The brouhaha about Coca-Cola and v----a explained

Everyone is fully aware and have seen the Coca-Cola popular ad campaign strategy that makes everyone want to buy a coke. The company has a popular ad campaign that encourages sharing by writing the name of a person on a coke bottle with the words, “share a coke with… (person’s name).”

One can of coke seen in South Africa had the words, “Share a Coke with Xitombo.” For most of us, we would simply assume that’s a person’s name and maybe it is, who knows after all some people are genuinely and legally named Apple. However, as a word may sometimes have different meanings, so it seems was the case with Xitombo, which reportedly means v----a in a South African language. Yes, you read that right – v----a as in the female private part.

So when a photo of a coke can with the word “Xitombo” was shared online, it quickly went viral. Social media users called out the company and there were massive calls for the company to correct the mistake. (Not that I really understand what the fuss was all about. I’m only musing here, mind you.)

Well in this area of customer engagement, Coca-cola caved and has replied to the perceived outrage and explained that the campaign had three elements, which included digital activation and engaging with consumers to personalise their own Coke cans. And it looked like the company worked with the South African government to decide what names can go on the cans. Yet somehow Xitombo managed to get printed. They blamed the mishap on failed quality control. Maybe some enterprising employee felt coke and the female organ go together. Oral sex anyone?

Here is the statement from Coca-Cola:

“The main element of the campaign was to place approximately 700 of South Africa’s most popular names on Coca-Cola cans and bottles, which were sold in stores.

“These names were identified in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and Stats SA.

“The names spread across the 11 official languages and were sent to two professional linguists for phonetic treatment, reviewed by various internal approval teams and finally printed, distributed and sold in the market.

“The Xitsonga word that led to this incident was not one of these names identified by the Department of Home Affairs, nor was the can marketed or sold by Coca-Cola.

“Coca-Cola acknowledged their mistake and said that they are “very disappointed that the controls we put in place could be taken advantage of in this manner.”

Will you buy a coke with Xitombo printed on the can? Share your thoughts.