Devesh Gupta
Digital

Viral Now: SodaStream's ad censured for reference to Coke, Pepsi

Although an edited version of the commercial was released for NFL Super Bowl, the complete version, featuring Scarlett Johansson, has gone viral.

SodaStream, a global manufacturer of home carbonation systems, has recently released a commercial that is making news across the social media platforms for attacking soft drink majors Coke and Pepsi. The ad features its brand endorser, Scarlett Johansson.

Viral Now: SodaStream's ad censured for reference to Coke, Pepsi
The ad shows Johansson who says that her real job, besides that of an actor, is to 'Save the World'. It then shows how she can do it with the SodaStream device, which makes a beverage with adequate sugar content. The uncensored ad ends with the provocative line, 'Sorry Coke and Pepsi', which has caused uproar and also resulted in the ad going viral.

The commercial was created for NFL Super Bowl but the broadcaster rejected it on the pretext of being provocative and attacking competitors by taking names. According to several reports, the soda making company has stood by its uncensored version and mentioned that it is a legitimate form of comparative advertising.

The company has released the edited version of the ad that will be aired during the NFL Super Bowl. The new version does not contain the controversial line.

This is the second time that SodaStream's commercial has been rejected at Super Bowl. The Israeli company's original Super Bowl ad for last year was rejected for touting its use of reusable bottles as greener than the bottles used by Coke and Pepsi.

The first cut or the uncensored version of the current ad hit the online platform on January 27 and has already garnered over 11 million views. The ad raked over 3 million views in less than two days of its launch.

The spot has been created by advertising icon Alex Bogusky for SodaStream.

(Viral Now is a section about videos that are catching people's fancy on social media).

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