Glaceau Vitaminwater, owned by Coca-Cola, is a smart marketing company, no doubt. Its low-calorie product Vitaminwater10 should be a success but I read about the new campaign today and am a little worried. The idea “Vitaminwater10 has one-upped mother nature,” sounds fertile enough, yet mother nature has been turned in to a dysfunctional corporation a la The Office and the ads poke fun at it. These days when everyone is pretty much rooting for mother nature, it is going to take some funny tongue-in cheek work to deliver the premise. BBH is the agency so I’m thinking they’ll handle it.

That said, the quotes I read by Emma Cookson (BHH-N.Y., CEO) and Vitaminwater CMO Rohan Oza don’t give me huge confidence. Mr. Oza talks purely about the comedic effect of the advertising and Ms. Cookson about the packaging dry facts. A branding idea can package facts, so I will wait to pass judgment.

As for the OOH which may not be a big part of the budget, it’s not “on idea” at all.  It’s all borrowed interest stuff mocking poor transit advertising.  The simple fact is, when you need a low calorie version of water, something is wrong.  Capisce?