Phenomenally thick

UK – In the latest advert for Batchelor’s, reality tv star Joey Essex serves a deliciously exotic bowl of Cup a Soup.

• An angelic soundtrack mimics the seductive tone typically used to sell naughty treats such as ice cream and coffee to unsuspecting viewers
• The advertisement appeals to consumers’ sense of humour, acknowledging that nobody is perfect, not even brands

Traditionally, the words ‘reem’ and ‘soup’ haven’t gone together. But Joey Essex, former star of ITV series The Only Way Is Essex, is doing his best to change that.

The bright-eyed boy reveals his tan and muscular body tone in a 30-second advertisment for Batchelor’s Cup a Soup, highlighting the ‘phenomenally thick’ texture of its Mediterranean Style Tomato and Red Pepper soup.

McCann London, the agency that cooked up the campaign, was keen to include a healthy dollop of satire in the blend. In behind-the-scenes footage, on the celebrity’s Instagram account, we learn he is blissfully unaware of the product’s supposed origins. ‘I’m not going to lie,’ explains Essex. ‘I don’t know where the Mediterranean is, or what the Mediterranean is.’