It seems Coca-Cola enterprise had a hard time in 2008. According to Coca-Cola company annual report page 76, there profit decrease by 6538 million in 2008. The reason can be conclude in 3 ways. World's finance crisis, competitors, and Coca-Cola's reputation. But his biggest competitor, Pepsi, feels good in 2008.
However, in 2008, Pepsi win the battle, and Coca-Cola get into troubles. Now, Coca-Cola enterprise is looking helps from PR.
Personally, I would like to conclude Coca-Cola's problem as a reputation problem. Pepsi target on young people. Young, flashing, cool are the reputation of Pepsi. The good thing of this reputation, is no matter what had happened or what will happen, young people still spend their money on what they love.
I'm really sorry that I have no idea about what is the Coca-Cola reputation. The advertisement of Coca-Cola appears in everywhere. Sports; fashion; games, etc. Coca-Cola Enterprise says it is Coca-Cola culture.
Facing to this finance crisis, Coca-cola enterprise looks to Bell Pottinger for Corporate Responsibility drive, and hope it will help. By the way, search coca-cola campaign in youtube, the last time they put a PR campaign was one years ago.
And now, Bell Pottinger, led by Alex Woolfall, head of issues management, will look to strengthen then firm's message in key business media in UK,France and Belgium. Hopefully, we will see lots of PR campaign of CCE, and the picture from PR week looks very nice. it's a good start.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOKP5RlHLAI
ReplyDeleteThis video touches on one of the biggest controversies Coca-Cola have faced in recent years to do with setting up a huge bottling factory in India and proceeding to ruin the surrounding farmland as well as draining the wells that provided local drinking water. The plant was forced into closure due to the extreme damage it was causing but as the video points out the effects are lasting. Action Aid described it as one of the worst examples of inward investment by a multinational in a developing country. This is just one of many such cases for the coca cola criminals...
Obviously it seems that this bad reputation is starting to effect sales which is my opinion is good news! However powerful corporations are nowadays the effects of globalisation and the internet mean information that once could be kept secret is far more readily available for those who care to know it! No matter what CSR programmes are in place unethical practice like this is hard to hide and seemingly becoming harder for the public to ignore.
But perhaps it's just that people have been watching this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWKB_6lwcx4
Disgusting!!