Dear Coke...

Friday, June 24, 2005

E. Neville Isdell
Chairman, Board of Directors, CEO
The Coca-Cola Company
P.O. Box 1734, Atlanta Georgia 30301

Dear Mr. Isdell,

As President, Founder and (currently) Sole Member of the “Coke is IT! Fan Club,” I am writing this letter to bring to your attention a SERIOUS flaw within your current marketing campaign. I can understand that, as the CEO of such a large corporation, you do not have a lot of time, so I will get straight to the point. If you will look at your typical 20 oz. Bottle of Coke, you will notice that there is a misprint at the top of the label. I am sure that you meant to print that we have a 1 in 6 chance of winning a free Coke and not a 1 in 12 chance of winning a free Coke. Surely a company who cares about the people of the world SO much would not DECREASE our chances of winning would they? I recall your jingle in the 70’s... “I’d like to buy the world a coke... and keep it company...” I also recall the words peace and harmony intertwined in there somewhere as well. Well we are not asking you buy us a Coke... Just give us decent odds; furthermore, how does decreasing our odds of winning a free Coke increase peace and harmony? Can someone explain this to me, because I would like to know.

I recall a few years back, when your marketing campaign dropped the “Win a 1,000,000 dollars or a free Coke” to “Win a free Coke.” This did not bother me... because really, my chances of winning a million dollars were like one in a gajillion... so this didn’t affect my chances of winning really at all. I actually sang your praises... saying things like, “Coke FINALLY got their marketing campaign right... WIN A FREE COKE... that’s all we really want in life... just the opportunity to win a free Coke.” As a matter of fact, on the days I actually won a free coke... It was immediately a great day. As I would be driving down the road and I would look under my cap and the words “Free 20 oz Coke” were written... one could hear an audible “Woo Hoo!” coming from my car. In the back of my mind I would be thinking... “5 unlucky saps lost... BUT NOT ME. Lucky Number 6. YEAH B-A-B-Y!” Now you leave me with the chance of having a good day 1 in every 12 days. Not a good deal; unless this has all been some kind of mistake...

But if it hasn’t been a mistake and this was somehow intentional... Be.Forewarned. I am willing to file a lawsuit and bring it all the way to the Supreme Court if I must. If I were your company, I would be worried. Surely a Supreme Court that votes 5 to 4 in favor of taking people’s homes away to put up a new mall or corporation will side on my behalf. Their Kantian ways will side on what is best for the largest amount of people. And what is best for the people is: FREE COKE. You will be forced to return the odds back to 1 in 6... They may even force you to provide me with free coke for the rest of my life, because of the “trauma” you have caused me. I know this sounds harsh... but desperate times require desperate mesures. Thanks for your time. Again, I understand that you are a busy man. In closing, would like to leave you with these final words:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness....

Mr. Isdell, our pursuit of Happiness includes having a 1 in 6 chance to Win a free Coke.
Is a 1 in 6 chance of winning a free Coke too much to ask?


Sincerely,

Ben

President and Founder of the
“Coke is IT! Fan Club."