Ah, Istanbul. Sun-drenched mosques, bustling bazaars, and... relentless heat.
During a recent trip, I found myself a frequent visitor to the local corner shop, not for Turkish Delight (although that happened too!), but for the most basic necessity – bottled water.
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Isn't bottled water, well, just bottled water?" Truth is, in the face of a heatwave, even the act of grabbing a plastic bottle becomes a surprisingly brand-centric experience. Especially when, like me, you're dodging sunstroke and haven't the energy to scan every label.
This got me pondering about the quiet world of mineral water brands. Unlike flashy fashion labels, they don't bombard you with viral advertising campaigns or in-store promotions. Yet, there they are, silently influencing our hydration choices with their logos and promises of "pure refreshment." It made me wonder, what makes a good mineral water brand?
The Anatomy of a Successful Splash
Imagine you're parched and scanning the shelf. What catches your eye? Here's the lowdown on what likely separates dependable H2O heroes from the rest:
💦 Quality H2O, Consistently Delivered
Let's face it: Nobody wants their water to taste like disappointment. Good, reliable brands deliver high-quality products that result in consistently pleasant taste experiences, every bottle, every time. Think crisp, clean, and free of funky aftertaste.
🫧 Branding with Bite (or Should I Say, Fizz?)
A strong brand builds a cohesive image across all its touchpoints. Packaging that pops, clear messaging, and a consistent visual identity all play a part. Confused by a mishmash of designs? Chances are, the brand isn't sure what it stands for, and neither will you be.
🤝 The Trust Factor: Reputation matters
Consumers need to believe what's on the packaging. Remember "Smartwater"? Their claims of fancy vapour-distilled, cloud purification turned out to be a marketing mirage. Needless to say, the brand fizzled out faster than a faulty soda fountain following a hurricane of bad publicity.
A Strategic Splash: Rethinking Mineral Water
Istanbul's relentless heat wasn't just a test of my endurance, it became an unexpected muse. While desperately seeking hydration, I couldn't help but be struck by the constant barrage of beauty product endorsements plastered everywhere. Turkey's reputation for top-tier cosmetic surgery was impossible to miss, reflected in the abundance of advertisements promising eternal youth.
This confluence of factors – the essential need for water, the relentless beauty standards staring back at me from every street corner, and the mass of collagen and hyaluronic acid-enhanced beauty products flooding drug store shelves sparked a fascinating train of thought. What if these two worlds, hydration and on-the-go beauty, collided on a commercial scale?
As a skincare aficionado, I've been following the exciting rise of Proceanis, a company offering innovative drinkable collagen and hyaluronic acid supplements. Witnessing the growing demand for convenient, portable beauty solutions, the idea of rethinking mineral water to include these very ingredients sparked my imagination.
Partnerships have long been a powerful tool for brands, and with Proceanis still establishing itself, I began to consider which strategic partner would offer the most advantages. Luckily, my Istanbul adventure provided a glimpse into some leading contenders – evian, Volvic, and Fiji Water. These established brands, readily available in most supermarkets, convenience stores and cafés worldwide, all promote wellness through their products, making them fitting partners for Proceanis. If they were to pursue a strategy for democratising their offerings to boost brand awareness.
Dissecting the Partnership Potential
Now comes the real fun – dissecting the potential partnerships with each brand through the lens of marketing and customer appeal.
evian
Boasts a strong everyday hydration brand image, targeting health-conscious millennials with trendy marketing campaigns.
Pros: Their brand recognition and youthful approach of ‘“Live young, drink evian”’ could align well with Proceanis's target audience (if they were to consider a diluted product offering).
Cons: A limited product range might pose a challenge for manufacturing a new beauty drink. Additionally, the potential price point increase due to added ingredients could alienate some of evian's existing customer base.
Volvic
It also takes an everyday approach to hydration but offers flavoured and vitamin-infused waters alongside plain water.
Pros: Their existing product diversification demonstrates a willingness to innovate, and the addition of beauty-enhancing ingredients could feel like a natural evolution of their vitamin-infused water line.
Cons: While Volvic has a strong presence, it’s not typically affiliated with the beauty space, and this new water variant would likely supersede regular price points.
Fiji
The water embodies luxury, with marketing campaigns focusing heavily on its rare and exclusive properties.
Pros: Fiji already has a celebrity-endorsed high-end beauty water image.
Cons: Supplementing water might suddenly make their core offering feel less effective. Additionally, their distribution network might be less extensive compared to evian and Volvic, and they’ve never launched flavoured water variations.
Ingredient Considerations: Core Product vs. Limited Edition
Choosing between collagen and hyaluronic acid as a water additive hinges on several factors:
💵 Price Point, Ingredient Volume and Accessibility
Hyaluronic acid is a more established ingredient, making it readily available in larger quantities. Collagen might be more challenging to source in the volumes needed for mass production and command a steeper price than hyaluronic acid as an additive.
💧 Taste Masking
Both ingredients can present taste challenges. Finding effective masking solutions can be complex and might require additional flavours, increasing production costs for evian and Fiji.
💊 Nutritional Depletion and Distribution
Collagen might degrade over time, especially when exposed to heat and light, making refrigeration necessary. However, Hyaluronic acid is typically more shelf-stable.
Based on these three factors, hyaluronic acid appears more suitable as a core product ingredient. It offers easier integration into distribution channels, potentially lower production costs, and greater stability as a supplementary ingredient. Collagen, however, could still be explored as a limited edition product offering through select vendors, leveraging its trendiness and exclusivity.
My Final Diagnosis
After careful consideration, Volvic emerges as the most promising partner for Proceanis.
Their existing product portfolio of fruit, tea, and vitamin water and extensive distribution network offers a strong foundation for collaboration. A co-branded Volvic/Proceanis hyaluronic acid water could be a game-changer, providing consumers of both brands with an affordable, refreshing and convenient way to stay hydrated while supporting their inner glow.
If you enjoyed this article, tap that heart so that I know to write more like it!
Comments