Dr Pepper Sues Its Bottler

A family-owned company in Dublin, TX, has been bottling Dr Pepper since 1891 but is now being sued by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., which owns the brand. The parent company wants the bottler to stop using "Dublin" on its label and to stop selling its bottles via the Internet. The Dublin bottler uses cane sugar rather than high fructose corn syrup.

Discussion Starter and Assignment Idea:

• How do you think this news reflects on the Dr Pepper brand? Could this damage its reputation, or will this blow over quickly?
• Write a bad-news message from the parent company's management team to its employees. How will you explain the lawsuit internally?