During the 1950s, a time when the images of African-Americans in advertising were severely limited and highly stereotypical at best, Moss Kendrix, as special markets expert for Coca-Cola, appealed to the company to feature blacks as everyday Americans enjoying the popular beverage – as opposed to serving it. These images carried a larger significance; as Brenna W. Greer wrote, they redefined African-Americans as “true Americans” by depicting them as sought-after, enthusiastic consumers of a deeply rooted American product.
Prior to his involvement with Coca-Cola, Kendrix founded his own public relations firm, The Moss Kendrix Organization in 1944, with the motto, “What the Public Thinks Counts!” The firm operated into the 1970s, with major accounts that included Carnation, the National Dental Association, the National Educational Association, the Republic of Liberia, and Ford Motor Company.