Recently, our own Andy Britton, Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Alabama, Tennessee and Florida, was featured in a story by the University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. Andy was interviewed regarding his college and career choices, and represented Coca-Cola UNITED very well. For the full interview, please click on the link in the above text. Below are some very interesting excerpts:
Tell me about a typical workday for you.
There is no “typical” workday for me. I’ve been with the Coca-Cola system for about 20 years in various roles. In my role today as Director of Public Affairs and Communications for Coca-Cola bottling Co. UNITED, Inc., I drive about 1,000 miles every week. I manage relationships with businesses and universities in the region, and each organization has a different group of stakeholders. Sometimes I may be meeting or speaking with the university presidents and sometimes it may be the Director of Student Life – but each of those individuals is looking at the brand partnership with my company through a different lens.
How do you see your industry evolving over the next five years?
I think that the next step in our industry is going to be recycling and sustainability. We do not produce any single-use vessels, all of our bottles and cans are specifically designed to be recycled. In fact, the aluminum cans that you drink out of every day have 70-90% of already recycled materials in their makeup. Our biggest challenge is actually getting the bottles back from consumers. Only about 10% of the plastic bottles are made out of recycled materials and we are trying to change that in the coming months and years. Our bottles are not necessarily going into a landfill but we are competing with carpet and clothing manufacturers along with other businesses who utilize recycled plastic materials.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your position?
The most challenging aspect of my position is when I have to deliver bad news. No one particularly likes to deliver bad news, but it’s challenging to deliver bad news to good people. One of my professors at C&IS once told me, “Public relations is the truth with sensitivity,” and I’ve always remembered that. You always need to tell the truth, but also be mindful of how you’re conveying the truth.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Being able to share the experiences of our consumers. As a brand, we are all about the experience and the feelings you have when you drink one of our beverages. The most rewarding part of my job is being able to be a part of that experience and sharing in the joy.
In his spare time, Andy serves as a football referee for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and has even worked an SEC Championship Game.
What motivates you?
I enjoy what I do. Life’s too short to dread going to work. I am lucky to be in a career that I love and working for a company that I love.
We are proud to have Andy as part of the UNITED team!
