Leading sparkling water brand SodaStream has launched a new celebrity-packed video campaign against growing environmental damage caused by single-use plastics.
Starring Sir Rod Stewart as a singing sea turtle, Game of Thrones star Thor Björnsson and actress Sarah Catherine Hook, the campaign calling for greater use of reusable plastics has racked up millions of views on YouTube since its release on Tuesday.
The video features a choir of people and marine animals wounded by plastic waste floating in the sea singing “Ocean of Change,” written especially for the Israeli company's campaign, before confronting a meeting room of corporate executives apathetic about the environment.
“Plastic has become a pandemic threat with its impact upon human health still unknown, but with devastating environmental consequences to our oceans and marine life,” said Sodastream CEO Daniel Birnbaum.
“In this campaign, we wanted to give a voice to marine animals and, together with them, encourage people and corporations to switch from single-use plastic to reusable packaging.”if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("656089") != -1){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";}else if(window.location.pathname.indexOf("/israel-news/") != -1){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}
Eagle-eyed viewers have suggested that SodaStream’s campaign likely mocks Coca-Cola’s classic 1972 “Hilltop” ad in which a choir gathered on a grassy Italian hilltop sings the praises of the carbonated soft drink.
Coca-Cola’s competitor PepsiCo is set to acquire SodaStream in a $3.2 billion deal announced in August. The transaction, PepsiCo said, is expected to close by January 2019.
“I have a great love for our oceans and marine life, and was happy to lend my voice and support to this campaign,” said Stewart. “If it helps raise awareness and effect simple changes like switching to reusable bottles, then I’m honored to be a part of it.”
While SodaStream says its home carbonation product, which carbonates water by adding carbon dioxide from a pressurized cylinder to create soda water, can prevent the need for thousands of single-use plastic bottles and cans, Birnbaum hopes the company’s campaign will have a wider impact far beyond disposable bottles.
“The world needs to change more than just its drinking habits to combat the global pollution hazard. We should all do our best to shift away from single-use plastic including straws, cups, bags and bottles,” said Birnbaum.
“SodaStream hopes that this campaign will encourage many to make the change. It’s in our hands.”
