beverage guidelines by
changing the beverage offerings in primary and secondary schools. Calories Count™ Vending
Program not only included government but business as well as they reached out to restaurant
operators and vending machine companies to increase the availability of no and low cal
beverages. The vending machines companies also supported by having the machine fronts
displaying the calorie count to remind people of calorie consumption which is again the theme
and one of the objectives of Coke campaign.

Government: They definitely worked up their ways by joining with U.S beverage industry and
announcing their support to then First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative with a
“Clear on Calories” that includes placing calorie labeling on front of nearly all beverage
containers. Here in their video ad also they highlighted how many calories coke has. They also
worked with government leader to increase availability of low- and no-calorie beverages in
vending machines. With their School Fitness Centers & Governor’s Physical Fitness Challenge
program that aims at establishing new fitness centers at schools not only company is reaching
out to community but also maintaining government relations ( one more overlap in quadrant).