By Sarah Carnvek
Israel's carbonated drink machine maker SodaStream has added fizz to its marketing in the shape of Hollywood actress Scarlet Johansson. The world's leading distributor of home beverage carbonation systems named the Golden Globe nominee as its first-ever Global Brand Ambassador.
Johansson's first TV commercial for SodaStream will premiere at the Super Bowl on February 2, 2014.
"I've been using the SodaStream products myself and giving them as gifts for many, many years," Johansson said in a statement. "The company's commitment to a healthier body and a healthier planet is a perfect fit for me. I love that the product can be tailored to any lifestyle and palate. The partnership between me and SodaStream is a no brainer."
Indeed, SodaStream has always advocated its environmentally friendly side – after all, that's what caused its first Super Bowl commercial in 2013 to be banned. The original advertisement parodied Coca-Cola and PepsiCo – showing how if consumers used SodaStream instead they wouldn't need to throw away thousands of plastic bottles. The original ad caused oodles of controversy but also plenty of free publicity for the company.
Playing it safer this year in terms of subject, the Israeli company grabbed new headlines when announcing its celebrity face.
Daniel Birnbaum, CEO of SodaStream, told The New York Times that the goal of this year's commercial is to "demonstrate how easy it is, how sexy it is, to make your own soda . . . better bubbles, made by you and Scarlett.” He also described the commercial as "a love story between a brand with a purpose and a passionate user.”
Media bubbles over
International and domestic media bubbled over with excitement upon hearing of Johansson's new role as brand ambassador of SodaStream.
Used to hearing her name connected to starring roles in films like “The Avengers,” "Lost in Translation" and “Her,” many fans were surprised to hear she had signed on to promote an Israeli soft-drink maker.
Yet the 29-year-old Broadway and Hollywood actress has said because she is a true fan of the product, it seemed like a fun thing to do.
“It’s funny,” Johansson told ABC News upon being hired by SodaStream International. “I could never book anything because of my voice as a kid, as far as commercials went, because I just didn’t have that real bubbly and, you know, that little kid voice that sells products and toys and all that stuff."
SodaStream is serving up its own brand ambassador in the same way George Clooney is for Nespresso coffee-making system or Jennifer Aniston is for SmartWater.
Birnbaum said in a press release that Johansson was the perfect brand ambassador because she "is a long-time user and genuine fan of our products, a role model for healthy body image and a champion for environmental responsibility."
Her voice is definitely the right kind of bubbly now.
Add flavor to your bubbles
While the other major brands of soda makers offer just a handful of flavors, SodaStream lets consumers choose the flavor of soda they want and make it with ordinary tap water.
It turns out that this is one of the reasons Johansson – named “The Sexiest Woman Alive” by Esquire magazine – got hooked on SodaStream in the first place.
Johansson said in a statement that she has loved sparkling water since childhood and this led her to discover SodaStream.
At the moment, SodaStream has more than 100 flavors to pick from. Johansson has said her favorites are the Dr. Pete (similar to Dr. Pepper), ginger ale and orange. In the Super Bowl commercial, she is drinking grapefruit flavor.
SodaStream says its soda mixes generally contain two-thirds less sugar and two-thirds less calories than regular soda, no high-fructose corn syrup and no aspartame.
In addition to adding a celebrity ambassador to its lineup, SodaStream also recently announced the launch of SodaStream Caps in the United States. The single-use capsules are being hailed as a breakthrough innovation for the home soda-making category.
The SodaStream syrup bottles are used for several servings' worth of a flavor, while a SodaCap is for a single-serving.
"It's better for you, better for the environment, and now with Caps, it's even easier and more fun. Once you use SodaStream Caps, you'll never look back," said Birnbaum.
SodaStream products are available at more than 60,000 retail stores in 45 countries around the world, including some 15,000 retail stores in the United States.
SodaStream believes the new SodaCaps and its new brand ambassador will give it a boost in the market and help consumers embrace home soda-making as the future of the beverage industry.