At a pre-match press conference at the ongoing European Championship, the football icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, pushed aside two bottles of Coke placed on the table before holding up a bottle of water. Ronaldo’s move was an indication to urge his fans to drink water rather than carbonated drinks. This triggered an online campaign that eventually shaved off $4 billion from Coke’s market value.
Multiple studies have shown the harmful effects fizzy drinks can have on the body. In India, Pullela Gopichand and Virat Kohli took a similar public stand against endorsing carbonated soft drinks owing to their deleterious health effects. While on the other hand, many celebrities endorse the same harmful products (carbonated drinks, Pan masala, etc).
This has again ignited a debate about celebrity endorsements and the responsibility quotient. Should celebrities be responsible for brand claims and their deliverables? What is the scope and degree of this responsibility?
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