Lucozade Sport drink criticised for overstating health benefits

by Joe Lepper, Brand Republic 06-Apr-05, 08:30

LONDON - GlaxoSmithKline has been censured by the advertising watchdog for a 'misleading' poster and television campaign for its Lucozade Sport Hydro Active brand, which implied the drink was healthier than it actually is.

The Advertising Standards Authority said the advertising for the brand, under the taglines "Water designed for exercise" and "The fitness water" wrongly gave the impression it was an unprocessed drink free of calories.

In upholding a complaint from Irish drinks firm C&C (Ireland), the ASA said GSK should be careful to avoid giving "that impression in future."

The campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather and M&C Saatchi, included a television commercial featuring a human figure formed of water performing cartwheels and back flips in the rain.

It also featured a voiceover saying: "Imagine if water did more. Imagine if Lucozade Sport redesigned water for exercise and for better hydration than water alone." The poster advertising also featured the same watery figure.

In its ruling, the ASA said: "The authority considered that the product was not a high-calorie drink. It considered, however, that the overall impression of the advertisements was that the product contained no calories or additives."

The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre had earlier ruled that viewers were unlikely to infer the product was pure water due to the association of the Lucozade brand with processed sports drinks.

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the Forum.