Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

NATO Hires Coke Exec to Boost its Brand

Alliance hopes image makeover will prove to people it still matters

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 16, 2008 2:03 AM CDT
Email

(Newser) – NATO: the Real Thing? The alliance is seeking an image makeover in the face of public apathy and has hired a Coca-Cola executive to help, reports the New York Times. Support for NATO has waned in many of its 26 member nations since the end of the Cold War, and defense chiefs believe reconnecting with the public—to persuade taxpayers that NATO remains relevant—is vital to the alliance's future.

Already, officials have launched NATO TV to keep the public informed, but some think that with the Soviet threat gone, it will be a tough sell. “Brands do go to the basic purpose: What is the point of this organization," said one foreign policy expert. "NATO lost its primary rationale on the day the Warsaw Pact closed up business. It has been casting around for a different identity." Maybe Madison Avenue can help with that now.

East German border guard of the Berlin wall are seen in this 1978 file picture. The end of the Cold War has left NATO struggling to redefine its mission and public image.
East German border guard of the Berlin wall are seen in this 1978 file picture. The end of the Cold War has left NATO struggling to redefine its mission and public image.   (AP Photo)
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer speaks during a media conference after a NATO-Russia Council meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday April 19, 2007.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer speaks during a media conference after a NATO-Russia Council meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday April 19, 2007.   (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer gestures while speaking during a media conference after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday June 14, 2007. .
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer gestures while speaking during a media conference after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Thursday June 14, 2007. .   (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Anti-NATO protests hit Ukraine exercise
AFP

NATO's Web TV channel
NATO.int

 
NATO • Cold War • public relations • alliance • branding

More Newser Stories

60 Years On, NATO Faces Identity Crisis

Hey NATO, Lay Off Russia: Qadaffi

Nuke Advantage Emboldened Putin's Russia

NATO Bars Former Soviet States in Blow to US

Russia's New Weight Tips Global Scales
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne