H2NO
 H2NO campaign screenshots, Imgur
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H2NO refers to an upselling campaign by Coca-Cola to dissuade consumers from ordering tap water drinks at restaurants, and to instead order more profitable soft drinks, non-carbonated beverages, or bottled water. The campaign's title, H2NO, reflects the program's purpose, which is to have customers say No to H2O, the chemical formula for water. The program taught waiters how to use "suggestive selling techniques" to offer a variety of alternative beverages when diners asked for water.
In July 2001, a link to a story about the program's success at Olive Garden was posted to Cockeyed.com. The link was reposted around the internet, until the story was taken down by Coca-Cola on August 2, 2001 for fears it might be misinterpreted. On August 20, 2001, the story was covered by the New York Times, and subsequently by a number of news providers.
The campaign ran only in the United States.
The H2NO campaign had been conducted through an Internet memo to distributors and restaurants. In July 2001, Rob Cockerham, a graphic designer in Sacramento, came across the Olive Garden success story following an online search, and posted a link to the story on his website, Cockeyed.com. In an interview with the New York Times, Cockerham noted how "I had to assure more than one person that this was not a prank, and that it was a real article from Coca-Cola."
On August 2, 2001, about a week after the success story link was posted to Cockeyed.com, the Coca-Cola portal was closed. Polly Howes, a spokeswoman for Coca-Cola, stated that the story might be misinterpreted by "folks who aren't in a sales-related business" and that the site was due to be dismantled.
Following the New York Times article, the story was covered by major news providers including Daily Mail,Sunday Herald Sun,Evening Standard and was featured on The Glass House.
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