Coca-Cola began in 1886 when the curiosity of an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John S. Pemberton, led him to create a distinctive tasting soft drink that could be sold at soda fountains. He created a flavored syrup, took it to his neighborhood pharmacy, where it was mixed with carbonated water and deemed “excellent” by those who sampled it. Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, is credited with naming the beverage “Coca‑Cola” as well as designing the trademarked, distinct script, still used today. In the 1970s, Coca-Cola began to advertise itself as a brand connected with fun, friends, and good times. In 2009, the “Open Happiness” campaign was unveiled globally, and the central message is an invitation to billions around the world to pause, refresh with a Coca-Cola, and continue to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures.

Being one of the top brands in the beverage industry, Coca-cola is criticized for various reasons such as health effects. Because of this, they sponsored 96 national health organizations battling public health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. By supporting health organizations, they’re trying to improve their goodwill image with the public to distract the public about their intense lobbying to kill any legislation against soft drinks.

They would want to lobby states in the north and younger people. Although there’s a message about drinking less soda, only half of the population are truly getting the message. Here’s the breakdown: Educated, wealthier people are the ones who avoid sodas. These are the healthiest people in society, and the healthiest people in society don’t drink soda. They either don’t touch it, or drink it in extremely small amounts. There’s a table from an industry publication that lays out who drinks soda. Males drink more than females. Younger people drink more than older people. Single people drink more than those who are married. High school graduates drink more than college graduates. Blue collar workers drink more than white collar workers. Hispanics and African Americans drink more than whites and Asians. And people from the South drink more than do people in the Northeast. Sales for soda are already prominent in the south of the United states, so Coca-Cola should lobby for those in the north in order to have a full scale sale rate in the U.S. Children are also the most influential, so if they lobby towards kids then they can sell more and get them addicted at a younger age.

Special groups are keenly interested in legislation because billions of dollars that affect their cause are at stake. They represent the bulk of monetary contributions that a Congressperson needs to run a competitive race. They can also be included in the special interest agenda which can lead to well funded opponents for the next election. Much legislation is not considered because a powerful special interest will oppose anyone who dares to vote for it. Both sides would publically aid the other if successful with campaigns.

Lobbying should be legal, with restriction at the least. Lobbying is supported as an inherent part of a participatory democracy. For our government to succeed and protect the rights of its citizens to do that. Lobbyists represent the interests of citizens who do not have the opportunity or access to represent them personally to the government. Through lobbying, their interests are still heard. Economist Thomas Sowell provides that governments do not work without lobbying: “Reform through democratic legislation requires either ‘public consensus or a powerful minority lobby.’” Without lobbying, governments would struggle to sort out the many competing interests of its citizens. Lobbying provides access to government legislators, acts as an educational tool, and allows individual interests to gain power in numbers.