Coca-Cola Faces Backlash and Declining Sales Amid Gaza Conflict and Boycott Efforts

Controversial Ad Campaigns Struggle to Rebuild Trust in Bangladesh as Public Sentiment Turns Against the Brand

Coca-Cola has experienced a decline in sales largely due to a grassroots boycott fueled by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In response to the significant drop in sales, particularly in the Global South, the brand has initiated public outreach campaigns that may have inadvertently backfired.

In Bangladesh, a nation largely supportive of Palestine, Coca-Cola's sales have plummeted so drastically that the company enlisted some of the country’s biggest celebrities in an attempt to regain consumer trust. An advertisement intended to distance the brand from perceived associations with Israel has attracted considerable criticism amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The 60-second commercial, aired on television and social media on June 9, was later removed from Coca-Cola Bangladesh's official YouTube and Instagram accounts. It aimed to counter a boycott that had persisted for months, driven by millions of Bangladeshis.

The ad premiered during a much-anticipated T20 World Cup cricket match between Pakistan and India. It begins with a scene in a bustling market on a hot day, where a young man named Sohail approaches a middle-aged shopkeeper, Bablu bhai. When offered a bottle of Coke, Sohail declines, stating, "No Bablu bhai, I am not drinking this stuff anymore."

When the shopkeeper inquires why, Sohail responds, "This stuff is from 'that place,'" implying Israel without explicitly naming it. Bablu then attempts to reassure Sohail and his friends that Coca-Cola is not an Israeli product, emphasizing its presence in 190 countries over the past 138 years, including Turkey, Spain, Dubai, and Palestine. The ad claims, "Even Palestine has a Coke factory."

However, this assertion sparked outrage, with many social media users accusing the company of misleading consumers. Supporters of the Palestinian cause pointed out that Coca-Cola operates a factory in Atarot, an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, which is deemed illegal under international law.

Both actors featured in the advertisement have since issued public apologies. Shimul Sharma, who portrayed Sohail, expressed regret for his involvement, stating, "I have not yet become an actor worthy of recognition... In the future, I will ensure that any work I undertake respects our country's values, human rights, and people's sentiments."

Calls to boycott Coca-Cola have intensified since the onset of Israel's military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of, potentially, over 186,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians according to an OpEd published in the Lancet. Israel began its assault following attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian fighters on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israeli soldiers and civilians, as well as the abduction of more than 200 individuals. The subsequent military campaign has claimed more than 186,000 Palestinian lives, left nearly one million on the brink of starvation, and devastated the region’s infrastructure.