Supermarket chain Iceland is continuing the fight to broadcast its anti-palm oil Christmas advert. Clearcast, the body that approves TV advertising in the UK, has so far not permitted the Greenpeace-funded commercial to air because it goes against the country’s ban on political TV advertising.
But Iceland does not seem discouraged. In fact, with 30 million online views of the advert, and over 680,000 signatures on a petition to overturn the ban, the retailer is basking in viral fame.
Iceland is now amplifying the campaign with an experiential element, taking a life-size animatronic orangutan to the streets of London. The life-like orangutan made an impact by clinging to a Christmas tree on the South Bank, before heading to Oxford Street and the riverside opposite the Houses of Parliament.
The animatronic ape is set to tour Iceland supermarkets throughout November to raise awareness of the environmental impact caused by the palm oil industry.