Nestlé in Mexico: The Good Food Versus The Good Life Dilemma

This case addresses the fine balancing act that Nestlé had to perform when managing the expectations of its stakeholders. On one hand, the company had to answer the calls addressed by its secondary stakeholders—such as non-governmental organizations and activist groups—and make addressing childhood obesity one of its main corporate communication messages. Simultaneously, Nestlé had to continue to promote sales of its high calorific products and satisfy its primary stakeholders, such as its stockholders or current consumers. This case study explores the dilemma that Nestle was confronted with when choosing how to answer the pressures and expectations of these distinct groups. The intricate intertwining of potentially non-overlapping goals, strategies and ethical conflicts are explored, with a focus on the company’s marketing communication strategy.