SG, business fraternities host Coca-Cola executive
Student Government partnered with business fraternities Delta Sigma Pi and Alpha Kappa Psi to sponsor the event and give marketing undergraduates insight on marketing from a company that partners with the university.
"Coke has been a part of our culture for over 125 years," said Student Body President Joe Wright, a fourth year finance and marketing student. "I think people are just interested in Coca-Cola's history and gain a lot of insight from someone on the inside."
Holmes discussed Coke's sustainability efforts, knowledge that relates to the job market and interviewing, marketing and rare known facts about Coca-Cola Consolidated.
"Our side is about the customers and retail outlets," Holmes said. "Point of sale materials to retail promotion, local sponsorships and regional assets is what we do to make up our end of the marketing plan."
The company is the largest independent bottler in the U.S. and distributes an estimate of 150 million cases of soda a year. As a bottler, manufacturing takes place with the "biggest of the big brands." Syrup is purchased from Coca-Cola Consolidated to produce beverages, manufacture and distribute them around America. Vitamin Water, Powerade, Monster and other beverages are not made on Coke's production lines because of a different manufacturing process. However, the beverages' syrups are purchased from Coca-Cola.
A large retailer of Coca-Cola products, USC is serviced out of Bishopville, S.C. and Charlotte, N.C.
Holmes discussed Dr. Pepper's shared partnership, as many students questioned who produces the soda. It is an independent brand that gives 30-40 percent of its business to Pepsi and Coke each. The brand can afford to distribute itself in the Oklahoma area as well.
"It's okay to drink it from our viewpoint," Holmes said.
Coke has recently increased its sustainability efforts, including a "plant bottler" initiative with Dasani. Thirty percent of the plastic bottle comes from sugar cane, molasses and other plants. According to Holmes, 60,000 barrels of oil have been saved in the past year from this effort.
Coca-Cola also uses its recycled bottles to produce T-shirts and other giveaway items. The company has created five types of recycling bins placed around organizations with which they partner, such as USC. A unique one is Coke's recycled syrup bin.
"It's not the most glamorous one out there, but it hits home because it does a double whammy," Holmes said. "We are recycling the bin first, then encouraging people to recycle the bin overall."
At the event, Coke gave USC students a keepsake for the baseball team's championship to congratulate them in a memorable way through a classic glass Coke bottle.
"When partners go on to win back-to-back championships, we can celebrate that with them," Holmes said. "We're able to do a commemorative bottle."
Holmes also gave marketing undergraduates advice to make the most of their career after graduating.
"In the beginning, don't focus on the up," Holmes said. "Focus on as many lateral experiences as you can get."
Over half of the jobs are created in the manner that "it's not what you know, it's who you know," Holmes said, suggesting that if students have contacts to help them in their career field, they should use them.
"The contacts get you the interview; you have to go get the job," Holmes said.
Marketing students should try to get brand and distributor experience to help view the customer's point of view better, he said. Between 18 months and two years should give a broad aspect of what the job is.
"I've grown up being a Coke drinker, so it's cool to see how everything works out," said first-year marketing student Mia Eriksson. "I think it'd be cool to work in the beverage industry later on. I'm just really interested in what makes people buy what they do."