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ITV I'm a Celebrity Clearcast

Clearcast bans new SodaStream at the eleventh hour before TV debut

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By Gillian West, Social media manager

November 23, 2012 | 2 min read

SodaStream’s new television ad, which was set to debut last night during ITV1’s ‘I’m a Celebrity…’, was pulled at the eleventh hour by Clearcast, the organisation that pre-approves UK TV advertising.

Despite already airing successfully in the US, Sweden and Australia, Clearcast deemed the ad inappropriate for UK audiences.

Clearcast’s decision stated that the ad “could be seen to tell people not to go to supermarkets and buy soft drinks, instead help to save the environment by buying a SodaStream,” adding “We thought it was denigration of the bottled drinks market.”

Speaking of the decision SodaStream’s UK managing director, Fiona Hope, commented: “This decision is absurd. We have neither named nor disparaged any of our competitors in the industry and cannot see how this makes any sense.

“Through the ad, we are simply displaying an alternative way to living more sustainably and illustrating one of our product’s benefits – the reduction of plastic bottle wastage. The consumer should be allowed to make their own decisions about how to live their lives and the products to choose. This decision appears to put the sensitivities of the world’s soft drinks giants ahead of concern for the environment.

“We will continue to fight this decision with Clearcast and will push to reverse this decision.”

The advert, which featured on The Drum website on Wednesday, can still be shown online as Clearcast’s decision only relates to television broadcasts.

ITV I'm a Celebrity Clearcast

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