Discussion Board Topic - Campbell Soup Case Study

Be prepared to put on your best "customer service voice" for this topic.

Please read the attached case study about the Campbell Soup Company's "Label for Education Program." Some of you may remember this program and similar programs. I distinctly remember ripping labels off of soup cans and clipping cereal box tops in the early 1990s as a young child. Some of you may have did what I did and tore off multiple labels at once without labeling the cans. Mystery meal. Will it be Chicken Noodle Soup or Cream of Mushroom? What's in the can? Who knows?

As you read the case study and determine how you will prepare your response to the situation take some of these questions into consideration. Read through the article once and jot down key points as you read. How will you respond to the senator's wife and the Protection for Students Organization regarding their allegations? How will you respond to the general public regarding the negative press? Do you think the Campbell Soup Company did anything unethical? Do you think the response to the program would have been different if another company such as Del Monte or Progresso had launched the program instead of Campbell Soup? What makes this different than the prizes offered by the cereal companies such as Kellogg's Post at the time, if you think there is a difference?

Read the article again and make note of some talking points. Consider the points Mrs. Ray made in the article. Could Campbell Soup's actions be perceived as them making themselves look like the "good guys?" Do you consider their actions to be exploitative in nature?

In your response, be mindful that this situation took place in the 1980s. This was before the age of social media. Now pretend this situation occurred in 2023. Would your response to the situation be different? How will you and your team navigate through all the #BoycottCampbellSoup rhetoric that may circulate as a result of the situation? Would Campbell Soup be able to recover from the negative press? Could this situation cause the company to go out of business if it occurred today?