In a gesture that blends corporate outreach with community support, Coca-Cola Bottling of Harahan recently made a donation to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office that's stirring some conversation. The love language of corporate America often speaks in the currency of product placement and brand visibility. So it was with a case of soft drinks, and not a briefcase of bills, that came courtesy of Coke's Share-a-Coke Program.
Amid the sparkle of cola and the clinking of glass, the word "hero" swiftly bubbles up to the surface in the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office Facebook post thanking Coca-Cola for the donation. "How fitting that the company wished to share a Coke with a 'Hero'," they posted. While the sentiment seems appreciated, eyebrows might raise as carbonated euphemisms attempt to can the complex discourse on what, and who, constitutes a hero.
The company responsible for the donation, represented by Ron Fix, is no stranger to local initiatives. Their Share-a-Coke campaign has been a mainstay in marketing circles for connecting names and titles to their brand. What stands to imbue the company's narrative with a fresh wave of grassroots goodwill, ostensibly, is this latest delivery of liquid refreshment to law enforcement.
Thank yous are important, of course, and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office did not hesitate to express their gratitude. "Thank you so much to Coca-Cola Bottling in Harahan for the generous donation," they acknowledged in their social media dispatch.
