Marmite is a British curiousity. It is often viewed as part of our national identity just like the royal family and talking about the weather. Our obsession with it has bemused other nations. "Only the British could love it," proclaimed the New York Times, who described it as "a brownish vegetable extract with a toxic odour, saline taste and an axle-grease consistency".
Marmite hit the news stands last year because of its most recent television advert. The advert shot in semi-documentary style, shows a Marmite rescue team calling on houses where they suspect people may be mistreating the product.
Some 250 complaints were received by the Advertising Standards Authority in just 24 hours, following the advert's debut on Monday evening. Those who objected found the advert "offensive" and "in poor taste", said a spokesman for the ASA.
A spokeswoman for Marmite, who are owned by Unilever, said it was "never [their] intention to cause offence...We believe we have created an unmistakably Marmite ad - people will either love it or hate it and they certainly won't forget it. We hope that everyone will watch and enjoy this commercial in the light-hearted way it was intended."
What are your thoughts? Check out the advert here.
At OISE Oxford we recommend spreading marmite on your toast. Yummy!
Marmite hit the news stands last year because of its most recent television advert. The advert shot in semi-documentary style, shows a Marmite rescue team calling on houses where they suspect people may be mistreating the product.
Some 250 complaints were received by the Advertising Standards Authority in just 24 hours, following the advert's debut on Monday evening. Those who objected found the advert "offensive" and "in poor taste", said a spokesman for the ASA.
A spokeswoman for Marmite, who are owned by Unilever, said it was "never [their] intention to cause offence...We believe we have created an unmistakably Marmite ad - people will either love it or hate it and they certainly won't forget it. We hope that everyone will watch and enjoy this commercial in the light-hearted way it was intended."
What are your thoughts? Check out the advert here.
At OISE Oxford we recommend spreading marmite on your toast. Yummy!
