I rarely watch the news and now I know why. Last night I saw something that left me speechless and questioning my fellow man. We’ve all heard the phrase “I thought I’d seen it all,” and just when I thought I had – the stupidity of mankind reared its ugly head once again. At the center of controversy was Coke (not the drug), the mega corporate soft drink manufacturer. Apparently the good people at Coca Cola decided to run a wintery ad campaign aimed at benefiting the endangered polar bear. Every year some major brand will run a seasonal ad to benefit a disadvantaged group or an endangered species. Coca Cola for years has been putting polar bears on their classic red coke cans signifying the upcoming holidays and the change of season.
You may be asking yourself, why is this news worthy? This year the executives at Coke changed the original red coke cans to white (to signify snow…polar bears, get it?) in an effort to raise money for the endangered bear. According to last night’s national news thousands of coke fanatics had and are having what can only be called a s$#t fit over the white can. Apparently all over the nation scores of coke drinkers were fooled by the white cans. The reports were that the white can was too close in color to the METALLIC SILVER diet coke cans and people were confused, they just couldn’t tell the difference – despite the obvious fact that one can said DIET and the other did not. I’ve seen both cans and if you can’t tell the difference between a snow colored white can and a metallic silver can then you have too much sugar on the brain. Some coke drinkers went as far as to write and call the Coca Cola Corporate headquarters accusing them of changing the formula – which of course they didn’t only the can. Some even swore on television that their beloved coke tasted different in a white colored can. Seriously?
The only thing that did change is my faith in man. Due to the outcry and the decrease in sales, coke has decided to discontinue the fund raising effort two months earlier than originally scheduled. Ridiculous! C’mon people, are we that blind and strung out on sugar or are we just that bored and stupid that we have nothing else to do but get worked up over the color of a soda (or pop) can? Really? Personally I’m ashamed.
The ironic part of all of the blustering about red or white cans, good or bad taste is that we forgot the original point – which was to raise funds for an endangered animal. We’ll get our precious RED can back and everyone will win……except the polar bear. Maybe next year they could try a lighter colored red can.
You may be asking yourself, why is this news worthy? This year the executives at Coke changed the original red coke cans to white (to signify snow…polar bears, get it?) in an effort to raise money for the endangered bear. According to last night’s national news thousands of coke fanatics had and are having what can only be called a s$#t fit over the white can. Apparently all over the nation scores of coke drinkers were fooled by the white cans. The reports were that the white can was too close in color to the METALLIC SILVER diet coke cans and people were confused, they just couldn’t tell the difference – despite the obvious fact that one can said DIET and the other did not. I’ve seen both cans and if you can’t tell the difference between a snow colored white can and a metallic silver can then you have too much sugar on the brain. Some coke drinkers went as far as to write and call the Coca Cola Corporate headquarters accusing them of changing the formula – which of course they didn’t only the can. Some even swore on television that their beloved coke tasted different in a white colored can. Seriously?
The only thing that did change is my faith in man. Due to the outcry and the decrease in sales, coke has decided to discontinue the fund raising effort two months earlier than originally scheduled. Ridiculous! C’mon people, are we that blind and strung out on sugar or are we just that bored and stupid that we have nothing else to do but get worked up over the color of a soda (or pop) can? Really? Personally I’m ashamed.
The ironic part of all of the blustering about red or white cans, good or bad taste is that we forgot the original point – which was to raise funds for an endangered animal. We’ll get our precious RED can back and everyone will win……except the polar bear. Maybe next year they could try a lighter colored red can.
Rudy Thomas
BA training. 
Such limited perspective from people. Seeing things in black and white – or RED and white in this case. There’s a whole spectrum of color between these two extremes. I’m left speechless by this sugar drunk stupor also.