Iris > Case Studies > Transforming BRITA's Brand Perception Through IoT and Sustainability

Transforming BRITA's Brand Perception Through IoT and Sustainability

Technology Category

Sensors - Utility Meters

Applicable Industries

Plastics
Retail

Applicable Functions

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Intelligent Urban Water Supply Management
Leakage & Flood Monitoring

About The Customer

The customer in this case study is BRITA, a well-known water filter company. BRITA has been a leader in the industry for many years, providing solutions for great tasting water without the need for single-use plastic bottles. The company is committed to sustainability and is constantly seeking ways to reduce the environmental impact of its products. BRITA is also dedicated to changing perceptions and educating consumers about the benefits of using filtered water over bottled water. The company operates in the UK, which boasts some of the best quality drinking water in the world.

The Challenge

BRITA, a renowned water filter company, was facing a challenge in changing its brand perception from being functional and outdated to relevant and engaging. The company wanted to highlight its sustainability benefits, especially in the context of the ongoing global plastic crisis. Despite the UK having some of the best quality drinking water in the world, consumers were still inclined towards bottled water, largely due to effective marketing campaigns. BRITA saw an opportunity to emphasize the absurdity of promoting a product that is so damaging to the environment. However, the company faced a lack of hard facts to support their stance and drive change.

The Solution

BRITA, in partnership with Iris, their lead UK PR, Social & Partnerships agency since 2012, embarked on a project to gather the necessary data to support their campaign. They collaborated with Retail Economics, who produced a whitepaper providing the key statistic for the campaign: 413 more plastic water bottles will be sold by 2026 due to marketing campaigns. This data was used to gain significant media coverage in The Guardian and The Times. To bring these facts to life, they recruited actor James Buckley for a spoof advertising campaign and radio ad, which helped to reach a wider audience. The campaign also involved social media community management, with participation kept at the heart of their strategy. They engaged social first comedian, Josh Berry, and other comedic influencers on TikTok and Instagram to create spoofing content that resonated with the target audience.

Operational Impact

The campaign was successful in transforming BRITA's brand perception from being functional and outdated to relevant and engaging. It effectively highlighted the company's sustainability benefits and positioned BRITA as a solution to the global plastic crisis. The campaign also managed to engage the community and encourage proactive participation, which was evident in the high engagement rates on influencer content. The use of humor and spoofing content resonated with the target audience, making the campaign more relatable and impactful. The campaign also succeeded in gaining significant media coverage, further enhancing BRITA's brand visibility and reputation.

Quantitative Benefit