DISQUS

Matthew, you couldn't be more correct, my friend. Coca-Cola's John Stichweh is missing the entire point of marketing in today's ever changing world. Coke MUST bring the product closer to the people. It's not so much about selling more cases of Coke as it is about engaging a very elusive and hard to reach demo by embracing their creativity. Coke knows they must acknowledge the consumer and they will continue to do it in even bigger ways, despite the Stichweh's of the organization. Stichweh's are important, too. Stichweh's are old school. Coke needs its bottle-pushers. Stichweh has his place as a good bottle-pusher at Coke or at any beverage concern. But Esther Lee, Mary Minnick and Chuck Fruit have all wondered out loud how to "make Coke bigger while acting smaller" and how to "engage" the public. HELLO! They've gone outside traditional agencies to find new ideas that engage AND defy the very savvy TiVo, iPod, CGM/UGC generation. They may have taken a cautious approach at first, but they're hip now and if they're smart, they will lead the way in revolutionizing advertising/marketing as we (and Stichweh) once knew it instead of watching and waiting and listening to their bottle-pushers. They need to listen to Mary Minnick, who is a visionary. They will.