“Gas, o no gas?” asked the concierge, his thick Italian accent making even the strangest question sound like a romantic melody. My classmates and I giggled uncontrollably. “The water, you like: gas, o no gas?” he repeated. Nearly fifteen years later, it’s clear to me that the bewildered concierge meant carbonated (fizzy) water or still (tap) water, but, at 16, being asked if you’d like “gas o no gas” by a strange Italian man is somewhere between absolutely hilarious and completely embarrassing.
I had completely forgotten about this experience until recently, when I dove (no pun – okay, I lied – pun intended) into research around the rise of the water bottle.
A SIP OF HISTORY
As a civilization, we have been transporting water from the source to our villages, farms, livestock, homes, and families for thousands of years. Let’s be realistic – giant clay pots aren’t necessarily what you would call “grab-and-go” if you’re heading out for a run or going to the gym for a long sweat sesh.
Without going too far down the proverbial rabbit hole, let’s take a quick look at how we’ve gone from seeing water as the clear liquid that comes from the sky, rushes through streams and rivers and crashes through the ocean to a bottled or canned drink with “gas o no gas.”
If you remember anything from grade school science, I bet it’s that your body is made up of roughly 80% water (if you don’t remember that, I have a sneaking suspicion you may not be hydrating your body enough… just a thought.).
For thousands of years you had one of three beverage options when it came to sit down around the table (or by the fire, as it were): alcohol (wine, ale, mead), milk, or water. Water was abundant, accessible, and practical. But, as our civilization advanced, our flavor palates expanded, and our culinary curiosity grew, so too did our options.
Fast forward to 1977, where the international beverage market was flooded with options from milkshakes and juice to soft drinks, seltzers, and what seemed like an infinite myriad of alcohol (I mean really, when was the last time you ordered a Pink Squirrel, Tom Collins, or Grasshopper?!) rose the bottled water. “When Perrier first entered the country in the 1970s, few would have predicted the heights to which bottled water would eventually climb. Where once it would have been unimaginable to see Americans walking down the street carrying plastic bottles of water or driving around with them in their cars’ cup holders, now that’s the norm.” said Michael C. Bellas, chairman and CEO, Beverage Marketing Corporation.
Today, water has expanded beyond the bottle to cans, boxes, and bags, and comes in a variety of options: alkaline, carbonated, distilled, electrolyte, reverse osmosis, spring, and tap. Americans haven’t lost their taste for innovation, as water has been America’s favorite packaged drink for the past three years. Americans consumed 13.8 billion gallons of bottled water in 2018, up 4.9% from 2017. Bottled water’s wholesale dollar sales also grew in 2018, up 7.3% reaching $18.4 billion. And aggregate water consumption rose 4.3% to 42.3 gallons while the consumption of soda and other sugary beverages both declined in 2018 from 2017. Not surprisingly, research from the Beverage Marketing Corporation shows that 69% of the growth in bottled water consumption has come from people shifting away from carbonated soft drinks and fruit drinks – saving approximately 470 billion calories and 73 million pounds of recyclable PET plastic in 2018.
RIDING THE WAVE
“Stay hydrated.” Advice that could from dietitians, doctors, trainers, aestheticians, celebs– you name it, everyone is touting the benefits of proper hydration. And the one thing everyone can agree on? There’s nothing better in the hydration space than a clean glass of delicious water.
So, water brands, how do you ride the wave of success and not get pulled into the undertow of anonymity? Say something.
That’s right, in the crowded space of packed water retailers, the best thing you can do is to have a consistent emotionally evocative message. Emotional – yes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean making consumers cry. If you make your audience feel something, they’ll remember you. Make them laugh, or fondly remember a childhood memory. Appeal to their inner child – make them curious. Ask a question to make them think. Make an imprint on their heart.
THE COLOR OF WATER
So, what does that mean for social media marketing?
Well, if you’re employing a successful omnichannel strategy, you’re telling the same story a million different ways to reach a million different people (if you’re not, give us a call, we’ll hook you up!).
What would that look like? Let’s break it down.
Here are three great ways for water (and really any) brands to stand out and wash away the competition.
UGC.
I don’t think I can stress enough the impact UGC has on your audience. 56% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy a product after seeing it featured in a positive or relatable user-generated image. Want to see some gorgeous, flavored water-based UGC? Check out LaCroix’s Insta. Nearly all of their content comes from their fans. #Gorg.
But, how do you get all of this great UGC to fill your target consumer’s feed?
Show them.
In content featuring your product, show your consumers how your product is different, how it should make them feel, and how it fits into their everyday life.
FIJI Water does a great job selling water with a high-class feel. Rather than shooting mages of water bottles, FIJI Water’s Insta blends of product photography and beautiful scenery from around the world. By focusing on vibrant, blue water surrounded by lush green landscapes, the brand is able to subtly reinforce their means of differentiation (that their water is bottled directly at the source of a natural aquifer in Fiji). They also emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle, which is becoming increasingly important to the average consumer. How? By featuring a bottle of their water at the gym, or being held by an athlete, or sitting next to a delicious plate of colorful, healthy food.
Influencer & Celeb Marketing.
That’s right, get your water into the hands of those who inspire your target consumer. Let’s look at the program we at LMS did with CORE Hydration. It’s time for some serious numbers!
LMS seeded product to 70 celebrities and more than 350 influencers with an aggregate activation rate of 47%. We also seeded CORE to 65 events with an activation rate of 115% – far surpassing the industry average activate rate of 30-50% for brand-sponsored influencer events. Of the 173 total activations accumulated over the life of the program, we were able to reach over 23 million consumers and facilitate more than 150k social engagements. Over the course of the campaign, the CORE brand increased sales to become the #2 domestic premium bottled water in the country. Not to mention, we facilitated and executed the partnership with Ellie Goulding to become the face of the brand and introduce their #TruetotheCore campaign. Press related to the campaign garnered over 300 million PR impressions for $2 million in PR value, increasing CORE social following by 13% and doubling their email database.
Have a Cause.
Both Millennials and Gen-Zers are more likely to make decisions based on overall environmental or ethical footprints rather than brand alone. So, align your brand with a social cause.
Boxed Water does an amazing job by leaning into this trend. Their entire brand (from packaging to marketing) is designed to have a more positive social impact. And, consumers have definitely taken notice of their on-the-go solution that doesn’t include plastic. By designing a product that is tied to reducing our environmental footprint, Boxed Water was able to create its own space in the world of packaged water.
Rather than trying to replicate this, learn from it – find a charity whose mission aligns with yours, and reach a larger audience in a more meaningful way, together.
There is, of course, no substitute for a great product, and let’s be honest, it’s a product we’ll always need. So, while the “water business” isn’t going anywhere, that doesn’t mean your marketing efforts can stagnate – stagnant water is more than just a health risk.
Just like the water coursing through our bodies, through the rivers, lakes, and oceans all around, we have to keep moving.
If you’re a brand just learning to swim, treading water, or wanting to coast past the competition, give us a call, we’d love to chat!
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