NASA says Artemis II’s Nutella jar is not advertising, but it is not the first brand to benefit from its missions

When a good part of the people of a country or several countries are in front of the television united by the same interest, they become the most coveted audience for brands. Therefore, Nutella appeared casually in the NASA live broadcastjust when the Artemis II astronauts broke the record for the distance from Earth reached by humans, it seems like the best advertising in history. NASA denies that it was such a thing, but it is undeniable that brands will do whatever it takes to appear in their images and transmissions. The place, the moment and the perfect moment. It was 2 pm ET when a jar of Nutella passed in front of the cameras inside the Orion capsule, in which the four crew members of Artemis II had just broken a record. At 1:56 pm ET, the spacecraft was 406,771 kilometers from Earth, more than 6,000 kilometers further than Apollo 13 had reached in 1970. NASA broke a record, while the Nutella jar floated with its label perfectly visible. The publications on networks and memes did not take long to arrive, as did the responses from Nutella and NASA itself. NASA denies advertising. The press secretary of the US space agency, Bethany Stevens, denied that it was advertising in statements to Futurism: “NASA does not select crew meals or food in association with brands.” A legal loophole. NASA does not advertise brands on its space missions. However, there have been companies that have found a way to advertise themselves. For example, in 1984 Coca Cola designed a can that worked in weightlessness in such a way that the drink remained bubbly without leaving the container. When it became aware of this idea, Pepsi also wanted to get on the bandwagon. Both received approval from NASA to test their cans aboard the STS 51-F mission. Its astronauts tested the effectiveness of the dispenser and the taste of the drinks with results that the space agency did not consider optimal. Therefore, the decision was made that carbonated drinks are not part of the astronauts’ menu. Nowadays They can drink coffee, tea, orange juice, lemonade or flavored breakfast drinks, but not these types of soft drinks. space pizza. As if the soft drinks weren’t enough, in 2001 there was another brand that wanted its moment of space glory. Since the issue of drinks turned out to be complicated, at this time it was a pizzeria that wanted to adapt its products to the space. Pizza Hut’s marketing people figured that if that didn’t propel their brand to stardom, nothing would. For this reason, they prepared a lighter space pizza, to facilitate its transportation, which was also made in airtight containers. The ingredients were carefully chosen so that they could be preserved longer and were as nutritious as possible. The final result was sent to the International Space Station on Russia’s Progress spacecraftso in this case it is true that it was not a NASA thing. It is also true that the pizzeria itself did not deny at the time that, beyond looking for new food options for the astronauts, what they were mainly looking for was advertising. Eat in space. The task of eating in space is increasingly pleasant. While it is true that fresh foods should still be avoided and priority is given to dehydrated and vacuum-packaged options, astronauts have many options to choose from. They can even bring treats or foods that remind them of home, as in the case of Jeremy Hansen, who has taken the Orion capsule. various traditional Canadian dishes and ingredients. Therefore, it could be that some member of the crew chose to bring Nutella as a sweet treat. The decision of a Mexican astronaut from carrying tortillas for fajitas in its day has led to them being one of the most used ingredients in space today. A whim or craving can have a great future in space food. Although in the case of Nutella it seems that it has been more useful for the brand than for the future of the space. An uncertain future. Space missions like Artemis II are exceptional today, but the goal of space agencies is for them to be part of their routine in the future. Therefore, it would not be unusual for brands to find a way to include advertising in their broadcasts. If they become a routine, there won’t be as many people on the other side of the screen, but it will still be very profitable for them. As it has been for Nutella; Well, deliberately or by chance, it has possibly had the best publicity in its history. Image | NASA | Nutella In Xataka | A study has tried to find out why space food is so bad: it’s not the food, it’s the astronauts

A Nutella jar sneaked into Artemis II’s live stream from Orion, so many thought the same thing: covert advertising

There are images that, even on a lunar mission, completely take us away from what we believe is possible. During the official Artemis II livestreamas the Orion spacecraft advanced toward a key moment in the flight, a Nutella jar appeared floating inside the cabin. We’ve all seen it and the scene works almost as a small dissonance within an extremely controlled environment. At a time when technology makes it possible to generate hyperrealistic scenes with easethe question arises immediately: is it real or are we facing a recreation? And if it is, what exactly is it doing there? The Nutella jar. The scene was not an isolated clipping or an image taken out of context. He appeared in the official NASA video titled “NASA’s Artemis II Crew Flies Around the Moon (Official Broadcast)“, specifically at minute 54:44 of the broadcast. According to that signal, the boat was floating inside the capsule just a few minutes before the crew reached the furthest point from Earth, surpassing the mark established by Apollo 13 in 1970. We are not talking about just any anecdote, but about a moment that coincided with one of the most symbolic milestones of the mission. Capture of the moment in which the Nutella jar appears in the streaming It wasn’t AI, it was real. As we have pointed out, the first suspicion fits with the moment in which we live, in which it is possible to recreate complex scenes with great realism. But there is no room for that doubt here. The image is part of the official NASA live stream and appears integrated into the mission broadcast. The boat was there, floating inside the Orion capsule, in the same microgravity conditions as any other object on board. It is not a reenactment or a manipulation: it is exactly what happened during the mission. It wasn’t advertising either. Once manipulation is ruled out, the second reading emerges almost by itself: think that we are facing a covert promotional action. The presence of such a recognizable brand in such a symbolic moment invites this. However, according to FuturismNASA itself has explicitly denied it. “NASA does not select crew meals or food in association with brand deals,” said spokeswoman Bethany Stevens. And he finished with a clear phrase: “This was not covert advertising.” That is, the boat was there, but not as part of any commercial agreement. space food. When we think about space food, the first thing that comes to mind is usually not something particularly appetizing. Quite the opposite. However, what they have on board in Orion is not that far from something recognizable, although it has its limitations. The crew has 58 tortillasfive types of hot sauce, plenty of coffee and prepared dishes such as barbecued meat or scrambled eggs. Everything designed to be able to be eaten in microgravity and in a very small space. In that context, that boat we saw floating fits quite well. In fact, Futurism points to the 58 tortillas as a possible way to accompany something like Nutella inside the capsule. Nutella has responded with this post on Instagram (click to see the original post) Nutella’s reaction. Although NASA has been clear in ruling out any agreement, the scene did not go unnoticed outside the capsule. And that’s where another actor comes in: the brand itself. Nutella was quick to react and posted on Instagram taking advantage of the moment.. We are not facing an action planned from the mission, but we are facing a fairly clear example of how an unexpected image can become an opportunity for almost immediate visibility. While that image continues to circulate online, the mission has already changed phases. According to NASAthe Orion spacecraft has left the lunar sphere of influence, that point at which the Moon’s gravity stops dominating, and the crew is returning to Earth. The landing is scheduled for Friday, April 10. What we saw occurred at the key moment of the trip, but now everything points towards the end of the mission. The boat remains one of those unexpected scenes that accompany a much greater milestone. Images | NASA | Nutella In Xataka | Artemis II is apparently a great space triumph for the US: if we look inside, it is also a triumph for Europe

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