Introduction
A company will use a public relations division within their marketing department to boost their reputation with the public. The public relations division will do this by presenting information in a positive way so that the image of the company can be superior in the eyes of the public. There are numerous methods the public relations division can exploit on to distribute information regarding a company which may include press releases (PR), fact sheets, brochures, and public service announcements. Also, an individual that is employed as a professional of public relations will have the responsibility of protecting the character of the company they are working for. They will do this by serving as an advocate in informing the public of the goals, products, and issues associated with the company (Kennesaw State University, 2003). With that being said, discussed below will be the Coca-Cola Company, which is a Fortune 500 Company. In addition, a couple of press releases released by the company will be discussed, and the discussion will also include the intention of the public relations division of the company sending out the messages to the public.
Coca-Cola – Fortune 500 Company
The Coca-Cola Company is a top bottling company that specializes in marketing, production, and distribution of Coca-Cola products. In 2010 the company was classified as number 72 in the Fortune 500 list among other Fortune 500 companies. However, if the Fortune 500 grading was listed by profits instead of revenue then the company would be classified as number 18 instead of 72 due to their high ranking profits of over $6 million in 2010 (USPages, n.d.). The companies press releases takes into account the environment, wellness and nutrition, and campaigning for individuals that are in need due to unforeseen circumstances (Coca-Cola Company, 2011).
What is the General Context of Press Releases?
The general context of one of the press release chosen for review by the Coca-Cola Company is an informative announcement about the environment in which the bottling company is in a strategic partnership with Heinz Company. With this partnership Heinz Ketchup will produce ketchup bottles using the Coca-Cola’s Companies advancement of the “PlantBottle” which is made partially from plants and these bottles are lower in reliance than that of the traditional plastic bottles that the ketchup company uses (Coca-Cola Company, 2011). The general context of the next press release chosen for review by the Coca-Cola Company is also an informative announcement about the environment in which they want to educate others in being more eco-friendly. In this press release, since global warming is at risk of damaging the planet, the Coca-Cola Company wants to continually do their part by reducing this effect. They have done this by having the Coca-Cola China representatives come together with the International Antarctica Expedition (IAE) and their representatives, and together they have directly reduced the global warming effect by educating individuals on energy usage and garbage and water recycling (Coca-Cola Company, 2011).
What is the Accomplishment and Relationship of the Press Releases?
There were a few things accomplished by the Coca-Cola Company in the two press releases chosen for review. First, the company releasing both of these press releases shows that they want to be more environmental friendly with the planet, and they too want other businesses to join in with them. Next, since Antarctica is a continent that is predominantly covered by ice and any ecological changes in the environment there can significantly impact the rest of the world, the entire Coca-Cola Company wanted to accomplish educating individuals on how to be more sufficient in helping the environment by reducing energy usage and being more reliable in recycling of garbage and water (Coca-Cola Company, 2011). This, in my opinion, shows that the Coca-Cola Company cares about the environment of the planet and wants to educate others regarding the environment so that everyone can come together to be more earth friendly. Also, these two press releases are related to each other because the Coca-Cola Company presents basically the same message of protecting the environment and educating others on how to do the same.
Did the Company Send a Consistent Message?
The two press releases of the Coca-Cola Company chosen for review, in my opinion, were consistent. Once again, these two press releases focus on the same general topic of keeping the environment friendly and educating others in regards to keeping the environment friendly and safe for everyone. With that being said, the press releases send a message that the Coca-Cola Company cares and is dedicated to keeping the planet clean and safe for others. Also, on numerous levels the press releases show that the company makes every effort to make the environment others live in healthier, and this in itself gives their consumers a great reason to choose their products over other competitor products because of the concern they present regarding the environment that we live in.
Conclusion
A public relations division for Global Gadgets Imports (GGI) will serve the company by helping the public and the media get a better understanding of what we have to offer and how the business works, such as with Coca-Cola Enterprises. Understanding the target audience of GGI will be the key component to ensuring that each marketing strategy chosen by the company remains effective. Also, researching the likes and dislikes, as well as the social communication preferences of our consumers will be a major phase for the public relations professionals of the company. This will be of great importance when it comes to knowing what our consumers want and need from us. Furthermore, creating adequate press releases for what the company has to offer to consumers should be formulated and presented to the public and media for review. This would be particularly helpful to consumers when new ideas or products are offered by the company so that the consumers will know why they were presented by the company (CTU Online, 2011).
References
Coca-Cola Company. (2011). Company articles. Coca-Cola China does its part to reduce environmental impact. Retrieved from http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2011/06/coca-cola-china-promotes-international-antarctica-expedition.html
Coca-Cola Company. (2011). Press releases. Heinz to deliver keynote address on PlantBottle, packaging at BioPlastek 2011 forum. Retrieved from http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/dynamic/press_center/2011/06/heinz-to-discuss-plantbottle-packaging.html
CTU Online. (2011). Applied Managerial Marketing. Phase 1 course materials [text]. Retrieved from https://campus.ctuonline.edu/pages/MainFrame.aspx?ContentFrame=/Home/Pages/Default.aspx
Kennesaw State University. (2003). Department of Communication. Public relations. Retrieved from http://www.kennesaw.edu/communication/publicrelations.shtml
USPages. (n.d.). The Coca-Cola Company. Retrieved from http://www.uspages.com/companyID92.htm