The ASA has banned Coca Cola’s advertisements for its glaceau vitaminwater® brand.

Advertisements for Coca Cola’s glaceau vitaminwater® have been banned in their current form by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) because they breach current codes of practice.

The ads included phrases such as “keep perky when you’re feeling murky” and “… vitamins b + zinc are great for giving you superhero-like powers …”.

The ASA received only three complaints about the ads – three posters and a leaflet – which focused on the drinks’ claims: to be healthy; of their equivalence to the health benefits of vegetables; and of their ability to raise energy levels and their resistance to illness.

In its defence, Coca Cola insisted that the ads were designed to be humorous and that it had “adopted a humorous and irreverent tone for its advertising. All advertising and packaging reflected this style and the fictional stories were linked to the different ingredients in the drinks.”

While the ASA appreciated a number of Coca Cola’s statements, each complaint against the ads was, however, upheld. The Authority ruled they breached clauses for truthfulness and substantiation.

The glaceau vitaminwater® brand was established in 1996 and launched in 2000, and is “specially formulated to help people on the go feel better, perform better, and live healthy lives.” It is on sale in the USA, Australia and the UK, and available in six varieties.