New Coca-Cola advertisement in Bangladesh stirs social media
Coca-Cola advertisement stirs on social media, threatens boycott
Tuhin Sarwar-Bangladesh-
A recent Coca-Cola ad in Bangladesh has sparked widespread backlash, with the beverage giant facing criticism for trying to distance itself from the Israeli occupation amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The 60-second ad, which aired during a highly anticipated cricket match, has been accused of insensitivity and misinformation, prompting calls for a boycott.
Consumer attitudes in Muslim-majority and Arab countries have changed dramatically since October 7, when “Israel” launched its offensive on the Gaza Strip. Many companies, including Coca-Cola, have seen sales decline as consumers call for boycotts of companies perceived to have ties to the “Israeli” government or military. Local media reports that sales of Coca-Cola in Bangladesh have fallen by about 23 percent since the war began.
To counter the negative publicity and declining sales, Coca-Cola released an advertisement intended to dispel the perception that it was a product of Israeli occupation. Set in a bustling market on a hot summer day, the ad shows a conversation between a young man named Sohail and a shopkeeper named Bablu. The young man initially refuses to buy a Coca-Cola, implying that it is associated with “Israel”.
The shopkeeper then tries to correct this perception by explaining that Coca-Cola is enjoyed in 190 countries, including Turkey, Spain, and even PalestineThe ad emphasizes that Coca-Cola has been a global brand for 138 years and wants to reassure consumers that it is not tied to any particular country or political agenda. However, this message was not received well by the publicThe ad sparked outrage both online and offline. Critics characterized it as insensitive and confusing. One of the commercial’s most controversial claims is “There’s even a Coke factory in Palestine.” This statement has been particularly criticized because the Coca-Cola factory in question is located in Ataro, an “Israeli” settlement in the occupied West Bank, which is considered illegal under international law.
Dhaka-based market researcher Nadia Tabassum Khan described the statement as an insult to the millions of Palestinians who lost their land due to “Israel’s” forced occupation. Many others echoed this sentiment, arguing that the ad’s attempt to dissociate the brand from the Israeli occupation was unnecessary and disrespectful
The backlash agains
t Coca-Cola is part of a larger trend of Western brands facing boycotts over perceived ties to “Israel.” According to Zaheed ur Rahman, a political analyst based in Dhaka, Coca-Cola is seen as an American brand. and is targeted in the belief that economic pressure can influence US policy toward “Israel”.
In February, Coca-Cola sold its Bangladeshi bottling operations to Coca-Cola Isacek, a Turkish subsidiary. The company denied that the move was related to declining sales. However, Rahman suggests that the involvement of a company from a Muslim-majority country could be a strategic attempt to regain market share in Bangladesh.
As Coca-Cola grappled with these challenges, the controversy led to the rise in popularity of local brands such as Mojo, a cola brand that previously struggled to compete with international giants.
In response to the backlash, Coca-Cola temporarily removed the ad from its YouTube and Facebook pages. The company has also disabled comments on these platforms due to the influx of angry messages. Despite this, advertisements continue to air on television.
Coca-Cola’s efforts to navigate the sensitive political landscape have also drawn criticism from marketing professionals. Omar Nasif Abdullah, a lecturer in marketing at Dhaka’s North-South University, said the company “failed to read the pulse of the public” and that the public relations campaign was “full of wrong messages and wrong methods.
Commercially involved actors have also faced public backlash. Sharaf Ahmed Jiban, who directed and starred in the ad, took to Facebook to clarify that his role was purely professional and that he did not support “Israel”. Despite this clarification, many remain skeptical, arguing that actors should ensure the factual accuracy of their scripts before participating in such projects.
In the meantime, the controversy serves as a stark reminder that everyone should boycott companies that support genocide and demonstrates the powerful role that consumers can play in shaping corporate behavior.
