Unilever goes on gardening leave as two of its brands launch publicity stunts with giant animals made out of plants
Unilever has brought a whole new meaning to gardening leave.
The food firm, which owns brands like PG Tips, Walls and Bertolli, has become rather green fingered lately after two identical but unrelated publicity stunts involving giant topiary statues launched this year.
PG Tips Green Tea gave commuters a shock on Monday when a giant topiary sculpture of Monkey, the tea-manufacturer's brand ambassador, was seen sailing down the River Thames past Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and Westminster.
The monkey monument marks the publication of a report from PG Tips which shows the benefits of green spaces and plants in the workplace.
The firm said: "PG tips and Monkey were inspired to create this magnificent ‘vision in green’ to highlight a forthcoming "Green Paper" report".
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The Capitalist is having deja vu here. Back in March Flora, the margarine maker also owned by Unilever, launched a campaign to promote healthy eating with the help of a giant diplodocus made of plants that was spotted in, of all places, Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge and Westminster.
Has Keith Weed, the aptly named marketing chief at Unilever, got green fingers?
Read more: There's a dinosaur made of plants in Canary Wharf
Apparently not. A spokesperson for PG Tips tells us the similarities between the stunts are a complete coincidence.
"It did make us laugh in the office though".