ATLANTA -- The Coca-Cola Co. is combining teams responsible for carbonated soft drink strategy and integrated marketing communications to create a new internal group called the "global sparkling brand center," according to a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The new team will be responsible for coming up with strategies that grow the company's sparkling drink business, which includes its flagship Coca-Cola soft drink.
The goal is to "bring strategy and execution together to work more closely" when it comes to marketing soft drinks and delivering services to retailers, restaurants, bottlers and other business customers, spokesperson Kate Hartman told the newspaper.
The new team will be headed by Wendy Clark, who had been senior vice-president of integrated marketing communications. Clark, now senior vice president of the global sparkling brand center, had led the company's integrated marketing communication team since joining Coke 2008.
Shay Drohan, who had been senior vice president of sparkling brands, left the company to pursue outside entrepreneurial opportunities, company told the paper. Drohan had been with Coke for 15 years.
The sparkling brand team will work closely with Coke's commercial leadership group, which is responsible for delivering services to the marketplace, said the report. The commercial team is headed by Tom Boyle.
Hartman said the internal realignment also creates another team, called the "business services center," for added support to the marketing and commercial teams.
Business services will be headed by John Hackett, who had led marketing and customer and commercial operations for Coke's Pacific group, the report said.
The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, is the world's largest beverage company, with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, its portfolio features 15 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle.
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