Fruit, who has been with Coke for 13 years, replaces Daniel Palumbo, who had a short-lived role as chief marketing officer and is leaving the company. Last week, president and chief operating officer Steve Heyer left the company after being passed over for the top role.
A marketing executive with 30 years' experience, Fruit has developed Coke's global media strategy and worked on its partnerships with Fifa and the International Olympic Committee.
Isdell said of Fruit's appointment: "Today's consumer and media environments call for a more multi-faceted and integrated approach to marketing, from our consumer communications to the point of sale and all the way through to opening a bottle of Coca-Cola. Creativity is vital, and so is a broader, holistic view of how to reach our consumers. Chuck's experience and expertise fit very well within this new environment."
Fruit takes up the role at a time of turmoil for Coca-Cola's marketing operation, with the soft drink company looking at how it can arrest declining sales. There are reports of a split in strategy, with some of the company's executives wanting to stick with the "feel good" advertising such as the iconic "I'd like to teach the world to sing" spot and, more recently, Mother's "I wish" campaign.
Others, however, want to develop a more edgy feel for the brand to rival Pepsi's youth-orientated campaigns featuring celebrities such as Britney Spears.
Fruit said: "I look forward to supporting Neville's vision to build a marketing organisation for the future and continuing to work closely with our very talented and capable marketing team on new and innovative ways to deepen our brand's connection with consumers."
Before joining Coca-Cola in 1991 as head of global media services, Fruit spent 15 years with the brewer Anheuser-Busch, owner of Budweiser. He has also served as a national director of the American Advertising Federation and the Association of National Advertisers.
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