Streets banned from using ‘ice cream makes you happy’ slogan in ad

At first glance it looks like the outside of any corner store — but this shop front hides an “extremely irresponsible” message, it’s been found.

Getting an ice cream on a hot day might be one of summer’s greatest delights but one store has been banned from saying the sweet treat can make you happy.

A New Zealand shop has been forced to remove a Streets ice cream advertisement that stated “Ice cream makes u happy” from the front of its store because it was “extremely irresponsible”, Stuff reports.

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The advertising on the outside of the Tui Crescent Foodmarket.

A local resident complained to the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority that the advertisement outside the Tui Crescent Foodmarket in Whangarei promoted an unhealthy relationship with food.

Beside the slogan “ice cream makes u happy” featured pictures of a Paddle Pop, Magnum and Splice.

The complainant cited New Zealand’s obesity figures as reason for their complaint about the ad.

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The local complained the ad was ‘extremely irresponsible’.

In response to the complaint, Streets ice cream owner Unilever Australasia argued the shop advertising slogan had been a “puffery” statement similar to “Red Bull gives you wings”.

“Consumers will not reasonably interpret the advertisement that eating Paddle Pop, Magnum or Splice increases their level of happiness in a measurable way, or that it provides nutritional value that is beneficial to their health,” it said in response to the complaint, according to Stuff.

But in the end the Advertising Standards Authority sided with the complainant, arguing that by connecting ice cream with happiness it could be detrimental to peoples’ health.

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Saying ice cream makes you happy was a ‘puffery’ statement, the company argued.

In making its decision, the Authority also took into account the size and location of the advertisement on the side of the shop.

Unilever Australasia is now appealing the decision and told news.com.au in a statement: “We acknowledge how important it is for New Zealanders to eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and to look after their mental wellbeing.

“Unilever is committed to promoting mental and physical health. We recently submitted an appeal of the Decision and are awaiting the decision of the Advertising Standards Complaint Appeal Board.”