Sprite ad BACKLASH: ‘She’s seen more ceilings than Michelangelo’

Aug 2, 2016

It's no secret that half the country was regularly revitalised with litres of 7UP in the Eighties and Nineties.

Still, a far newer lemon-and-lime beverage has been muscling in on our thirsty ways since it launched in 2001.

The @Sprite #BrutallyRefreshing campaign is disgusting, how are ads like this still getting approved?! #EverydaySexism

— Emma Luxton (@essaysandwine) August 2, 2016

Step forward Sprite – always somewhat of a controversial alternative to its longer-established rival, but nonetheless a formidable option for those in the market for a citrus-based fizzy drink.

Who approved this? A reaction for all the wrong reasons. Inappropriate & misogynistic @Sprite #BrutallyRefreshing pic.twitter.com/oMTDBckKxD

— Claire McElligott (@Claire201089) August 2, 2016

Sadly for Sprite, however, the brand endured a bit of a battering on social-media today – with its #BrutallyRefreshing campaign drawing in plenty of hard-hitting criticism.

This is just appalling and disgusting @Sprite #BrutallyRefreshing it is not. #SexuallyShaming it is. https://t.co/rHjR75uotq

— Lindsay Allan (@Linzamabee) August 2, 2016

Brandishing deeply uncomfortable taglines such as "she's seen more ceilings than Michelangelo"; "you're not popular, you're easy", and "a 2 at 10 is a 10 at 2," it appeared on a male-focused lifestyle website before hastily being removed as the backlash took off.

Conversation on the matter remained in full flow online this evening – with outraged Twitter users being quick to express their disdain for the advert.

SERIOUSLY with this takeover in 2016? pic.twitter.com/q5TBk5AmdL

— Louise McSharry (@louisemcsharry) August 2, 2016

Among them was popular 2fm host Louise McSharry. Sharing a screen-shot of the offending campaign, she asked her 15K followers: "SERIOUSLY with this takeover in 2016?" The message later received close-to 100 retweets and the same number of likes.

A response to Louise from the editor of the site admitted that the ad didn't reflect its "brand values". "It shouldn't have been there and it has since been removed," he added.

@louisemcsharry pic.twitter.com/x4rhhaP74Z

— Paddy McKenna (@PaddyMcKenna) August 2, 2016

Still, further comments online called the ads "appalling and disgusting," while one person stated: "Sprite's sexist 'banter' marketing campaign tastes old and flat. On the boycott list!"