An American ad agency, together with the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, have thrown down the gauntlet to the giants of the soft drink industry with a controversial new three-and-a-half minute video that looks at the health risks of the overconsumption of sugary, carbonated drinks.

The Real Bears is the brainchild of Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B), and depicts a family of polar bears who quickly realise the real cost of a diet that includes a high proportion of soft drinks. It’s an obvious stab at Coca-Cola’s famous mascot, the Coke drinking polar bear. Needless to say they weren’t all too happy about the new ad, employee Susan Stribling offered the following:

This is irresponsible and grandstanding and will not help anyone understand energy balance. It also distorts the facts while we and our industry partners are working with government and civil society on real solutions.

Alex Bogusky, a former big shot at CP+B who actually used to work with Coca-Cola while there, saw it differently:

You know the American diet has gone the wrong way when it’s considered normal to drink massive amounts of liquid candy. This is a cultural wake-up call.

[Source: The Drum]