Oatly celebrates joining Ireland and Northern Ireland’s prohibited ads lists with Feck-Oatly.com

Following the ban on its advertising campaign, ‘It’s Like Milk But Made for Humans’ in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Oatly has launched Feck-Oatly.com, a site showcasing decisions made by the company that have caused the most controversy.

Oatly’s ban in Ireland and Northern Ireland is now top of the list, as well as other moments in the company’s history like its decision to sell oat residue to pig farms. The website was unveiled in Dublin and Belfast, following a censored version of the ‘It’s Like Milk…’ ad campaign appearing over the weekend.

The “censored ad” that went up is the first of several “Feck Oatly” ads appearing across Dublin and Belfast including more billboards, as well as murals, posters in train stations, bus stops, and even public washrooms. The brand is partnering with more than 30 coffee shops across the cities to give out thousands of free coffees with the words “even if you hate us, we’ll still give you a free coffee”.

Oatly is also hosting a comedy “roast” hosted by Frankie McNamara at the Bernard Shaw, challenging local comedians to come down and poke fun at the brand.

The launch of Feck-Oatly.com follows a recent ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland that the phrase ‘But Made for Humans’ should not be used by Oatly in future advertising in Ireland, because of its inference that cow’s milk is not suitable for human consumption. The National Dairy Council of Ireland raised three complaints about Oatly’s advertising campaign, with only one being upheld by the ASAI.

Michael Lee, executive creative director for Oatly said: “The Feck Oatly campaign is about helping our Irish fans, and haters, get to know Oatly’s punk side and better understand what we’re about as a company. Creating a website detailing the ‘missteps’ we’ve made along the way to creating a more sustainable food system might seem like a risky thing to do, but we see it as an act of transparency because sometimes you have to understand the worst about an oat drink company before you can appreciate the best.”

This campaign is one of Oatly’s biggest brand campaigns in Ireland to date. When asked specifically about the budget, Michael Lee said: “Whatever we spent, it was probably too much.”