Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Again, Where Are The Bottled Water Brands?


It’s plastic, but not.

It’s plastic made from corn, and they say it’s “completely compostable.”

Water bottles account for Carl-Sagan-sized amounts of plastic in land fills. It’s every water brand’s huge Achilles’ heel.

(For two manufacturers of these corn-plastics – cups, bottles, etc – click HERE and HERE. And a sales site, HERE.)

How big a deal is the plastic bottle problem? In marketing terms, two huge brands with huge budgets have staked their entire positioning around it. One is Fiji Water, promoting all the carbon offsets they buy to make up for their bad practices. They now claim to be the first “carbon-negative” brand. But that’s only thanks to all the carbon offsets they buy. (Wouldn’t it be better support for an earth-friendly position to not use plastic in the first place?)

This ad is HOOEY.


The other brand is Brita water filters. You’ve seen the ads. They sell against the whole category of water in plastic bottles.


The first water brand to adopt corn plastic bottles can lay claim to the true positioning of “good for the earth.” Lots of water brands cozy up to the earth – falsely. Here’s a chance to lead. A chance to use your package as media.

It’s not just about positioning. It’s about delivering. I'm reading: Again, Where Are The Bottled Water Brands?Tweet this!

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