Brita claims tap water is dirty - upsets water providers

DDB Canada's new campaign for Brita has caused a rukous. Why? The advertising campaign implies tap water is not fit for drinking and associates it with sewage. Drinking water providers throughout North America, including the Greater Vancouver Regional District are less than pleased.

The GVRD, the Canadian and American water utility associations and John Blatherwick, chief medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, have all complained about the campaign and asked Brita to withdraw the TV commercial that provoked their anger. Brita has refused.

The Canadian Water and Wastewater Association has filed a complaint with the Advertising Standards Council.

The tv spot, "Glass", shows a woman in a kitchen with a glass of water on the table. She leaves the room and you hear the sound of a toilet flushing. In time with the sound, the water in the glass drains away, then fills again like a toilet tank would. An announcer says the toilet water is the same as the tap water, and asks, "Don't you deserve a better quality to drink?" There is also a print campaign with ads "Mop Head" and "Grass Beard" demonstrating the difference between drinking water, hose water and dirty mop water. All ad components direct traffic to a microsite "You Deserve Better", created by Tribal DDB. The campaign is set to run throughout the end of the year.