By Madeline Green
The conflict with bottled water
Large corporations spend billions of
dollars on advertising, successfully
convincing consumers to pay for
products they can get for free, of the
same quality.
Non-profit organizations want to fight the
unnecessary use of natural resources and
cut back on waste, yet struggle to make
people believe their actions wreak havoc
on the environment.
Reasons we drink bottled water
 Convenience
 Purity
 Taste
 Status Symbol
But if you think about it…
 Convenience
 Purity
 Taste
 Status Symbol
 A refillable water bottle is just
as easy to carry
 Boston tap water is well
known for being pure
 Brita water filters help with
taste
 Bottled water is losing its
respect because of
environmental issues
Other issues with bottled water
 Use of fossil fuels to create and transport bottles
 Disruption of ecosystems by over-drawing aquifers
 Corruption in bottling plants in third world countries
 Privatization in other countries makes water
unaffordable to many
So
why
do we
drink
it?
How it got started
 When personal hygiene became important in the late 18th
century, spas with special curative water became available
for the very rich.
 Eventually it was put into containers so people could enjoy
its benefits from afar and bottlers discovered that it was so
attractive that people were willing to pay for it.
 With the industrial revolution, processes improved,
decreasing price so bottled water became available to the
more common person, yet the lavish connotation
remained.
www.finewaters.com/Bottled_Water_Etiquette/Bottled_Water_History/Short_History_of_Bottled_Water
6 reasons why we are driven to the bottle
Aquafina
 Reason 1: Perception of purity
“Aquafina is purified water. It originates from public water
sources and is then purified through a rigorous, seven-step
purification process called HydRO-7.”
 Reason 2: Appeals to healthy lifestyle
“Bottled water not just an alternative to tap water but a healthier
choice than other bottled beverages like soda or sports drinks.”
www.aquafina.com
Fiji Water
 Reason 3: Companies belittle the issue
“Bottled water contributes a mere .33% of the U.S. municipal
waste stream, and FIJI Water comprises less than 2% of that
total.”
 Reason 4: The intrigue of special water
“FIJI Water is drawn from an artesian aquifer, located at the very
edge of a primitive rainforest, hundreds of miles away from the
nearest continent…uncontaminated and
uncompromised. Preserved and protected by its source and
location.”
www.figiwater.com
Smartwater
 Reason 5: Companies use celebrities we admire
www.smartwater.com
BlingH2O
Reason 6:
Consumers want to look
good and sex sells
“While working on various studio lots
where image is of utmost importance
he noticed that you could tell a lot
about a person by the bottled water
they carried…Our product is
strategically positioned to target the
expanding super-luxury consumer
market…Bling H2O is pop-culture in
a bottle. But it’s not for everyone, so
the question is: Do You Bling?”founder of Bling
(avg price is $40/750 ml)
www.blingh2o.com
Repouring the issue:
The Anti-Bottled Water Campaigns
www. boycottthebottle.com
www.filterforgood.com
Repouring the issue:
The Anti-Bottled Water Campaigns
www.tappeningscom
www.thinkoutsidethe bottle.com
Yet compare the two…
www.dasani.com
www.boycottthebottle.com
Improving the advertisements
 Celebrity endorsement
 Broaden target audience
 Use statistics sparingly
 Appeal to emotions
www.UsMagazine.com
Conclusions
 Bottled water is strategically presented to appeal to
consumers, convincing them of the quality, necessity
and enjoyment of something they can get for free.
 Despite comprehensive evidence of the negative
effects of bottled water, opposing campaigns are less
successful in convincing their audience.
 Advertisements often manipulate behavior and need
to be improved to make this issue known and change
consumption habits.
Sources For Slides
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www.dasani.com
www.aquafina.com
www.figiwater.com
www.smartwater.com
www.blingh2o.com
www.boycottthebottle.org
www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org
www.tappening.org
www.filterforgood.org
www.finewaters.org
www.nestle-watersna.com
www.usmagazine.com