SodaStream
When Coca-Cola
SodaStream embraced the conflict, and over the weekend it took the battle to Coca-Cola's home turf.
SodaStream sent one of its 30 "cage" exhibits -- showing the thousands of cans and bottles of soda that a typical family goes through over the years -- to Atlanta's Centennial Park.
CEO Daniel Birnbaum is milking the most of this moment.
"We stand firm in our intention not to comply," he said in a Friday press release ahead of the Atlanta "cage" fight. "If Coca-Cola claims to still own these bottles, then they should clean up their own garbage. Approximately 1 billion bottles and cans end up in our parks, rivers, oceans and garbage dumps every day worldwide -- almost 400 million in America alone."
"Coke will not silence us with threatening letters," he went on.
Coca-Cola's letter pertained to just one of the SodaStream exhibits in South Africa. Even though there are also PepsiCo
SodaStream is generating plenty of free publicity here, and it comes at an ideal time for the company. After SodaStream's products hit several stateside retailers over the past two years, Wal-Mart
Coca-Cola is in a no-win situation here. It's setting itself up as a bully, championing the value of its junked cans and bottle. SodaStream is going to sip every last drop out of this stunt while it can.
Drink up
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