Opinion

Hey, Glaceau Vitamin Water: Shut up and let me enjoy the view

On Saturday evening, I experienced one of those perfect Sydney moments that really should only exist in travel ads.  

On a walk from North Bondi though Dover Heights we arrived at the park above Watsons Bay just as the Sun was setting.

Behind us, a cruise ship was heading out into the Tasman. In front of us the Harbour Bridge was orange. The city looked amazing.

I remember thinking, fleetingly, that those on board the boat must be sorry to be leaving such a beautiful place.

A few metres on, we began to descend from the park.

A heavy bass tempo began to intrude on the peace. I wondered what sort of idiot brings music to a peaceful spot like this. As we walked past him, I glared at a backpacker who was playing with a device, before realising that the music – by now recognisable as the Ting Tings’ Shut Up & Let Me Go – was louder and was coming from further away.

Which explained it – it was just a selfish hoon in the car park below imposing their music choice on everybody in the vicinity.

Well, almost. Inexplicably, Glaceau Vitamin Water – part of the Coca-Cola company – had decided that the perfect way of introducing its newish brand to consumers was to drive to a beautiful spot, crank up the music as loud as possible, and hand drinks to anyone who walked past. Not that there were many people about anway.

It was the classic example of what Alan Riva, boss of promo agency Kaleidoscope describes as “experiential spam”.

It was a brand experience so jarring it transformed the product in my consideration group.

I no longer think of Glaceau Vtamin Water  as that-expensive-coloured-water-that’s probably-fractionally-healthier-than-Coke. But rather as “a bunch of tossers”.

I wonder if that was in the original brief?

Tim Burrowes

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