Coca-Cola is receiving a lot of criticism after the company released its new personalization feature on its bottles.
It appears that terms like “Black Lives Matter,” “Transgender,” “Gay Pride,” and “Lesbians” are blocked by its online customizing tool. However, terms like “Blue Lives Matter,” “Transphobia,” “I am a Nazi,” “jihadists,” “QAnon,” “White Pride,” “fascism,” and “Trump Won” appear to be acceptable.
Coca-Cola has previously launched several “Share a Coke” commercial initiatives to encourage thirst-quenchers to drink Coke as their summer beverage of choice. The corporation has opened up its customization tool to words as part of a new campaign this year. On the other hand, the public was quick to notice the uproar around the use of racist and prejudiced phrases on the bottles.
A spokesperson for Coca-Cola told CNN Business, “We’re continuously refining and improving our Share A Coke personalization tool to ensure it is used only for its intended purpose. Words or phrases that have appeared in the preview mode of the tool may not necessarily be approved but rather are words we have not previously assessed. Actual bottles are not made with words that are inconsistent with the program’s intent. We have clarified in the tool’s preview mode that proposed language may require further review.”
The company’s failed make-your-own-label initiative, which endorsed “White Lives Matter” but not “Black Lives Matter,” has sparked a flurry of debates about the company’s social ideals.
