Coca-Cola Terminates Contract with Cambodian Rapper VannDa Over Political Comments
Soft drink giant Coca-Cola removes Cambodian hip-hop artist from its roster of endorsees
In a move that has sparked outrage online in Cambodia, Coca-Cola has terminated its brand ambassador contract with popular Cambodian rapper VannDa. The decision comes after the rapper made political comments about the Thai-Cambodian border conflict on social media, which were believed to have violated the company's policy prohibiting political commentary by its ambassadors.
The termination was announced following concerns over maintaining a positive brand image and avoiding controversy that could lead to boycotts, especially from Thai consumers. Coca-Cola Cambodia has since deleted images of VannDa from its official page and has not issued any further comments or clarifications since the termination was reported.
Cambodia's powerful political figure, Hun Sen, publicly supported Coca-Cola's decision, describing VannDa's dismissal as a "sacrifice for the greater good of the nation." In a Facebook post on Monday, Hun Sen addressed VannDa directly, urging him to stay calm and rational. He emphasized the economic importance of Coca-Cola's operations in Cambodia, arguing against harming the company despite public backlash over the rapper's firing.
Despite the termination, VannDa remains a polarizing figure with strong nationalistic support, and Coca-Cola's Cambodia social media pages have been flooded with messages from citizens upset by the move. One of VannDa's remarks included the phrase "Thailand fired first," which many Cambodians saw as a defiant stance against the Thai government.
Hun Sen described VannDa as a symbol of the spirit of sacrifice for the nation and expressed hope that VannDa would understand and show resilience for the greater good. However, he did not comment on whether Coca-Cola should reinstate its contract with VannDa.
If a boycott of Coca-Cola forces the company to leave Cambodia, the country would ultimately suffer, according to Hun Sen. The issue was brought to light by the Facebook page The Wild Chronicles Group. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact Coca-Cola's operations in Cambodia and the future of VannDa's career.
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