Iceland will unleash a life-size animatronic orangutan after its Christmas advert highlighting the impact of palm oil production was banned for breaching political advertising rules.
The North West-based chain has turned to special effects to create an ultra-realistic robotic orangutan for a stunt to raise awareness of the plight facing the species from deforestation of its habitat for palm oil production.
The orangutan will first appear clinging to a Christmas tree in Coin Street, south London, before moving to other locations in the capital and then a number of Iceland stores around the country, including Manchester.
The replica orangutan is controlled remotely and by a specialist puppeteer who has studied the ape’s movements.Last week, Iceland’s rebadging of an animated short film was rejected by Clearcast, the body that vets adverts, for breaching rules banning political advertising in the 2003 Communications Act.
