The Perrier 'Small Bubbles' campaign uses bubbles to break bad news. In order to advertise Perrier's line of sparkling mineral water, a series of print ads were created with insults and negative news being softened by bubbles. The text "small bubbles make it easy to swallow" was paired with the retro illustrations in order to emphasize how pleasant carbonated water is.
Each ad captures a different person receiving negative news with a smile on their face. Cringe-worthy statements like "We cut off your wrong leg" or "Your new book made me wish I was illiterate" are completely misinterpreted by their recipients. Ad agency Ogilvy Paris illustrated attractive women receiving the insults and bad news with great grace.
Carbonated Insult Ads
The 'Small Bubbles' Campaign Softens Negativity with Carbonation
Trend Themes
1. Humorous Negative Advertising - Opportunity for companies to promote their products with humor without offending customers who may have been sensitive to negative advertising in the past.
2. Emphasis on Marketing Strategies That Soften Negativity - Opportunity for businesses to promote their products in an amusing and positive way while still addressing any potential shortcomings.
3. Combining Old and New Marketing Techniques - Opportunity to integrate retro graphics with new concepts to create a new, innovative approach to product advertising.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage Industry - Opportunity for companies to use humorous negative advertising to promote their products, specifically beverages, while focusing on the benefits of carbonation.
2. Advertising Industry - Opportunity for businesses to incorporate humor into their marketing strategies in order to increase customer engagement and create a more positive brand image.
3. Graphic Design Industry - Opportunity for companies to use classic illustrations and mix them with modern concepts to create unique and visually appealing campaigns.