expenditures help to enhance awareness of and increase consumer preference for our brands. We believe that greater awareness and preference promote long-term growth in unit case volume, per capita consumption and our share of worldwide nonalcoholic beverage sales. 

The Nonalcoholic Beverages Segment of the Commercial Beverages Industry 

We operate in the highly competitive nonalcoholic beverages segment of the commercial beverages industry. We face strong competition from numerous other general and specialty beverage companies. We, along with other beverage companies, are affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, cost to manufacture and distribute products, consumer spending, economic conditions, availability and quality of water, consumer preferences, inflation, political climate, local and national laws and regulations, foreign currency exchange fluctuations, fuel prices and weather patterns. 

Our Objective 

Our objective is to use our formidable assets — brands, financial strength, unrivaled distribution system, global reach, and a strong commitment by our management and associates worldwide — to achieve long-term sustainable growth. Our vision for sustainable growth includes the following: 

People: Being a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be. 

Portfolio: Bringing to the world a portfolio of beverage brands that anticipates and satisfies people's desires and needs. 

Partners: Nurturing a winning network of partners and building mutual loyalty. 

Planet: Being a responsible global citizen that makes a difference. 

Profit: Maximizing return to shareowners while being mindful of our overall responsibilities. 

Productivity: Managing our people, time and money for greatest effectiveness. 

Strategic Priorities 

We have four strategic priorities designed to create long-term sustainable growth for our Company and the Coca-Cola system and value for our shareowners. These strategic priorities are driving global beverage leadership; accelerating innovation; leveraging our balanced geographic portfolio; and leading the Coca-Cola system for growth. To enable the entire Coca-Cola system so that we can deliver on these strategic priorities, we must further enhance our core capabilities of consumer marketing; commercial leadership; and franchise leadership. 

Core Capabilities 

Consumer Marketing 

Marketing investments are designed to enhance consumer awareness of and increase consumer preference for our brands. This produces long-term growth in unit case volume, per capita consumption and our share of worldwide nonalcoholic beverage sales. Through our relationships with our bottling partners and those who sell our products in the marketplace, we create and implement integrated marketing programs, both globally and locally, that are designed to heighten consumer awareness of and product appeal for our brands. In developing a strategy for a Company brand, we conduct product and packaging research, establish brand positioning, develop precise consumer communications and solicit consumer feedback. Our integrated marketing activities include, but are not limited to, advertising,