SodaStream Awarded Yet Another Accolade for its ‘Shame or Glory’ Campaign Just Days After Belgian Court Dismissed Suit to Terminate the Campaign
SodaStream International, a top global sparkling water brand, won the 2017 European Effie marketing award in the Carpe Diem category for its disruptive, viral “Shame or Glory” campaign. The prestigious marketing competition recognised SodaStream’s effective marketing communications in advocating for a world free of disposable plastic bottles. The Euro Effies competition attracts thousands of entries from all over the world each year and provides the premier showcase for the best that marketing has to offer.
SodaStream won for demonstrating insight and creativity, crafting unexpected and unconventional moments amplified through PR and digital activations. The Shame or Glory campaign features Game of Thrones stars Thor Bjornson, aka the Mountain, and Hannah Waddingham, aka Septa Unella, and encourages consumers to use fresh tap water instead of polluting disposable plastic bottles. The campaign, created by Allenby Concept House, gained more than 100 million views and received huge media coverage in over 50 countries. Lately SodaStream global marketing activities have been recognised with a host of international awards, including the Golden Drum Award, the PR Daily Campaign of the Year award and the Gold Sabre prize.
The Shame or Glory campaign sparked an immediate global debate about the hazardous use of disposable plastic bottles and the devastation they cause. Soon after its release, SodaStream was attacked by several bottled water industry front groups—led by Nestle Waters—that sent cease-and-desist letters demanding the campaign’s immediate termination. What’s more, the Belgium Bottled Water Association filed a suit in the Commercial Court in Brussels claiming that the campaign denigrated the bottled water industry and was misleading. SodaStream declared that it would not be silenced and would continue to fight for a plastic-bottle-free world. A few days ago the Commercial Court decision, from July 26 and declaring the claim not admissible, became final.
“This award belongs to millions of consumers who have already joined the SodaStream revolution by saying ‘NO’ to bottled water and ‘YES’ to making fresh sparkling water. The bottle water giants are trying to shut us up, but we will not be intimidated and will continue to fight against the enormous environmental damage caused by disposable plastic bottles,” said Matti Yahav, SodaStream’s VP of Global Marketing.
“We are honoured to receive the Effie award for excellence in PR and digital strategy and execution. Consumers are embracing SodaStream as an environmental brand of choice, and they trust us to continue our mission to save the planet from plastic bottle waste,” said Maayan Nave, SodaStream’s Head of Global Communications, about the win.
