AQUAhydrate® is a Southern California-based performance water brand founded in cutting-edge technology and science.
Situation (1): Amid the Flint water crisis, AQUAhydrate and its investors decided to donate 1 million bottles to the city. While increasing awareness of the brand’s participation in alleviating the XCCC, they also wanted to encourage consumers to lend their support.
Action (1): Media strategy was developed to include a press release announcing the donation that initially broke with the AP. The story was then pushed to local Detroit, Los Angeles press including beverage trades, lifestyle, food reporters and entertainment media. We also enlisted the support of other celebrities including Russell Simmons, Eminen and Wiz Khalifa. We also planned on-the-ground support with Russell Simmons and AQUAhydrate team members donating water to homes and facilities in Flint, providing key messaging to communicate the importance of the donation as well as the need for unity and assistance from the American people to provide their support to the city.
Results (1): More than 92 billion media impressions including coverage in USA Today, People, Yahoo!, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Live! with Kelly and Michael, MSNBC First Look, BevNet in addition to local broadcast mentions on Detroit FOX and ABC.
Situation (2): As a result of its exponential growth, AQUAhydrate appointed its first CMO in April 2017. The brand sought to not only increase awareness of the announcement but also share insights on the pH water category and what was to come from the brand.
Action (2): A media plan was implemented to share the news with key Food & Beverage, Lifestyle and Executive Moves editors and writers.
Results (2): The news of the announcement was picked up by beverage trades including BevNet, Beverage Business Insights and also Food Navigator which has been following the brand closely since 2015. Additional lifestyle outlets picked up the news including Rolling Out, Madame Noire and Diverge.