The Yes Men blast Coca-Cola
BY Ken Edelstein • December 12, 2009
Coke has been pranked by the Yes Men.
Two people purporting to be Atlanta-based Coca-Cola PR employees blasted the company’s environmental and human rights record at a press conference yesterday in Copenhagen, according to Grist. Public Relations Specialist “Frank Guerrero” and Public Relations Assistant “Stacia Van Wooten” “urged people in Copenhagen to never drink the soft drink again, denouncing their company’s environmental and human rights record in a highly unusual press conference* in the Hopenhagen LIVE area in City Hall Square.”
Except Guerrero looks suspiciously like Igor Vamos (compare the photo above to the guy in the video). Vamos is one of The Yes Men, the anti-corporate pranksters who have a new movie out. I’m not sure who Stacia Van Wooten is, but I’m betting she’s in on the act.
The two urged those attending the event — which needless to say, wasn’t part of the official U.N. climate confab — to take the following pledge:
I, [name], with respect for crimes against people and the planet, from this day forward, for the rest of my living days will never, ever, drink Coca-Cola again until the Coca-Cola company ceases and entirely stops stealing the water from communities in India and stops union-busting in Colombia and ceases and desists entirely from relentless and absurd greenwashing like a ‘bottle of hope.’
Coke’s being targeted because it’s claiming to be good actor on climate change, but has been enveloped in controversies ranging from its use of water in India to the bullying of union activists by its bottling affiliate in Colombia. My personal pet peeve: The company’s role in blocking stronger container recycling laws, which would certainly reduce the greenhouse gases dedicated to the manufacture of bottles and cans.
Grist says 20 people took the pledge. Guerrero and Van Wooten said they expected to be fired.
See the Grist story here, but I’ll also try to follow. I’m trying to see if Coke will respond, so consider real Coke PR folks please contact me if this story shows up on any feeds of yours!
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