In late 2008, executives at Coca-Cola needed 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, because a non-copyright holder was using the vision and symbol connected with a known brand. Facebook contacted Michael Donnelly, Group Director, Global Interactive Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company, to let him understand that he was in the place to take down the massively popular fan-created site or, conversely, he could take it around and make it an official marketing channel for the organization.
Coke was already revisiting its social media policies, together with the Diet Coke and Mentos user-created video episode fresh in its memory. Those videos, which featured detailed geysers with Diet Coke as their main ingredient, were among the most seen videos that are on-line at the time but were not initially sanctioned by the business. Donnelly understood that opening the brand up to creative consumers was not unnecessary, however he along with his team had to find out how and to what extent they have to do so while still shielding one of the most valuable brands in the world's.
PUBLICATION DATE: February 15, 2011 PRODUCT #: 511110-PDF-ENG
This is just an excerpt. This case is about SALES & MARKETING
