WASSERMAN / LA TIMES

Dear Principal
Here we are in year two of the great Coke contract. I hope your first weeks were successful and that pretty much everything is in place (except staffing, technology, planning time and telephones).

First, the good news: this year’s installment from Coke is ‘in the house’ and checks will be cut for you to pick up in my office this week.

Now the not-so-good news: we must sell 70,000 cases of product (including juices, sodas, waters etc) during the first three years of the contract.

The math on how to achieve this is really quite simple. Last year we had 32,439 students, 3,000 employees and 176 days in the school year. If 35,439 staff and students buy one Coke product every other day for a school year, we will double the required quota.

Here is how we can do it:
1. Allow students to purchase and consume vended products throughout the day. If sodas are not allowed in classes, consider allowing juices, teas and waters.
2. Locate machines where they are accessible to the students all day. Location, location, location is the key.
3. A list of Coke products is enclosed to allow you to select from the entire menu.
4. A calendar of promotional events is enclosed to help you advertise Coke products.

I know this is ‘just one more thing from downtown’, but the long-term benefits are worth it.

Thanks for all your help.

John Bushey - The Coke Dude