Whilst I bet no one could predict that Kate Middleton would be involved in a photoshop scandal this week, I bet even fewer people predicted that Jacob Rees-Mogg would end up blaming the Sugababes for the UK’s sweet tooth.
Bizarre right? So what prompted Jacob Rees-Mogg’s bitter view of the 90s pop royalty?
Well, it all began when Sugababes member, Mutya Buena took to her Instagram earlier this week to apologise for accidentally promoting sugar by being a member of a globally successful brand that has the word ‘sugar’ in it. Addressing her 190,000 followers, Mutya explained, “We made people think sugar was cool, but it really, really isn’t”.
Closing her statement, Mutya adds: “Sugar is not cool and now I can confirm that I am definitely a changed woman. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, but once again, I am truly, truly sorry.”
The video, which received nearly 70,000 views and followed shortly after the pop royalty announced their heroic comeback, received widespread attention, with fans wondering what prompted the video, with some even questioning whether there could be a brand behind it.
And they weren’t wrong. Today, the makers of deliciously wonky, fruit-infused water, DASH Water have owned up to the stunt via their social media by stating, “If you’re sitting there scratching your head as to why Mutya Buena posted *THAT* apology video yesterday… it may or may not have something to do with us.”
But that’s not all. The light-hearted campaign designed to shine a light on the UK’s sugar problem saw the brand go one step further. That’s right, DASH Water hired an undercover actor to speak to none other than Jacob Rees-Mogg about the ‘Sugababes problem’. 25 minutes and an absolutely-not-fake graph later, the MP thanked DASH Water’s actor for bringing this ‘important issue’ to him.
Speaking to the MP, the undercover actor states, “Having a group of young women who appeal to young people being called the Sugababes and glamourising sugar in this way, could really be contributing to the consumption of sugar.”
“It seems to be slightly irresponsible to have something named ‘Sugababes’ in this day and age. People will start to look back at the Sugababes in the way that they looked at the Marlboro Man, the cigarette babes…”
Responding to the very convincing actor, Jacob Rees-Mogg claims that he’s never even heard of the band and deems the findings ‘fascinating’. The 54-year-old MP goes on to state, “So I think what you’re saying is relevant and important. I think the question is what do you actually do about it?”
Jokes aside, the campaign which was created in partnership with viral production agency, Goon Squad Productions, marks another step in DASH Water’s mission to give consumers a refreshing new perspective for their next 3 pm-slump-fix.
Commenting on the campaign, Jack Scott, Co-founder of DASH Water, says:
“We are so grateful for Mutya and Jacob for getting involved in our campaign. The tide is finally turning on sugary and artificial ‘healthy’ soft drinks full of sweeteners, with the WHO bringing to light the impact that sweeteners can have on our health.”
“Prior to launching the campaign, we conducted some research which found that 92% of 90s babies with a sweet tooth believe they were influenced by the Sugababes growing up. The same survey found that 2000s babies, only 56% of which have heard of the Sugababes, have much less of a sweet tooth.
“DASH Water is at the forefront of a new wave of healthy soft drinks and we will continue to do everything in our power to educate consumers about the dangers of consuming sugar and artificial sweeteners – even if that means hiring an undercover actor to present the idea to Jacob Rees-Mogg…”
Commenting on her involvement in the campaign, Sugababes star, Mutya Buena says:
“I’ve been a fan of DASH Water for a while, so when they approached me for this campaign, I knew I couldn’t turn it down.
It’s safe to say that I never expected that my role in the band would lead me to being involved in campaigns like this, but it was so much fun to be part of and it felt like the perfect partnership to bring DASH’s mission to life.
Joking aside, sugar and artificial sweeteners continue to make headlines for the wrong reasons, and I’m pleased to have been part of DASH’s mission to get more people to make healthier choices.”
To join the conversation online search @dashdrinks #nomoresugarbabes