Sprite Unleashes Weird, Sexist Ad Campaign on Ireland

Sprite is apologizing after a marketing campaign in Ireland called “Brutally Refreshing” drew ire for being brutally sexist. The soda brand launched the campaign earlier this year with ads that included lines like “She’s seen more ceilings than Michelangelo” and “A 2 at 10 is a 10 at 2.”

From the get-go, it was clear that the ads were intended for a male audience — though, as the International Business Times reports, the company claimed it was simply “celebrating those with guts to tell it like it is.”

Irish radio presenter Louise McSharry took to Twitter on Tuesday to express her outrage over the campaign:

Others chimed in with additional jabs at Sprite and its marketing team, with some saying the ad could do irreparable harm to the brand:

The ads are certainly a far cry from other Coca-Cola campaigns that work to celebrate inclusivity (remember “I’d like to buy the world a Coke?”).

According to CNN, the soft drink giant has since apologized for the campaign, pulling it from billboards and websites across Ireland. A spokesperson said the campaign has now ended “and the advert will not appear again.”

• Sprite’s ‘Brutally Refreshing’ Campaign: Coca-Cola Apologizes For Sexist Ads In Ireland Amid Criticism [IBT]

• Sprite's #BrutallyRefreshing Ads Were Brutally Sexist [CNN]