Some viewers of the Oasis TV ad felt that the soft drink was depicted as a substitute for water.

Two of Coca-Cola Great Britain’s Oasis soft drink TV advertisements have been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after it received 32 complaints from viewers.

Both ads were designed to promote Coca-Cola’s soft drink, Oasis, and depicted a young pregnant female ‘running away with’ the ‘Cactus Kid’ – a green man covered in cactus spikes. The strapline for the ads read: “Oasis. For people who don’t like water.”

The majority of the 32 complaints from viewers thought that one of the ads condoned teenage pregnancy. The other main complaint was that viewers felt the ads suggested that Oasis was a substitute for water, and that this went against good dietary practice.

In response to the ASA case, Coca-Cola said the ads were “not intended to be offensive or harmful” and that they “did not encourage people to substitute Oasis for water but promoted choice for times when they preferred a fruit drink”.

Included in the ASA’s assessment of the case, while it acknowledged the ad “was not based on reality and intended to be humorous”, was the conclusion that “because Oasis contained added sugar and the ad suggested water was being rejected by a young girl who drank Oasis as a replacement, we [the ASA] concluded it was irresponsible and could discourage good dietary practice.”

It also included the conclusion that “the combination of her [the girl in the ads] youthful appearance and the reference to her pregnancy meant [one of the ads] could be interpreted to condone underage sex and teenage pregnancy”.

Click here to read the ASA adjudication in full.