14 DAY TRIAL // Actors, models, singers and just about every other type of celebrities earn serious cash through endorsement deals, so it wasn't supposed to be a big deal when actress Scarlett Johansson was announced as the new face of carbonated drinks company Sodastream.
The announcement was made in relation with an upcoming Super Bowl ad campaign and immediately it drew criticisms from organizations such as Oxfam. The issue with the entire partnership is that the company behind Sodastream operates a facility on the West Bank.
In a statement to the Huffington Post, Johansson states that she “never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance” when she began her partnership with Sodastream.
The company recently named her their “global brand ambassador” and spent some serious fund on a still secret Super Bowl ad.
The first to speak out against this development were pro-Palestinian activists who were against Sodastream and its large factory that still operates on the Palestinian-controlled West Bank. The territory was captured back in 1967 by the Israeli and has been claimed by the Palestinians.
Oxfam blasted Johansson saying that in endorsing the company, she supports trade with Israeli settlements, which are illegal and deny Palestinian rights.
“I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine,” said Johansson in her statement and added that “SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights.”
The funny thing is that Scarlett was also an Ambassador for Oxfam, which is why they reacted so vehemently in the first place.
Sodastream is a company that specializes in selling do-it-yourself carbonated drinks at home in special machines. The Super Bowl ad will feature and bath robe-clad Scarlett that demonstrated how easy it is to operate said machines.