South Africa: Coca-Cola joins Black Lives Matter boycott
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Coca-Cola in South Africa has stopped all advertising on social media as part of a global corporate boycott that is gaining momentum.
Camilla Osborne, head of communications in Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa, said the soft drink giant will suspend all advertising on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok until the end of July. It will also stop posting content on these platforms during this time.
The social media boycott was sparked by Facebook’s handling of offensive copy during the Black Lives Matter protests. The company refused to remove inflamatory comments, particularly from United States President Donald Trump.
Companies like Unilever, Starbucks, Ford and Microsoft have pulled the plug on advertising.
“There is no place for racism in the world, and there is no place for racism on social media,” Coca-Cola chairman, James Quincey, said in a statement.
“We will take this time to reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed. We also expect greater accountability and transparency from our social media partners.”
-0- PANA CU/VAO 3July2020
