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Introduction
The Coca-Cola India case offers students a unique opportunity to look inside a crisis for one
of the world’s most important brands as it occurs inside a developing nation. The case
focuses specifically on issues related to brand, reputation, and Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR), and the intersection of all three.
History reveals that companies with the strongest brands, most proactive policies of social
responsibility, and deepest relationships with their consumers are the most attractive targets
for NGO attacks. The very assets that define these leading companies provide the fodder
NGOs are looking for to further their agendas. Global Exchange’s attacks on Starbucks over
fair-trade coffee and against Nike over sweatshops in Asia, like the Center for Science and
Environment’s (CSE) attack on Coca-Cola India, are all examples of NGOs using
companies’ powerful reputations against them.
Being an attractive target, however, need not imply vulnerability. Organizations and their
leadership teams need to start thinking systematically, proactively, and strategically about
their reputational risk from crises concerning CSR (corporate social responsibility) and take
actions to mitigate these risks before they become reality. The CSE’s allegations of
pesticide-contaminated Coke and Coca-Cola India’s response provide an important example
of the world’s most important brand under attack and the steps taken in the aftermath. This
example highlights the importance of a strong reputation, a willingness to collaborate, and a
strategic response to successfully weathering the crisis.
a. Successful and responsible companies are the most attractive targets for NGOs
d. Anticipation and preparation for crises before they occur are critical
Coca-Cola India
h. Cultural context and norms make optimal strategies for crisis communication
management different in India versus the United States
Coke India CEO Sanjiv Gupta and his team had to decide how to rebuild public trust and had
to weigh a larger policy decision at the same time: should Coke take on a leadership role and
help create higher standards for food and beverage safety?
Problems
1. The CSE attacked Coke for this same issue surrounding bottled water in February of the
same year; they should have seen it coming and been prepared.
3. Coca-Cola is a socially responsible company that takes care of the communities in which
it operates yet India is a developing nation with a different set of standards; should Coke
be held to the same standards internationally as they are at home? Is this economically
sustainable? Does a company’s responsibility stop at following the law?
4. Coca-Cola is the world’s most valuable brand and that value is largely driven by the
image of the company and its products. How does a company that derives a
disproportionate amount of its value from its image manage reputational risk? How does
the importance of Coke’s brand inform the best strategy?
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Coca-Cola India
6. Coke seems to have a history of dealing ineffectively with crises. Have they learned
from their mistakes or are they likely to repeat their unwillingness to deal head-on with
problems?
7. The Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) market in India is fiercely competitive between Coke
and Pepsi and the need for differentiation is important. Effective handling of this crisis is
an opportunity to gain tremendous upside in the battle for market leadership.
8. Parliament has banned Coke and Pepsi products and numerous schools and other
organizations have followed suit. Coke must deal effectively with all key constituents
and solve its sudden distribution problem in addition to its image woes.
9. The role of Coca-Cola Corporate Communications from Atlanta is not mentioned in the
case. Is it a problem that they were not actively involved?
Communication Strategy
A strategic communications model that incorporates an understanding of Coke India’s
objectives, constituencies, and channels should be used to analyze this case. This framework
allows students to appreciate that objectives drive both the right strategy and the best
execution of that strategy. In addition, the communication strategy should incorporate a
framework for managing reputational risk, underscoring the link between reputational capital
and corporate performance.
In this case, Coca-Cola’s clear, primary objective is to regain the trust of consumers, the
media, and the government but it has many secondary objectives as well. These include:
• Resolving this issue thoroughly, beyond the hype of the moment, so that it does not
arise in the future and hamper business in the critical Indian market
After articulating the Company’s objectives, students should explore the execution of a
communication plan. Who are the most important constituencies? How do they rank and
how should you prioritize them? What are the best channels to use for each? What is the
timeline of the communication messages needed (ie which are short-term and which should
be ongoing)? What are the opportunities for increasing reputational capital? What safety nets
should be put in place to manage reputational risk?
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Coca-Cola India
Solutions
1. Communicate openly with key constituents, including the public, the media, employees,
franchisees, the trade/channel, state and national government, and suppliers. Open,
honest communication is key to communicating a spirit of partnership and a willingness
to resolve the issue in a way that benefits the Indian consumer.
2. Attempt to collaborate with the CSE, acknowledging that your goals may be closer
together than you initially imagine. Take the time to discover their true motivation,
ultimate goal, and ideal outcome. Recognize the enormous reputational benefits that
could come from such a partnership, or even a willingness to partner.
4. Enhance your relationship with the government. Whether or not a relationship with the
CSE is possible, the government will be closely involved in developing the new
standards that Parliament has demanded. Strong government relations are important in
India and give you an opportunity to communicate all the benefits and investments you
provide to the economy.
5. Recognize the upsize for reputational risk on a corporate level if the situation can be
turned into a positive. By correcting the pollution in India and alleviating tensions at the
local level, The Coca-Cola Company has made a deposit in its global reputational capital
account.
6. Launch a campaign (which they did: eKO) to educate the public, the government, and
the media about environmental stewardship activities.
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Coca-Cola India
Students should spend the first third of the class focusing on key problems as described
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Coca-Cola India
earlier in this teaching note. Once all of the problems have been discussed, present key
frameworks from either a textbook or reading that can help students to put the problems in
context. We recommend focusing specifically on issues of corporate communication strategy
and reputational risk.
Allow students an opportunity to determine solutions given the problems and the
frameworks for the last third of the class. You should also include information about how the
company actually handled the situation as well as key takeaways based on the class session
for that day.
1. What are the key problems that Gupta should focus on in the short term and in the long
term?
3. How well-prepared was Coke India to deal with the CSE’s allegations?
4. What is your recommendation for Coke’s communication strategy? Who are the key
constituents?
Key Takeaways
1. Don't underestimate the power of NGOs or antagonists in general
2. Realize that socially responsible companies are likely targets for NGOs but also
attractive collaborators
4. Understand your reputational risk and what you can do to build reputational capital
5. Prepare in advance for crises and then improvise from a strong foundation
6. Small regional problems can turn into big issues if you don’t manage them