7Fisher

You have a lot in common with bottled water – because you’re made up of over 70% water yourself. A bottle of water isn’t 100% water of course – since there’s the bottle itself, and therein lies a brilliant marketing opportunity if ever there was one. We all need water, and each year millions of bottles of water are bought, given away free at promotional events, and enjoyed by people all across the country.

The fact is that every day millions of bottles of water are drunk, from business meetings to sports events, from promotions to days out, and every single bottle of water has the potential to promote your business, event or organisation. Think of it this way – every bottle of water has a label, and if that label was thought of as a business card, the marketing opportunity becomes very much clearer.

The idea of using bottled water as a promotional strategy is still one that is frequently overlooked, and yet the idea is both so simple, and yet so effective. Everyone who drinks from a bottle of water looks at the label. By branding your own bottled water you are able to deliver targeted marketing, promotional messages and information to thousands of people, whilst providing a valuable and useful product at the same time.

The problem with most promotional products is that they are easily lost or overlooked. Almost any promotional product you can think of, from pens to leaflets, business cards to brochures, are all flat or small, and easily lost. A desk with a pile of business cards or leaflets will be a sea – with each individual item blending in to all the rest. However, branded bottle water is different. Because the product is three dimensional, your advertising stands out. In fact, it’s likely that your product will be kept handy, right in front of the person, since it serves a purpose and is useful, rather than merely promotional.

But there’s another benefit to using branded bottled water – and it’s perhaps the cheekiest form of marketing available! Imagine if people paid you to receive your business cards! Perhaps that’s a little farfetched, but if you sell your bottled water, perhaps significantly discounted, then this is effectively what you are doing. By offering cheap water bottles you are providing a valuable and useful service, but at the same time, delivering your promotional details directly into people’s hands at the same time.

It isn’t just about promoting your company, however, since providing branded bottled water promotes your company’s beliefs and values as well. By taking the decision to promote bottled water, whatever else might be included on the label, there is an implicit message bundled with every bottled of water, and that is that your business or organisation strongly believes in healthy living, and encouraging healthy hydration. Rather than promoting beer, chocolate or plastic novelties, you’re providing something that says more about your business than a simple business card could.

Although not widely available it is possible to acquire branded bottle water packaged in environmentally friendly bottles. Plastic bottles don’t always give the right message for your company, but imagine if you were able to provide bottles which were made from plants rather than oil. These ‘green’ bottles clearly add to your promotional message, and if your intention is to portray an environmentally aware business or organisation, what better way than by using oil-free bottles, manufactured from renewable plant sugars.

It is well worth considering the idea of branded bottle water as a marketing strategy. By providing a product which has a purpose and is useful, you already stand out from the crowd. The fact that it is three dimensional and comes complete with subtle messages about the values your company or organisation feels are important, you may well find that with branded bottled water, you receive a flood of sales enquiries.

Want to find out more about bottled water in New Zealand, then visit Joyce M. Stuart’s site on how to choose the best custom labeled bottled water for your needs.