Camo-Ade and Cammy Coke . . .on the Water Buffalo?

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Here’s “Camo-Ade” from Waco Kid at Penguin Proletariat! Very cool.

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In this weekend’s post, I challenged the executives at Coca-Cola to come up with a way to get some fluids to Major E., stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad. Specifically, I told them they needed to start a “Camp Victory” campaign, package Powerade and Coke in camouflage, and start shipping it by the crate-load to Iraq. And a Coke dispenser on every water buffalo.

As we sat in the relative comfort of 90 degree heat all day yesterday, watching double-header little league baseball, I kept thinking two things:

First: What does 107 degrees inside a tank feel like? We had a hard time keeping the boys playing baseball hydrated at 90 degrees — one of my son’s teammates actually threw up. (Of course there was also the crushing lead their opponents had on them. . . )

Second: Can you imagine how fast a “Camo-Ade” or “Cammy Coke” would fly off the shelves here at home . . . particularly among the youth athlete market? Watching the Dude and his buddies running around yesterday, with moms and dads pushing fluids at them, I just kept thinking that whoever came up with a patriotic, cammy-packaged drink product wouldn’t be able to keep it stocked in the stores. Just the opinion of one mother whose son would eat broccoli if it came in cammy.

Over at Manuever Marketing, they note that this situation is perfect for a small upstart drink manufacturer. . .

Everyone wants to be a “Dogface” today. How do I know? The Wall Street Journal recently reported that respect for the military is now so high that the number of people faking military service with “unauthorized” use of military decorations has increased dramatically.

So issue them Cammy Coke instead!

Of course, it’s not too late for Pepsi. I think everything I wrote to Coke could work for Pepsi, too. Steve Robbins wrote to suggest the following for Pepsi:

I would suggest to my friend PepsiCo that the company will need to respond quickly, and it will have to go well beyond a few cases of soda! Personally, I would recommend a visit to the war zone by PepsiCo President and Chief Financial Officer, Indra Nooyi. As a first measure of contrition, she could deliver a plaque to him, bearing Major E’s question, and the official answer of the Board, with all appropriate signatures affixed.

Secondly, I believe she and PepsiCo should simultaneously announce the establishment of some form of philanthropic effort on behalf of those brave individuals who have been serving in this war on terror. An educational fund for the children of those soldiers would be one logical possibility, as Indra made her admittedly intemperate remarks at Columbia University.

I can hear the protests already: some will argue that multi-national drink manufacturers wrapping their products in the flag would be hypocritical. Perhaps.

But symbols matter. Our soldiers hear the controversy over the war. Take a minute to read this post by Ma Deuce Gunner, an M2 Gunner serving in Kirkuk, Iraq which ends, “And they say we are the bad guys.”

No, they are the good guys. And anything we can do to support them is a good thing.

See also: A great Scott Johnson Powerline response to a New York Times article on the Pepsi controversy.

A salute to MudvilleGazette’s Open Post

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3 Responses

  1. Jamie says:

    An excellent idea, dang it all. Remember when kids wanted to buy the world a Coke? That campaign came about when I was not yet in double digits, and I still know all the words. The WWII pinups are absolutely iconic, if not entirely appropriate for a “coed” military – point being that they’re unforgettable. Kids love heroes and kids love soda and other sweet drinks – a match made in heaven (as long as they brush after every meal) that would also force to the forefront some positive imagery of American troops.

    Wow, I’d love to see another uplifting ad campaign for a change.

  2. DSmith says:

    “…multi-national drink manufacturers wrapping their products in the flag would be hypocritical…”

    Well, considering that Pepsi’s logo is clearly intended to be evocative of the American flag, at least in the US, maybe Pepsi NOT doing patriotic penance would be hypocritical. 🙂

  3. Beth says:

    It IS a great idea! What a great tribute to the military it would be for Coca-Cola to develop a drink in their honor.

    So, how about names/addresses to whom we should write at Coca-Cola?