A Coca-Cola ad has been received badly in Saudi Arabia. The company released a commercial in the country, meaning to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s recent move to allow women to drive.
The ad shows a father teaching his daughter, who is wearing a hijab, how to drive. She is off to a rocky start, but a Coke balancing on the dashboard helps her get the hang of it. The ad is titled ‘Change Has a Taste’. It was created as part of the company’s commitment to enable women's economic empowerment.
The ad has got over 44,000 views on Youtube. But many people said the ad is comparable to Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad. The ad was slammed for showing Jenner using a Pepsi can to stop a standoff between protesters and cops
Some users have written that the ad just jumped upon a chance to profit off Saudi’s historic announcement. Others have written that it is a fail, and as inane as the Jenner ad.
Coca Cola was quick to defend itself. It said it released a topical and timely ad which celebrated positive social and cultural change.
“The campaign touches on the brand’s values surrounding diversity and inclusion and aligns with Coca-Cola’s commitment to enable the economic empowerment of women,” Omar Bennis, public affairs director at Coca-Cola Middle East, told HuffPost.
Last month, Coca-Cola announced plans to build a new $100 million bottling plant in Saudi Arabia.
Here are a few reactions about the ad from Twitter:
Saudi Arabia's move to make driving legal for women has been welcomed by activists and rights groups who have been campaigning for the ban to be overturned. The government has until June 24, 2018, to implement the new ruling.
What do you think? Is the ad commercialising a social phenomenon? If it is, is there something wrong with that?
Also Read: Finally! Saudi Arabia to Let Women Drive
Picture Credit: News.com.au
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