ASA ponders response to Drench ad complaints

A CHI & Partners campaign for Britvic water brand Drench has caused complaints to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA).

Press executions featuring an illustration of a brain in a plant pot have been slated for being offensive and in bad taste, particularly to those who have suffered brain injuries, according to one complainant.

Britvic launched the ad campaign earlier this month to raise awareness of “youth” brand Drench’s new look (MW June 7). The £2.4m national press and radio promotion is scheduled to run for three months over the key summer selling period.

Press advertising features a large picture of a brain set in a flower pot with a planting instructions label containing the tagline “Your brain is 75% water – keep it topped up… stay drenched”.

A spokeswoman for the ASA says it is “considering its response”.

The ASA has previously upheld complaints against a television ad for Britvic’s carbonated brand Tango. The execution showed a man wrapped in a carpet packed with oranges, balanced on top of concrete construction pipes (MW November 25, 2004).