Repentent exec reveals Coke targeted 'share of stomach'

Billy Joel once sang, "Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore." But, as former Coca-Cola U.S. marketing head Todd Putnam revealed at an anti-soda conference, Coke does not merely compete with other colas, it has ruthlessly fought for "share of stomach" too. Putnam says that during his tenure at the company Coke wanted to beat out every other food and drink available. Putnam remembers "swelling with pride" when soft drink sales surpassed those of milk, but now believes he has a "karmic debt" to pay, as he's certain his efforts at targeting Coca-Cola advertising specifically at black and Hispanic Americans has led to swelling obesity rates among those groups.