SodaStream brings explosive new TVC to New Zealand
Thursday 6 December 2012, 2:21PM
By The PR Shop
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SodaStream New Zealand, the leading manufacturer and distributor of home carbonation beverage systems, is bringing its controversial new global TV campaign to New Zealand.
With the tagline: ‘If you love the bubbles, set them free’, SodaStream’s provocative new television commercial aims to deliver a bold and powerful message about waste and sustainability that confronts “Big Soda” companies. SodaStream offers the consumer a more environmentally-friendly way to enjoy sparkling beverages, by simply turning tap water into a variety of soft drinks at home. The advert will air in New Zealand for the first time on Monday 10 December for one week in the lead-up to Christmas.
The commerical has made waves in the UK, wherein Clearcast, an organisation that pre-approves UK TV advertising (the equivalent of the Commercial Approval Bureau (CAB) in New Zealand), banned the ad from being aired claiming: “it was denigration of the bottled drinks market.”
“SodaStream is changing the way consumers view the big soft drink brands both here in NZ and around the world,” says Chris Bremner, Marketing Manager of SodaStream New Zealand.
“New Zealanders are quickly realising the real harm that pre-packaged, high sugar soft drinks are causing to our society as our obesity rates continue to be among the highest in the world. Also, the damage that plastic bottles and cans are causing to our environment is simply unacceptable and we encourage Kiwis to ask themselves: ‘do I really want to have my name on a bottle which will pollute our environment for the next 450 years?’”
The campaign was developed in part by highly acclaimed advertising innovators, Alex Bogusky and Rob Schuham. The new TV commercial, directed by Daniel Benmayor, showcases the brand’s values and sustainable consumption in a unique and dramatic way. The ad shows different scenes of soda bottles dissappearing instantaneously as people use the SodaStream soda maker, visualising a distruptive way to consume sparkling beverages. The spot closes with commentary ‘with SodaStream you can save 2000 bottles per year.’
To counter Clearcast’s decision, SodaStream UK is airing an interim advert, “Bubble Blackout” which delivers an impactful message that SodaStream will not be silenced. The new spot invites people to the view the banned advert on YouTube which already has over 1.3 million hits. The 30-second ad contains just three frames, set to the banned ad’s soundtrack, on a black background. The advert begins with SodaStream’s new strapline “If you love the bubbles set them free”, followed by the SodaStream logo. The final frame shows a YouTube logo with the text “The SodaStream Effect” and a QR code which leads to SodaStream’s YouTube channel where the banned advert is housed. The Bubble Blackout advert can be viewed at facebook.com/SodaStreamNZ.
“The SodaStream Effect is aimed at establishing a strong brand image and distinct lifestyle positioning,” continues Bremmer. “We are on a mission to empower consumers to make the world a better place by eliminating bottles and cans, and to enjoy bubbles without the bottles. The SodaStream system creates a fraction of the carbon footprint of the traditional industry with its factories, trucks and bottles. We are proud to be sharing this truth with consumers around the world.”
The banned TVC can be viewed at youtube.com/sodastream.
SodaStream also announced this week that it will kick-off its first ever TVC campaign during Super Bowl XLVII in the States in February 2013, revealing a fresh take on its provocative new campaign. The revised version has been made specifically for the game, based on the same creative centerpiece.