Hugh Jackman - almost as cool as the Ice Tea
As Brummies and tummies across the UK tearfully lament Cadbury’s capitulation to Kraft, everyone has been hoping for some good news about British brands. Wouldn’t it be great if a British company took over a big US brand? Put the boot on the other foot? Give the yanks a taste of their own Fruit and Nut?
Well then, raise a glass (and a half full) to the news that Hugh Jackman has joined Lipton Ice Tea as the company’s global brand ambassador. Wonderful news! Just as Cadbury gets corporately shafted by those plastic cheese bullies at Kraft (at least that’s what the blubbering Brummies tell me on BBC News), another good old-fashioned British company swoops in and steals Australia’s finest from under Hollywood’s well-powdered nose. Hurrah for us. Doesn’t it make your patriotic heart swell with pride?
The ‘X-Men’ and ‘Australia’ star could have chosen any brand to sell out to, but he went with little old Lipton Ice Tea.
Oh wait, not so little. The UK company responsible for this marketing push, Britvic, are doing so under the watchful eye of Unilever, which owns the Lipton brand, and US giant PepsiCo, which distributes the product.
Jackman is selling out to a large corporate which is why he must have come out with this statement (that was clearly washed several times in blandness): “Lipton Ice Tea is a really positive brand and its values match those that are important in my life”.
It must have been winning endorsements like this that won him lucrative advertising campaigns for milk (in which his Wolverine character was given a milk-stache) and the Australian Tourism Board (aka Australia).
What does any of that even mean? Can someone translate? ‘Positive’ brand? Really? Not a ‘big’ brand? Or a ‘great’ one? ‘Positive’ is how you describe the keen but untalented kid who loves life, but isn’t actually very good at it. Tries hard, but never excels.
Our message to Jackman (as much as we like your kickass movies) is come on get real mate. You sound like a corporate robot and nothing at all like an Australian… or a Wolverine now that you mention it.
I’m off to throw chocolate bars at Americans.
Comments
I am an environmental consultant from the US (Pennsylvania), and I am a big Hugh Jackman fan too! I just happened to stumble across this web site. The Lipton brand really does seem to match some of what I read about Hugh Jackman’s values, though, since he supports many fair trade, environmental issues. Much of Lipton iced tea, like the Pure Leaf brand, is Rainforest Alliance certified so I have actually started buying it. This means that it is sustainably grown and harvested, following fair trade principles, with respect to the environment. I had to write this since I think his support of the company can increase sales of a brand that is trying to do something positive for the environment, and that’s a good thing. Anytime a company has the Rainfirst Alliance Seal, I applaud them, and buy their product.
More info here -
Let me tell you what the Rainforest Alliance seal means. Perhaps you should check this out before you write an article!! Rainforest Alliance Certified farms have reduced environmental footprints, are good neighbors to human and wild communities, and are often integral parts of regional conservation initiatives. They use less water, have less soil erosion, less waste produced, and have improved conditions for farm workers. It is tough to get this certification. Thanks - and yes, this is my real name and I don’t work for Lipton tea, Rainforest Alliance, or Hugh Jackman.
Jackman did what many stars are doing. So what´s wrong with HIM in particular doing it? The milk commercial wasn´t even his idea and he was barely involved. Australia “promotion” wasn´t his idea, too. This is a direct deal that a lots of actors are doing - and it also means that he is in demand, otherwise they wouldn´t offer it to him. And, if you bothered to find some information before your attempt to be sarcastic or funny or whatever, you would know that Lipton really supports many things that Jackman is involved in. Like Fair Trade or as someone above me mentioned, the Rainforest Alliance.
Can’t really argue with Joyce she makes a good point. Pure Leaf brand gets my vote.
The sentiment of the piece remains and I like the writer don’t buy he users this brand. I don’t like to think I’m being hoodwinked and with him i think i am.
It is great that Unilever/Pepsico source their product sustainably, but they have a long way to go in the rest of their business.
Just read the Hugh Jackman biog on Wikipedia… it appears he’s practically a bloody saint!
Lipton is part of the Pepsico evil empire and as such the cynic in me is saying that they’re playing the “good environmentalist” marketing ploy in order to bring well meaning folk (such as Joyce) “on side”. Whilst supporting anything that attempts to stop us flushing our planet (and therefore ourselves) down the cosmic toilet, I can help feeling like this type of thing is being done for all the wrong reasons.
I don’t mind the brand. The question is why go with Jackman? All he’s ever done is X-Men and in this ad he’s not even wearing his claws.
Good grief!
Well, here I am again! Some of you talk about the “evil empire” of big business. I agree partly. I buy local and from small farms in my region when I can. I buy organic most of the time.Do you? I have done this for 20 years. I’m not new to this, but If we are going to help the planet it is a combination of approaches. Multinationals are not going away anytime soon. If Walmart, Unilever, Pepsico, Coca Cola, Mac Donbald’s, Shell Oil do some good things for the environment, I don’t care about their motive. If Lipton does well by the environment, then hundreds of small farmers profit and the environment benefits in numerous ways. These companies control more product than all the small farmers together, and I am happy when they are changing, no matter what the reason. If we are going to battle climate change etc, we had better hope that big business is on board, with us, not against us.
Why Hugh Jackman, don’t be naive. He is a multi talented performer.How many of you out there would turn down millions if they gave it to you? I wouldn’t!