The really rather creepy “Cactus Kid” television adverts – for the soft drink Oasis – have been pulled off our screens after receiving complaints from viewers. The adverts feature a cactus man and his young, pregnant lover who go on the run after they’re shunned by society because of their relationship, and also because of their dislike of water…which causes them to drink a lot of Oasis.
32 viewers complained about the inappropriate ads, stating that they condoned teenage pregnancy and depicted under-age sex. And sex with a cactus man! That’s got to be illegal too, no?!
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled against the adverts and have now banned them. Here’s the first of the series of ads:
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg9Xvrp0n-E]
Whilst all the above is true, what really gets my goat is the tagline for the drink – “for people who don’t like water.” Excuse me? What kind of idiots don’t like water? Whilst some of us may not drink it as much as we should, and it may not always be the appropriate beverage in all situations (water doesn’t really feature in many wedding toasts) it’s WATER. It doesn’t taste of anything. How can you not like something that doesn’t taste of anything? I assume these same people who don’t like water also complain about the smell of oxygen, and how the colour of air really annoys them.
Needless to say, 17 people also complained about the advert promoting Oasis as a substitute for water, which could be thought of as being “irresponsible and could discourage good dietary practice”. Good on you, 17 people!
Oasis have also been running a tie-in website, Run Cactus Kid Run, which allows people to decide the next step of this Cactus Kid/young girl story from three different versions. The winning entry for the end of the saga shows a twist in the tale. There’s also happy and sad endings; having just wanted the sad version, I’m now more peturbed about this Cactus Kid idea than annoyed. *shivers and cries*
