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Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2011 (Revised December 2012)

Coca-Cola on Facebook

by John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld

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Abstract

In late 2008, executives at Coca-Cola had to decide what to do with a fan-created page on Facebook that had amassed over one million followers in three months. From a legal point of view the fan-created page was in violation of Facebook's terms of service as a non-copyright holder was using the imagery and logo associated with a known brand. Facebook contacted Michael Donnelly, Group Director, Worldwide Interactive Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company to let him know that he was in the position to take down the hugely popular, fan-created site; or, conversely, he could take it over and make it an official marketing channel for the company. Coke was already revisiting its social media policies, with the Diet Coke & Mentos user-generated video incident fresh in its memory. Those videos, which featured elaborate geysers with Diet Coke as their main ingredient, were among the most viewed online videos at the time, but were not initially sanctioned by the company. Donnelly knew that opening up the brand to creative consumers was necessary, but he and his team had to figure out how and to what extent they should do so, while still protecting one of the world's most valuable brands.

Keywords: Change Management; Governance Controls; Policy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Channels; Social and Collaborative Networks; Food and Beverage Industry;

Language: English Format: Print 11 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Deighton, John, and Leora Kornfeld. "Coca-Cola on Facebook." Harvard Business School Case 511-110, February 2011. (Revised December 2012.) (request a courtesy copy.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2011 (Revised December 2012)

    Coca-Cola on Facebook

    John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld

    In late 2008, executives at Coca-Cola had to decide what to do with a fan-created page on Facebook that had amassed over one million followers in three months. From a legal point of view the fan-created page was in violation of Facebook's terms of service as a non-copyright holder was using the imagery and logo associated with a known brand. Facebook contacted Michael Donnelly, Group Director, Worldwide Interactive Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company to let him know that he was in the position to take down the hugely popular, fan-created site; or, conversely, he could take it over and make it an official marketing channel for the company. Coke was already revisiting its social media policies, with the Diet Coke & Mentos user-generated video incident fresh in its memory. Those videos, which featured elaborate geysers with Diet Coke as their main ingredient, were among the most viewed online videos at the time, but were not initially sanctioned by the company. Donnelly knew that opening up the brand to creative consumers was necessary, but he and his team had to figure out how and to what extent they should do so, while still protecting one of the world's most valuable brands.

    Keywords: Change Management; Governance Controls; Policy; Brands and Branding; Marketing Channels; Social and Collaborative Networks; Food and Beverage Industry;

    Citation:

    Deighton, John, and Leora Kornfeld. "Coca-Cola on Facebook." Harvard Business School Case 511-110, February 2011. (Revised December 2012.) (request a courtesy copy.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related
  2. Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | September 2015

    Coca-Cola on Facebook

    John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld

    Citation:

    Deighton, John, and Leora Kornfeld. "Coca-Cola on Facebook." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 516-032, September 2015.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related

About the Author

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John A. Deighton

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More from the Author

  • Course Overview Note | December 2016 (Revised March 2018)

    Big Data in Marketing

    John Deighton and Mike Horia Teodorescu

    Keywords: big data; marketing; Data and Data Sets; Marketing;

    Citation:

    Deighton, John, and Mike Horia Teodorescu. "Big Data in Marketing." Harvard Business School Course Overview Note 517-077, December 2016. (Revised March 2018.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related
  • Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | February 2018

    Instacart and the New Wave of Grocery Startups

    John Deighton

    Teaching Note for HBS No. 515-089.

    Citation:

    Deighton, John. "Instacart and the New Wave of Grocery Startups." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 918-411, February 2018.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsPurchase Related
  • Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2016 (Revised February 2018)

    WPP: From Mad Men to Math Men (and Women)

    John Deighton, Sofia Pietrella and Leora Kornfeld

    Citation:

    Deighton, John, Sofia Pietrella, and Leora Kornfeld. "WPP: From Mad Men to Math Men (and Women)." Harvard Business School Case 516-065, March 2016. (Revised February 2018.)  View Details
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