Islam campaign causes a stir: – Risky

An original translation by Tania Groth with much thanks

From this Norwegian news source:

Coca-Cola is courting Norwegian Muslims in a new campaign.

In connection with the Islamic fast Ramadan, Coca-Cola will this week launch a major campaign across the country. On the advertising posters, we will see the well-known logo in a new form, namely with a crescent moon — an important symbol in Islam.

Why are you doing this?

“In Muslim countries we have a long history of observing Ramadan, just as we in this country have tradition for Christmas campaigns. Now for the first time in Norway we want to celebrate Ramadan together with Norwegian Muslims,” says Johanna Kosanovic, marketing manager in Norway.

[Photo (woman with earrings): LONG HISTORY: Johanna Kosanovic says the campaign continues a long story where the company has used its power to promote diversity. Photo: Coca Cola]

Apart from selling more soda, what do you want to accomplish with this campaign?

“We want to show our clear stand on diversity and how important it is to society. Diversity and inclusion have always been important to Coca-Cola. For example, many do not know that in the 1950s we were actively engaged in the civil rights movement, and that Coca-Cola was the first to promote women in advertising campaigns.”

Do you have other plans to mark Coca-Cola as an inclusive brand in other areas, such as sexual orientation etc.?

In general, I can say that we have a long history of taking an active position on issues related to diversity and gender equality. An example from recent times is how we in Norway are the main partner for the SHE conference. And in Sweden, women’s football is supported with as much money as the men’s football in connection with the World Cup. Beyond that, we never comment on plans for upcoming products and campaigns.”

What are you waiting for?

“We believe most share our values, such as the importance of community and joy. So we understand that not everyone would like us to take an active stand for cultural inclusion. It’s quite OK.”

Not brave

“I don’t know very much about this campaign, but it sounds really positive,” says Fatima Almanea, who has a seat on the municipal council for the Labor Party in Verdal municipality.

She thinks the company is releasing a target group with this gesture and says that it can be viewed from an equal treatment perspective.

“This is an excellent way to look after all the target groups. After all, we are already familiar with their big campaigns for Christmas, and so it is only natural that they take this initiative.

“We can look at it as part of equal treatment. And then we can also hope that it raises both curiosity and awareness.”

“No, it’s not brave. This is not controversial. It shouldn’t be, but it could become that!”

[Muslima in Hijab: Fantastic: Fatima Almanea (Ap) is very positive about Coca Cola’s campaign. Photo: Verdal kommune]

 

“We must also praise Coca-Cola for great marketing,” she adds with a smile.

 

Nina Marianne Iversen, professor of marketing and branding at BI, thinks the campaign is interesting:

“It is clear that Coca-Cola as a brand wants to establish closer ties to Muslims. The campaign is aimed at a group that fasts — and when they can finally drink something, they should know that there is a Coca Cola ready for them.”

“Another motive for Coca-Cola is that they want to show themselves as a responsible social actor by linking the brand to diversity and inclusion,” Iversen says.

[Smiling female Dhimmi: Risky: Professor Nina Marianne Iversen says that Coca-Cola are pretty “tøffe” (tough). Photo: BI]

“Such a move can also be risky because it connects such an established brand to something that can provoke negative associations and stereotypes in many. They are “tøff” (tough) to do this! They challenge the stereotype and those who are skeptical of Islam,” says the professor to Dagbladet.

“We must remember that we are not as rational as we think when choosing products. So, what one associations with a brand is very important,” says Iversen, and adds:

“This is a short-term campaign that will attract a lot of attention around Coca-Cola. When the brand is as famous as this, there is actually much you can permit yourself to do.”

 

 

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

12 Replies to “Islam campaign causes a stir: – Risky”

  1. Ramadan begins and ends with the crescent moon, the Islamic month of skipping breakfast and lunch, gorging supper, and killing people. Calling it “Ram-A-Van” would be more fitting!

    ANYONE getting caught eating anything during the day or even drinking water (In the DESERT no less!) will get you severely punished… This applies to all NON-Muslims too!
    Can you imagine the harm done to a developing fetus during Ramadan? Pregnant women are NOT exempt!
    Many more, and more violent attacks on non-muslims occur during Ramadan than during the rest of the year.
    “Ramadan” is a daily “Fast” that lasts from sunup until sundown for an entire month to show “Empathy” for the world’s hungry (Moslem ONLY!) people. Then, after sundown, they engage in a “Thanksgiving-like gorge Fest” EVERY night for the entire month!

    Actually, it should not be called the FAST of Ramadan but DAILY FEAST of Ramadan for 40 days!

    As huge quantities and large varieties of sumptuous fried meat dishes, a variety of rice preparations & different kinds of breads are cooked/made from dawn to dusk & consumed immediately after sunset. In addition large quantities of fresh fruits & dry fruits; large quantities & varieties of sweets & soft drinks are also consumed. According to Islamic Law, eating can go on from sunset to sunrise!

    The normal human eating pattern is eating during daytime and fasting during night!
    Muslims have just reversed it and call a “fast”!

    Consequently, many muslims actually GAIN weight during the “FAST” of Ramadan, because of the after sunset partying and gorging!

    How is this “Showing empathy” for hungry people?
    Then, especially after Friday Evening Prayers they go out in mass to kill all those who do not believe as they do.

    Christian believers and everyone else, who do not participate in Ramadan are subject to harassment, discrimination, and murder. As last year’s bus attack on Christians reminds us—during this month Islamic extremists can be more overt in their attacks against the Church and individual believers.

    This is the nature of orthodox Islam: It imposes its religious standards on non-Moslems, which makes those religious standards fall into the category of a political ideology.
    Yet countries go out of their way to accommodate them for fear of not being tolerant.
    Yet Christianity supposedly is the one that gets blamed for imposing (forces) its beliefs on non-believers?

    What else would you expect from the Devil’s favorite “religion”?
    Islam really is the religion of peace. Because once you get rid of it, you will know peace.

  2. “William Federer – How’d We Get Here?”
    TheAmericanDecency – Published on February 18, 2019

    The History of the Middle East that explains the chaos and strife we deal with today.

    1:26:51 – How so moderate religious Muslims (who believe world will submit in future) turn into POLITICAL/MILITANT Muslims (world should submit now)?

  3. Being a woman, shouldn’t the female dhimmi professor be wary of Islam, with its misogyny enshrined in sharia law?
    Isn’t female, and indeed feminist, driven Islamophilia a form of mental illness?
    A bit like a Jew in the 1930s advocating for Nazism, I’d have thought.

    • Isn’t female, and indeed feminist, driven Islamophilia a form of mental illness?

      Don’t DSM-5s specifically list the codependency of terminal self-loathing with toxic cognitive dissonance? (I think they buried it in a footnote with lots of mouseprint.)

      Please pardon me for answering a question with a question, but as the old joke goes:

      MAN — Phyllis! Why must you always answer my questions with questions?

      WIFE: Do I, dear?

  4. I am sick and tired of companies being “responsible social actors’. Their sole aim should be to maximise returns for their share holders whilst operating within the legal parameters of the country in which they are marketing. CocaCola have lost me, there are plenty of other options.

  5. I couldn’t make it halfway through the article, the stupidity was killing my brain cells.