Sparkling Water – Creative Mash-up Challenge
Creative Mash-up Challenge: Marrying a B2B Brand to a B2C Product
The challenge is to convincingly and engagingly marry some key brand traits (messaging, customer value propositions) and design sensibilities (look and feel) with the product attributes (form and function) of the chosen item to create a compelling campaign. I chose Women’s Work Lab for the Product Mash-up Challenge because their brand and core values resonate with my goals, which start with empowering women and lead to impactful contributions to society.
Women’s Work Lab
WWL is a social enterprise designed to support unemployed mothers in re-entering the workforce. Their goal is to rebuild confidence, develop employability skills, and help women secure meaningful employment.
Why Sparkling Water?
I chose sparkling water as a product because drinking water not only boosts productivity but is primarily tied to cognitive function, energy levels and overall health. By keeping the body and brain hydrated, women can function more effectively. This is important, especially when they’re making massive contributions to society.
The "six flavours" represent the six sides of a honeycomb, a pattern included in WWL’s brand assets. You might wonder why the honeycomb is significant — each hexagonal cell serves a unique purpose for bees. This pattern is no accident: it's a symbol of structure, unity, utility, and strength. Each selected flavour also carries its cultural background and symbolism, aligning with Women’s Work Lab's core values.
In ancient North American culture, blueberries were revered for their profound spiritual significance, making them a powerful symbol. The sweetness of the blueberries, tied to abundance and prosperity – it’s a talisman of good fortune. Every curve and hue is thoughtfully crafted to echo the blessings and positive energy.
Raspberries carry rich symbolic meanings, often tied to themes of protection, growth, and love. Their vibrant red colour is traditionally linked to passion and emotional intensity. The fruit itself, with its numerous small drupelets forming a whole, can symbolise unity and collaboration, highlighting the strength found in connection and community.
Market Research
The UK soda and sparkling water market has been experiencing a shift driven by consumer preferences for health-focused and environmentally sustainable options. Sparkling water, in particular, has gained significant popularity as consumers look for alternatives to sugary soft drinks. Brands in the UK are responding by expanding flavour options, using natural, low-calorie ingredients, and prioritising eco-friendly packaging.
Companies like Dash Water are meeting demand for "clean label" products with fruit-infused, sugar-free sparkling waters, while major players like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Danone continue to innovate with new flavours and added nutrients.
Overall, the UK sparkling water market's expansion highlights a strong consumer interest in healthier, lower-calorie alternatives with environmentally friendly attributes. This trend is expected to continue, influenced by both new product launches and heightened consumer awareness about health and wellness.
Evolution vs Revolution? What’s best for the brand?
Evolution keeps the brand recognisable and helps to simplify the maintenance of brand equity. It doesn’t shout that products, services, or points of view have changed.
Revolution, or a complete rebrand, is a clear sign that the brand is actively changing. It allows us to reconnect to audiences with different, better, or more appropriate messaging. It signals that your objectives have changed, that your brand or product architecture has changed, or that the world has changed and you’re listening. Combining research insights with WWL’s core values has guided me in developing a product proposition. Current trends highlight key reasons for the shift in the soda market:
Health-focused, sugar-free and low-calorie options;
Eco-friendly and sustainable packaging;
“Clean label” products.
Design Direction 1: Pop and Realism
Bold colours and realistic imagery grab attention and focus on lifelike details, showing textures and depth. This style perfectly represents the natural origin of the product.
Eco-friendly and Natural Origin
Brand Strategy & Messaging: Sparkling water is more than just a drink — it’s a lifestyle choice! Discover the taste of nature with sparkling water infused with natural-origin flavours! From crisp lemon and refreshing cucumber to vibrant berry blends, each sip brings you the purity of real ingredients without artificial additives or sugars. Perfect for any time of day, naturally flavoured sparkling water is a light, guilt-free option for those who love a touch of flavour without extra calories. Choose sparkling water as your go-to drink for health, flavour, and eco-friendly packaging!
Design Direction 2: Playful and Abstract
I created a packaging system that’s bright and cheerful with an intriguing edge. The pairing of the sans-serif and serif typeface gives the can an immediate subtle interest, while the solid colour palettes add a refreshing splash of warm and playful frivolity.
For Better Focus
Brand Strategy & Messaging: Enhance your day with sparkling water — for better focus and hydration! Unlike sugary drinks that cause energy crashes, sparkling water keeps you refreshed and alert without added sugars or calories. The ritual of enjoying a fizzy drink can offer a small but effective mental break, adding a touch of enjoyment to daily routines. Stay hydrated and calm with sparkling water! A perfect refreshing way to keep mental performance sharp and productive.
Design Direction 3: Clean and Minimalistic
In a crowded marketplace, minimalistic packaging cuts through visual noise, offering refined, high-quality feelings that usually suggest premium and health-conscious products. Clean, carefully chosen typography adds to the sleek, modern appearance.
Strong, Fizzy, Spicy
Brand Strategy and Messaging: Get ready to add some fizz to your fun with spicy sparkling water! Perfectly refreshing with a twist to elevate your sip game. Imagine the crisp, bubbly sensation of sparkling water — now with a pinch of spiciness and natural fruit flavours. It's low-calorie, low-carb, and big on taste, making it the ideal drink for happy hour and working days, or any time you’re craving something light yet exciting.
WWL offers vibrant, flavour-packed options with modern, stylish cans that fit right into your social life, from office events to summer barbecues. Say goodbye to sugary mixers and hello to an easy-drinking, guilt-free buzz. Find joy in gloomy days from lime to ginger and everything in between. Stay focused, and sip playfully — it’s time to join the spicy sparkling water revolution!
Takeaway
I was a part of the Bristol Creative Industries internship programme that provided me with a placement at the Oakwood Agency in early 2024. I quickly adapted to the company’s project management process and enjoyed exploring different skills and using them in practice.
The biggest takeaway is developing a flexible mindset. Understanding the core of B2B and B2C projects: building a brand includes not only technical aspects such as digital design and web development but also strategy, positioning, and messaging. It was a pleasure to cover the basics of UX writing, Research, Audits, and Messaging frameworks.
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