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Coca Cola Crisis Case Study

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION Page 3
II. CRISIS HITS COKE Page 3
III. COCA COLA’S RESPONSE Page 4
IV. THE AFTER MATH Page 5
V. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES Page
VI. PUBLIC CONSEQUENCES Page
VII. WHAT WAS LEARNT Page
IIX. IMPACT ON STAKEHOLDERS Page
IX. DECIPHERING THE PR MESSAGE Page
X. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BETTER PR MANAGEMENT Page
XI. BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. INTRODUCTION

The invention of coca-cola originally started as coca-wine by John Pemberton in 1885. After the reinvention of coke’s identity into a refreshment, it began being sold in bottles for the first time in 1894.
Coca Cola has always portrayed itself as a company based on unwavering values, morals, and goals. They offer world class quality of sparkling and still beverages, from coca-cola extending to 400 soft drinks, juices, teas, coffees, waters, sports and energy drinks that refresh, hydrate, nourish, relax, and energize. The Coca Cola Company and has become a Coca-Colonization. The world of Coca Cola is ever spreading in more than 200 countries around the globe. Drinking Coca Cola has always been a trend and a life-style.
The company’s publicity and communications with their customers and employees have always been of utmost clarity, honesty, and candor. The various campaigns carried out over the years, have only become better and ever more powerful as an influence.
However, when a crisis as big as the one that hit Coca Cola in Belgium in 1999 takes a company by surprise, no matter how big it is, no crisis management team can be prepared for a problem of this magnitude.

II. CRISIS HITS COKE
According to an article written in Junk Science (July 3rd 1999) 33 children from one school suffered from symptoms of nausea, headache, fatigue, palpitations, abdominal discomfort, and malaise after having drunk bottled Coca-Cola on June 8th, 1999. They were hastily driven to a hospital where 18 remained for observation. Over the span of the next two...