Brita’s new commercial has yet another “soda is bad, water is good” campaign. Sadly, the commercial doesn’t capitalize on its tagline, ‘Nothing is better’. Instead, it goes forth to establish a known fact; water is better than soda. The commercial does not sell the fact that “Brita’s” purified water is the taste of refreshingly pure nothingness.
In the new 30-second ad, soda is made to look and feel pretty disgusting, with convincing statistics. In a cliché contrast the Brita shot looks clean and healthy, with crisp, clear water flowing from the filter into a glass (how else can one show pure water?).
Although the campaign is considered a leap from the old commercial, regarding the use of plastic water bottles, it leaves me wondering is it really a leap? The campaign also has a second spot with digital executions around the same idea.
Although I appreciate the cause behind the campaign: educating America on the benefits of drinking more water, an initiative in partnership with a Healthier America and Michelle Obama on the “Drink Up Initiative”. I feel the visuals and the message are mismatched.
In an attempt to push a social message, the actual unique selling proposition (USP) of the product seems completely ignored. Arguably, everyone knows Brita is a water filter, and all are aware of its benefits, but a little exaggeration on what purity means could have helped the cause, making the message more focused.
Being in advertising school has taught me to avoid critiquing an idea unless I have a better alternative suggestion. Brita is the presence of purity. Water is one of the basic needs of a healthy lifestyle, something that we unknowingly compromise.
In keeping with the ‘Nothing is better” campaign, I would highlight the increasing cola epidemic, that not only controls our lifestyles but our taste buds, too. It is something of a cola invasion.
The message would be something along the lines of, “Free your taste buds from cola control and discover the taste of pure nothingness.”
