|
news
Coke buys Long
Beach
By Jeanne Hoffa
On-line Forty-Niner
It may be a long
trek through Long Beach before Dr. Pepper fans can quench
their thirst. The Long Beach City Council voted Tuesday to
accept a $3 million contract that crowns Coca-Cola the prime
beverage supplier in city buildings, parks, recreational facilities,
beaches and even fire departments.
Coke will stock
226 vending machines, but won't drape city hall or the mayor's
desk with red banners ? no advertising or signage rights are
included.
Coca-Cola bottling
spokesman Bob Phillips said the partnership gives Long Beach
an alternate revenue source that benefits the community without
raising taxes.
Meanwhile, rival
Pepsi has snagged Sacramento. Unfortunately, Pepsi was relegated
to sales only in privately owned businesses ? supermarkets,
restaurants, convenience stores and gas stations.
Huntington Beach
was the first in the nation to declare Coca-Cola a city's
official beverage two years ago. Long Beach is only the fourth
city in California to enter into such an agreement, following
Oceanside and Stockton.
Exclusive contracts
with whole cities are only the newest jewel in the market
domination crown for Coke and Pepsi. The rival cola makers
have been in a mad scramble to sign contracts with college
campuses since the mid-'90s. Coke or Pepsi have managed to
procure exclusive pouring, vending and signage rights with
19 of the 23 campuses in the California State University system.
Cal State Long
Beach accepted $1.2 million in 1994 to make Coca-Cola the
sole beverage supplier on campus for 12 years. The money was
used to complete construction on The Pyramid, a structure
that cost $22 million to build.
Other large campuses
signing similar agreements with Coke include UCLA, UC Berkeley,
and San Diego State. Pepsi signed with USC.
|
