Using Coca Cola’s Distribution Muscle

May 6, 2008 by Simon Berry 

Coca Cola Distribution in Dakar Coca Cola in Soweto

Photo credits: Right: Nick Gripton Left: Marie-II

Today, via a tweet, I was invited by Number 10 to join a live blog of the Business Call To Action event. As the commentary scrolled by, Coca Cola made a statement and it reminded me of an idea that first came to me some 20 years ago, as I drove through the bush in NE Zambia in an area where one in five children die before the age five, usually from dehydration. This was in the days before blogs when it was difficult to know where to park such random thoughts.

This is what I typed in to today’s live blog:

[Comment From Simon Berry]
What about Coca Cola using their
distribution channels (which are amazing in developing countries) to
distribute rehydration salts? Maybe by dedicating one compartment in
every 10 crates as ‘the life saving’ compartment?

I still think it’s a good idea. Coca Cola, are you listening?

Further information

All of the Coca Cola Campaign posts

I’m thankful to the photographers who have allowed me (through personal contact or Creative Commons Licensing) to use their photos.

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Comments

11 Responses to “Using Coca Cola’s Distribution Muscle”

  1. alex on May 11th, 2008 10:22 am

    Simon

    With ref. to your new job, you should see this post by Stephen Bubb, CE of acevo

    http://bloggerbubb.blogspot.com/2008/05/geraniums-itv-and-ceo-job.html

    He mentions your new department

  2. Simon on May 12th, 2008 10:02 am

    Cheers Alex. This is really useful. I’ve added a comment on Stephen’s blog.
    See: http://tinyurl.com/3p9pvb
    Regards
    Simon

  3. Alison Lowndes on May 18th, 2008 12:38 pm

    Brilliant idea, how can I help (in Kenya at least)?

  4. How can we make the most of the Business Call To Action? | ColaLife on August 10th, 2008 10:25 am

    [...] hosted by Gordon Brown on 6 May 2008 that re-ignited this idea and started the ColaLife Campaign. I wrote about this at the time. The 6 May event was part of the build-up to the main UN-level event in New York on 25 September [...]

  5. Progress Report - 27/8/08 | ColaLife on August 27th, 2008 9:07 pm

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

  6. More ideas for the pilot phase | ColaLife on October 18th, 2008 6:40 pm

    [...] Distribution Centres. As well as piloting the use of the network to meet a social need, as in Simon’s Colalife idea, some other key opportunities are also emerging. These include the potential for improved [...]

  7. Progress Report - 1/11/08 : ColaLife on November 1st, 2008 8:10 pm

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

  8. Progress Report - 6/12/08 : ColaLife on December 6th, 2008 6:10 pm

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

  9. Progress Report - 26/8/09 : ColaLife on August 26th, 2009 9:52 pm

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

  10. Progress Report - 30/12/09 : ColaLife on December 30th, 2009 5:01 pm

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

  11. Progress Report - 30/4/10 : ColaLife on May 2nd, 2010 11:32 am

    [...] 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle [...]

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