Campaign Critique: Brita – Nothing is Better

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.”