The advert for Smartwater starring Jennifer Aniston, aimed to build brand recognition of
Glaceau’s bottled water beyond its core market in the US. Glaceau Smartwater has been using
Jennifer Aniston as their spokeswoman and the water company is known for its entertaining
advertisements and campaigns. Aniston has an endorsement deal with the Glaceau company,
endorsing Smart Water. Smart Water is a nutrient enhanced water. Glaceau Smart Water
promotes healthy living and “hydrating responsibly.”
In an attempt to distinguish their product from spring water, the company created the term
"Smart Water" and bottled it in graphically appealing proprietary packaging under its
trademarked brand name, Glaceau. Glaceau Smart Water has claimed its rightful place as having
the lowest measurement of total dissolved solids of any water on the market.
Glaceau makes Smartwater, company based in Queens, NY. The actress has been the company’s
pitchwoman since 2007. She has appeared in numerous campaigns but this is her first attempt at
going viral on the web. The attempt to go viral is often hit or miss because it is impossible to
presume the reaction of a mass audience. Thus, it is reasonable to say; that with just over a
million hits in a day, there is little doubt this video has gone viral. The marketer's clip, starring
Jennifer Aniston, debuted at the top of this week's Ad Age Viral Video chart with 7.5 million
views. Huffington Post titled its post "Jen Aniston Sex Tape," which probably gave the video a
healthy boost in search optimization, too.
Smartwater advert was released in March 2011. Smartwater’s latest ad, and the clip has taken the
Internet by storm. The new spot from Smartwater aims to go viral by making fun of the elements
that have become viral video clichés. In the cleverly made advert, a group of ‘internet geeks’ are
attempting to make a ‘viral video’ by enlisting the help of Jen. The clip features the friends
actress spoofing several well-known viral videos from the past, including the 'double rainbow
guy', the 'dancing babies' and the 'skateboarding dog'. Towards the end of the ad, the team decide
that calling the video 'Jen Aniston's Sex Tape' would result in maximum exposure. After
seductively drinking from a bottle of 'Clearwater', the actress gives the idea the thumbs-up,
saying, "I love it".
As mentioned earlier video features viral memes such as, a kid lip-syncing a popular song,
puppies, babies dancing, double rainbow plug, groin kicks, and cheesy porn music. Each of these
elements successfully and effectively received viewer’s attention online, all rolled into one
satirical video.
This video campaign shows creativity in getting people’s attention. The advertisement is the
latest viral video for Smartwater, the top selling enhanced water brand in the United States. The
face of Smartwater is the acclaimed Hollywood actress and old sex symbol Jennifer Aniston,
who claims this bottled water to be the most pure, refreshing and best tasting water on earth.
In terms of the target market, the company Glaceau, promotes healthy living, and targets
customers who live a healthy life style. Their main target are people who enjoy healthy food and
are aware of what they are putting into their bodies.
When taking in to concern the demographics & psychographics Glaceau targets the natural
foods, gourmet/specialty and direct-store-door beverage retail channels of distribution, Energy
Brands quickly formed relationships with over 30 well-established food and beverage
distributors nationwide. Glaceau Smart Water is now featured in many of the nation’s most
highly regarded retail outlets, including, for example, the two national giants of the natural foods
world, Whole Foods and Wild Oats.
Looking at the advertisement in a traditional way of AIDA (attention, interest, desire and action),
they viral video should be considered successful. It gained instant attention and interest given its
title, many people searching the video online to view it. In term of desire, the video falls back.
Jennifer Aniston does not explain why Smartwater is so good for you. The only thing she says is,
¨smartwater is the purest tasting water there is¨. For action, the sales results after the release will
measure the ability of the video campaign to be successful. Companies advertise to get the
attention from consumers and peak their interest in their product. The video shot up Internet
video ranking charts and has more people aware about the product.
Like any other mass media, the marketing strategy of Smartwater does not consist of selling the
actual product but the ideas and feelings that accompany it. The ad employs Aniston’s face,
body, attire, and sexuality to pull every viral-trick in the book, painting a picture of seductiveness
and beauty achieved by drinking Smartwater. Hence, the success of this video clip rest in its
ability to sell the hope of satisfying a female’s desire of outer-beauty and, in the case of a man,
the sexual fantasy of having a woman as beautiful as Aniston.
Rather than a reflexive view of Smartwater, the advertisement reminds users about their own
silly viral video viewing habits. Whether Smartwater consumers would like to admit that they are
drawn to computer animated babies or lip-syncing teens, they have no choice. Needless to say,
the producers of this ad are exploiting Aniston’s body and sexuality, rather than her brains to sell
water. The fact that Aniston approves of it, confirms the illusion that an individual can use sex to
get what he/she desires.
As a result of Jennifer Aniston's healthy lifestyle, it was easy to make a brand image with the
help of the celebrity’s image. The all-American beauty has a passion for yoga, cooking organic
meals and walking her dogs. In contrast, the Smartwater advert not only portrays how an ideal
woman should look like, causing women to envy Aniston’s body and see themselves as deviant
only because the ad pushes towards consumerism, turning bottled water into a status symbol and
marketing it as being indispensable if you wish to become someone nearly as sexy as Aniston.
Contrastingly, they video has also received negative attention from environmentalists.
Environmentalists note the impact that bottled water has. They suggest that the video and
product itself do not promote sustainability and a green product.
Given all of the above, the entire ad is “enlightened sexism¨ in action because it ¨claims you can
have independence, power, and respect and male love and approval and girly, consumerist
indulgences all at once, all without costs.” The overall concept behind this is great. It was
interesting, funny, fresh and has definitely achieved SmartWater’s goal of wanting it to go viral.
References:
"A Gulp of Enlightened Sexism: An Analysis of Smartwater's Sexual Objectification of
Women." The F Word. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 04 Feb. 2012.
<http://wmst2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/gulp-of-enlightened-sexism-analysis-of.html>.
"Glaceau Press Release." Relationship LLC (TM) Marriage Limited Liability Company. Web. 05
Feb. 2012. <http://www.relationshipllc.com/glaceau.htm>.
"Jennifer Aniston Goes Viral for Smartwater - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 7 Mar.
2011. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc47LcvIxyI>.
"Jennifer Aniston SmartWater 'Sex Tape' Reels in Views | Viral Video Charts: Week's Top
Brand-Driven Viral Ads - Advertising Age." Advertising Agency & Marketing Industry News Advertising Age. 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. <http://adage.com/article/the-viral-videochart/jennifer-aniston-smartwater-sex-tape-reels-views/149433/>.
"Marketer of the Year: Coca-Cola | Special: Marketer A-List - Advertising Age." Advertising
Agency & Marketing Industry News - Advertising Age. 7 Nov. 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012.
<http://adage.com/article/special-report-marketer-alist/marketer-year-coca-cola/230826/>.
Receivers, Patriots. "Jennifer Aniston In Smart Water Ad 'Jen Aniston's Sex Tape' (VIDEO)."
Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. 25 May 2011. Web. 07 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/jennifer-aniston-sex-tape-smart-water_n_832269.html>.