Free Air-time Promoting Coke

Analysis:

These two pieces are obvious video news releases. Essentially, WXMI and WOOD are giving Coca-cola a free comercial by running these stories. Considering the hundreds of millions of dollars that Coke spends on advertising, it is hard to see how the stations are serving the public interest by reporting on new Coke slogans.

Story:

WXMI 17 Newsreader – Not getting wired enough from guzzling Coca-Cola? How about mixing it with coffee, that’s what coke plans to do with its new drink Coca-Cola Black. The Atlanta based soft drink company is on the verge of a marketing blitz just barely selling more pop than Pepsi, if you’re wondering that’s about 100 billion dollars annually, they’re also changing their slogan to “Welcome to the coke side of life.”

Total Time: 21 seconds

WOOD 8 Newsreader – Coca-Cola is changing it’s slogan again, the company is replacing it’s catch phrase “Real” with “Welcome to the Coke side of life.” Coke has had about fifty slogans over the years but “The real thing” launched in 1969 may be the best known. By comparison Pepsi has had about 40 different slogans over the years.

Total Time: 20 seconds