Sometimes, I guess, you just have to go your separate ways.
Smith College decided it just couldn't take it anymore. They can't go on loving Coca Cola.
In a statement -
"As a private college with a public conscience, Smith College takes issues of human rights and environmental sustainability very seriously. Social responsibility is a core value of the college, one we aspire to reflect in our educational mission and in our campus operations. In severing our ties with the Coca-Cola Corporation, Smith joins other institutions and organizations around the world in urging Coca-Cola to take significant steps toward more responsible business practices across all realms of its operations."
And Coca Cola responded by saying, "huh?! Smith, who?"
Though on some levels, Smith College's actions might be considered noble. But on another level Coca Cola will not miss the business of this 2600 some student body.
What I want to know, is does Smith College really think it is going to make a difference by SEVERING ties with Coca Cola? Do they expect Coca Cola to say, "Gee, that $10,000 decline in our umpteen billion dollar revenue really hurt."?
Wouldn't it be better to maintain a relationship, keep the dialog open, communicate, talk, teach, discuss, knock on doors, invite a representative, go for a visit, publish a paper,....?
Since when did divorce ever settle anything?
Coca Cola put a lot of money and advertising into trying to keep the contract, so it presumably meant something to them.
There were two years of open communication behind this decision. And since all of Smith's asking nicely didn't seem to be changing Coke's business practices beyond upping their PR efforts, joining the growing boycott movement is the most effective response.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 5, 2007 9:33 AM | Permalink to Comment