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Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:04 pm

ATLANTA (AP) â€” Coca-Cola Co. is working to mend relations with one of its biggest customers, Burger King Corp., after conceding that employees undermined a marketing test of Frozen Coke three years ago at one of the fast-food chainâ€™s outlets.
Steven Heyer, Cokeâ€™s president and chief operating officer, apologized for the rigging episode in a letter late Tuesday to Burger King CEO Brad Blum. ***Call me pedantic, but "Coke" is not acceptable in second reference to the Coca-Cola Co. "Coke" is OK only when referring to the soft drink.***

Steve O'Brien · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:45 pm

Yes, Mr. Blanchard, but maybe you'll agree that this principle could be carried too far. After all, The New York Times allows "Con Edison" and even "Con Ed" instead of "Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc."

contrarysounding · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:30 pm

Maybe a slimmed-down company name goes with the plans for a lower-carb beverage:
http://money.cnn.com/2004/04/19/news/fortune500/coke/?cnn=yes

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 5:40 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Steve O'Brien:
Yes, Mr. Blanchard, but maybe you'll agree that this principle could be carried too far. After all, The New York Times allows "Con Edison" and even "Con Ed" instead of "Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc."<hr></blockquote>Remarkably, I was referring only to the Coca-Cola Co. and "Coke," not the New York utility.

SusanV · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:19 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Steve O'Brien:
Yes, Mr. Blanchard, but maybe you'll agree that this principle could be carried too far. After all, The New York Times allows "Con Edison" and even "Con Ed" instead of "Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc."<hr></blockquote> Apples and oranges, my friend. Blanp is absolutely correct.

JayByrd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:39 pm

Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Colonel... that Coca-Cola machine. I want you to shoot the lock off it. There may be some change in there.
Colonel "Bat" Guano: That's private property.
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: Colonel! Can you possibly imagine what is going to happen to you, your frame, outlook, way of life, and everything, when they learn that you have obstructed a telephone call to the President of the United States? Can you imagine? Shoot it off! Shoot! With a gun! That's what the bullets are for, you twit!
Colonel "Bat" Guano: Okay. I'm gonna get your money for ya. But if you don't get the President of the United States on that phone, you know what's gonna happen to you?
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: What?
Colonel "Bat" Guano: You're gonna have to answer to the Coca-Cola company.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:47 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by blanp:
[QB***Call me pedantic, but "Coke" is not acceptable in second reference to the Coca-Cola Co. "Coke" is OK only when referring to the soft drink.***[/QB]<hr></blockquote>Doesn't make me nearly as testy as the continued use of CEO when chief executive does the job better, regardless of what anyone's style book may say.[ April 21, 2004: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]

majorbabs · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2004 3:43 pm

I have to vote with blanp. Coke is only a product of the Coca-Cola company, not the company. It might be like referring to R. J. Reynolds by using one of its cigarette brands, or to Kellogg by one of its cereal brands.

Jim Bond · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:28 pm

On a somewhat related note, here in Dallas Ford Crown Victorias have been in the news because they're the city's cop cars and their gas tanks occasionally explode after rear-end collisions. Broadcast news-types have been fond of referring to these cars as Crown Vics. To me this shows either an affinity for these cop-killers or, more likely, laziness. To their credit, local print journalists, save for an occasional headline, have known better.

majorbabs · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:43 pm

Didn't we used to call those Pintos?

Jim Bond · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2004 3:57 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by majorbabs:
Didn't we used to call those Pintos?<hr></blockquote>
It's clear that exploding cars offer untold opportunities for humor. Still, back on topic: pblanf's got my vote, too. Calling the Coca-Cola company "Coke" is like calling Ford Motor Company Company (Babs) "Pinto."

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