Dispatches: Mark Thomas on Coca Cola

Political activist, comedian and journalist Mark Thomas travels to South America, India and the US to investigate the way in which the drink's suppliers operate, and uncovers evidence which could tarnish the reputation of the successful brand.

Notes From Documentary

Coca Cola sell 1.4 billion drinks everyday.

Dr Pemberton started Coca Cola in 1886 who was a morphine addict.

The 1936 Nazi olympics were sponsored by Coca Cola, but in the world war Germany couldn't get the supply of sugar to make Coca Cola so Coca Cola made Fanta for them instead.

4th April 1968 Martin Luther Kings last speech the day before he died who to boycott Coca Cola because the black person was being treated unfairly, doing all to lower class jobs and earning twice as little as the white workers.

In India there are protests about the water depletion, because the village wells are drying up because of the Coca Cola bottle factory next door.

It takes 2.5 litres of water to produce 1 litre of Coca Cola

It uses 290 Billion litres of water around the world a year.

Coca Cola say by 2010 they want to e water neutral, only take water that they can replace.

The Indian Government found that there were pesticides in the Coca Cola.

There were alot of protests by trade unionists because of Coca Cola's ethical and moral standards. AUC Black Eagles turned around and killed 9 trade unionists because of this.

In 2004 a New York City counsellor led a fact finding delegation to Coca Cola Columbia that there had been 179 human rights violations and 9 murders.

45 Universities have kicked Coca Cola off campus including Manchester, Sussex and Oxford.

There are 8 teaspoons of sugar in a 330ml can

In El Salvador the Coca Cola factory pollutes the river and kills fish and causes skin to irritate. Coca Cola produced a sample of the water and the results showed nothing, when El Salvador had enough money to get there owns sample they found the water contained bio-degradable chemicals that were 5 x the admirable levels.

Next year Coca Cola will spend £2 Billion in advertisements.

The consumer backlash against the company as ethically out of order has lost 4% of its brand value over the last two years costing around £2 Billion.

Coca Cola once said "Capturing a high school consumer means keeping them for around 50 / 60 years".

The Pepsi Vs Coca Cola challenge which is which, the experiment turned about the be neutral, Mark Thomas couldn't tell the difference.

When adverts of the two are shown the scans show the brain lighting up to the Coca Cola adverts. Its a perception behind the brand message.

watch at : http://www.mayomo.com/15449-mark-thomas-on-coca-cola-1-5

Guidelines

***After all the list there are arguments debating good sides to the topic but also bad sides or sides where people don't agree at all. I have got to find a way to convince something is good.***

How can I say something is good if they have bad points to them aswel?

For instance Coca-Cola

The owners point of veiw- Profits of $7.422 billion in 2009 will see this as good for there company.

However the workers do not agree with how the company is run, so this can be seen as bad.

There are two arguments to each of the topics I have chosen maybe some are not split down the middle as coke but I think I need to draw a line on what I think is good.

If someone would ask me what I thought of the work good, I would say its something ok, not amazing just above average but more towards the positive side.

This list below is where I see good in the order of worst to best:

Shocking

Very Bad

Bad

Ok

Good

Very Good

Amazing

So its just above OK

Now if I divide them up between one hundred percent I will see what percentages good relates to, so when I collect my research I know what to bare in mind for a percentage of good.

Shocking -10%

Very Bad 10% - 25%

Bad 25% - 40%

Ok 40% - 55%

Good 55% - 70%

Very Good 70% - 85%

Amazing +85%

Now I have evenly worked out the percentages as I see good, I will be looking for facts & figures hitting roughly the 55% - 70% marks.

I feel that I have to make some restrictions or else I would be here all day arguing whether or not a subject is good or not.

100% Good?

Is there anything that is 100% good. From the list I started off with what I thought was good, everything seems to have its good points but also a few points people may disagree on or believe might be bad. I think that it depends on looking at something good from different aspects.

This below is the list I started with to look at vaguely to see whether the topics were "Good". I have now summed up the pro's and con's of the topics.

Typefaces

Like the Gill Sans typeface I looked at I found really interesting, however how do I prove that Gill Sans was the best type for London transport rather than other existing types. Maybe some people see it not a characteristics type that suits the London Transport

Slang – Cockney

I really think the concept was good for criminals to talk in a different language so police and public couldn't understand what they were talking about. However this wasn't good from the Police's aspect as they were unsure what the criminals were planning.

New Environments

Traveling new places to see new cultures is good to gain a greater understanding of different cultures. But some people would argue they would rather save their money and look at a place on the internet. So the argument can be good and bad.

Money (if you have it)

Money is good if you have it so you have no worries. But some people can argue that money can spoil life's aswel.

Comedy

Comedy is good for making you laugh which is good but some people will say that certain jokes aimed at different audiences are not so good.

Bikes

To use a bike is good for your fitness ect. But comparing Leeds to Berlin it seems that the drivers here are less road considerate than Berlin and are weary of using bikes as transport.

Recycling

I don't think to many people can complain to much about recycling, but again there will be people who may disagree with how the recycling system is controlled by the government.

Mixing Paints (Patterns)

Something I really like is starring at paint mixing in patterns but I think there would be alot of people who would find it really boring to look at.

Road Signs

Road signs are good because everyone who drives can understand them and are a set of rules. However again people who may have lost life's have questioned why or not there have road signs on certain roads or certain speed limits.

Illustrated T-shirts

Really getting into t-shirt illustrations at the minute, appreciating the illustrations, but there are people I know who wouldn't want to wear any branding names.

Monopoly

Split down the middle people would either like the game or prefer something else instead.

Sound Systems

Something which has became more interesting to me since i've moved to Leeds but it all depends on what music genre you like

Handcrafted Type

Again Split down the middle some people may be interested in Hand crafted type or prefer computer based.

Newspapers

Newspapers are good but know you can search the news on the internet so are newspapers slowly dying out?

Thermal Photography Police Helicopters

Ideal for the Police forces but because of the energy consumption is it wise to still be used?

Urban Knitters

Are they littering the streets or is it art? Same debate as Graffiti

Medication

Is relying on medication good for us or does it weaken the immune system?

Freebies

Anything you get for free is good but if you decide you don't want it how do you dispose it? recycle it? Throw it in a bin?

***After all the list there are arguments debating good sides to the topic but also bad sides or sides where people don't agree at all. I have got to find a way to convince something is good.***

Definitions

What is Bad?

1. Not achieving an adequate standard; poor: a bad concert.

2. Evil; sinful.

3. Vulgar or obscene: bad language.

4. Informal Disobedient or naughty: bad children.

5. Disagreeable, unpleasant, or disturbing: a bad piece of news.

6. Unfavorable: bad reviews for the play.

7. Not fresh; rotten or spoiled: bad meat.

8. Injurious in effect; detrimental: bad habits.

9. Not working properly; defective: a bad telephone connection.

10. Full of or exhibiting faults or errors: bad grammar.

11. Having no validity; void: passed bad checks.

12. Being so far behind in repayment as to be considered a loss: bad loans.

13. Severe; intense: a bad cold.

14.

a. Being in poor health or in pain: I feel bad today.

b. Being in poor condition; diseased: bad lungs.

15. Sorry; regretful: She feels bad about how she treated you.

16. bad·der, bad·dest Slang Very good; great.

n.

Something that is below standard or expectations, as of ethics or decency: weighing the good against the bad.

adv. Usage Problem

Badly.

Idioms:

in bad Informal

In trouble or disfavor.

my bad Slang

Used to acknowledge that one is at fault.

not half/so bad Informal

Reasonably good.

Definitions

What is Good?

1. Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad or poor: a good experience; good news from the hospital.

2.

a. Having the qualities that are desirable or distinguishing in a particular thing: a good exterior paint; a good joke.

b. Serving the desired purpose or end; suitable: Is this a good dress for the party?

3.

a. Not spoiled or ruined: The milk is still good.

b. In excellent condition; sound: a good tooth.

4.

a. Superior to the average; satisfactory: a good student.

b. Used formerly to refer to the U.S. Government grade of meat higher than standard and lower than choice.

5.

a. Of high quality: good books.

b. Discriminating: good taste.

6. Worthy of respect; honorable: ruined the family's good name.

7. Attractive; handsome: good looks.

8. Beneficial to health; salutary: a good night's rest.

9. Competent; skilled: a good machinist.

10. Complete; thorough: a good workout.

11.

a. Reliable; sure: a good investment.

b. Valid or true: a good reason.

c. Genuine; real: a good dollar bill.

12.

a. In effect; operative: a warranty good for two years; a driver's license that is still good.

b. Able to continue in a specified activity: I'm good for another round of golf.

13.

a. Able to pay or contribute: Is she good for the money that you lent her?

b. Able to elicit a specified reaction: He is always good for a laugh.

14.

a. Ample; substantial: a good income.

b. Bountiful: a good table.

15. Full: It is a good mile from here.

16.

a. Pleasant; enjoyable: had a good time at the party.

b. Propitious; favorable: good weather; a good omen.

17.

a. Of moral excellence; upright: a good person.

b. Benevolent; kind: a good soul; a good heart.

c. Loyal; staunch: a good Republican.

18.

a. Well-behaved; obedient: a good child.

b. Socially correct; proper: good manners.

19. Sports

a. Landing within bounds or within a particular area of a court and therefore in play: The first serve was wide, but the second was good.

b. Passing between the uprights of the goal and therefore scoring, as a field goal in football.

20. Used to form exclamatory phrases expressing surprise or dismay: Good heavens! Good grief!

n.

1.

a. Something that is good.

b. A good, valuable, or useful part or aspect.

2. Welfare; benefit: for the common good.

3. Goodness; virtue: There is much good to be found in people.

4. goods

a. Commodities; wares: frozen goods.

b. Portable personal property.

c. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Fabric; material.

5. goods Slang Incriminating information or evidence: tried to get the goods on the crook.

adv. Informal

Well.

Idioms:

as good as

Practically; nearly: as good as new.

but good

Informal Used as an intensive: The pipe started to leak but good.

for good

Permanently; forever: I'm moving to Europe for good.

good and

Informal Very; thoroughly: I'll do it when I'm good and ready.

no good Informal

1. Worthless.

2. Futile; useless: It's no good arguing with them.

to the good

1. For the best; advantageous.

2. In an advantageous financial position: ended up to the good.