The divisive spreadable is back with a new TV ad, and as you’d expect people either ‘love it or hate it’.
‘Neglect’ by Adam&EveDDB is a parody of documentaries on animal rescue teams. As the clip goes on, it becomes clear that it’s actually jars of Marmite being neglected at the back of cupboards. Mortified homeowners look on as their unwanted jars are taken away and ‘rehomed’.
Clever writing means that the language used throughout is pretty much the same as you’d hear when watching cases of mistreated or abandoned animals. Lines like “Let’s get him back and clean him up”, “Offenders can be from all walks of life” and “Oh no, it’s a baby one” could have been lifted straight from a recent series of Animal Rescue.
A voiceover provided by legendary announcer Michael Buerk lends even more credibility to the clip, giving it that added sense of realism. The expertly crafted script for this ad even covers the visuals – the poor neglected Marmite leaves the house in a travel cage. At the end, the classic Marmite slogan is given a twist: ‘Love it. Hate it. Just don’t forget it.’
This TV spot is the first Marmite advert for two years, and has brought the brand back with a flash by attracting more than 250 complaints within the first 24 hours. Some viewers feel that the 90-second clip is in poor taste, and that it trivialises the efforts of animal rights campaigners and charities. The ASA is currently investigating, and it remains to be seen whether the ad will be banned.
I’m personally a Marmite fan, and I have to say that I also love the new advert. The main complaint seems to be that it hits too close to home, which to me conversely means that the writing and execution of the parody has been honed to perfection. It’ll be interesting to see how this campaign develops – and whether the brand ends up involved with any animal welfare organisations.
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