Coca-Cola: The words "gay" and "lesbian" banned from cans

Coca-Cola: The words "gay" and "lesbian" banned from cans


Food/Health Way of consumption

You can share a Coca-Cola with your family. But customising your can with the words "gay" or "lesbian" is forbidden by the American giant, and produces an error message on the dedicated "Share a Coke" website.

If the silence from the official sponsor of the Sochi Olympic Games concerning the Russian anti-gay law has some up-in-arms, its latest sales initative is unlikely to improve the situation. The "Share a Coke" marketing campaign organised in different countries has taken a new turn in South Africa. In addition to the list of more than 400 first names that can replace the brand's logo on the can, the South African version of the dedicated "Share a Coke" website allowed a virtual bottle to be customised with the inscription of your choice. However, some words such as "gay", "lesbian" or "homo" are refused by the platform and produce a strange error message. "Oops, let's pretend you didn't just type that. Please try another name".

This could lead you to think that only proper nouns or ones with no sexual connotation can be validated. However, the word "straight" ("heterosexual") comes up with no problem at all on the red and white label of the drink. Whilst the brand has since closed its virtual customisation service, it has still not explained these discriminatory restrictions. For their part, homosexual rights defence associations are calling for a boycott of the brand.

*Illustration from the Coca-Cola Facebook page :  https://shareacoke.co.za

 

News written by the team of The-shops.co.uk The-Shops.co.uk

News in the same category

Britain’s Best Ice Cream Places

Britain’s Best Ice Cream Places

With this year’s summer shaping up to be a hot one, ice cream vendors the length and breadth of the country are hoping to scoop the profits. So here is a small selection of the best ice cream parlours in the UK.

  • Food/Health
From Flower Shop To Cafe

From Flower Shop To Cafe

In these difficult and competitive times for retail businesses, it may have become more common to see empty disused shops in the local high street.

  • Food/Health
Babylon : the Belgian beer made from fermented bread

Babylon : the Belgian beer made from fermented bread

Part of the circular economy, the Brussels Beer Project goes back to 6,000 year old production processes to brew its Babylon beer. It is made from fermented bread from stores' unsold stocks.

  • Food/Health
The end of angora wool clothes at Inditex (Zara, Bershka...)

The end of angora wool clothes at Inditex (Zara, Bershka...)

Following a PETA video showing mistreatment of angora rabbits in China, the Inditex textile group (Zara, Bershka, Pull & Bear) has removed angora wool articles from its shelves and stopped their production.

  • Way of consumption
Coca-Cola: The words "gay" and "lesbian" banned from cans