The Sunscreen Campaign Featuring a Controversial Pooping Robotic Seagull

For a recent ad campaign, Nivea found a way to turn sunscreen application into a memorable experience for children—but not everyone is on board with the idea. According to Adweek, a Germany-based agency called Jung von Matt/Elbe worked with Nivea to create an ad (above) that featured a large remote-controlled seagull. The robotic bird is equipped with a built-in sunscreen dispenser beneath its tail that is used to "poop" sunscreen onto children on the beach below.

The video was entered in Titanium and Integrated Lions categories at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which resulted in jury president Bartle Bogle Hegarty calling it "the most stupid thing I think I've seen in my whole life." Though the video aims to teach children a healthy habit—protecting their skin from the sun's harmful rays—Hegarty took issue with the unhealthy delivery.

"This is, without question, at the cutting edge of technology and brand integration," Adweek reports him as saying sarcastically. "I think actually they're also teaming up with the Royal National Institute for the Blind, because if you get this stuff in your eyes from the flying seagull, you'll probably need special attention."

A representative at Jung von Matt/Eble told Adweek that the agency had not been promoting the video because "the PR department of the client doesn't want PR for it."

It is not even listed on the agency's website with examples of its past work, and given Hegarty's comments and other bad press (Tim Nudd of Adweek says it takes things to "an idiotic level"), it may never be. Check it out above and judge for yourself.

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