Project Overview

LIFEWTR is a purpose-driven brand, driven by design, that provides a premium bottled water experience by fusing creativity and purpose to serve as a source of inspiration and hydration. More than water, LIFEWTR is a platform for emerging artists. Design is at the heart of the brand, foremost on the bottle, and in how it communicates through artists and brand content, in store, and at live events.

LIFEWTR first launched in the U.S. in January 2017. In 2018, LIFEWTR released three different series, each raising awareness around a cultural anchor that is relevant to society and featuring the work of three emerging artists working in that space.

Project Commissioner

PepsiCo

 

Project Creator

PepsiCo Design & Innovation

Project Brief

Speaking to the power of ‘Arts in Education,’ Series 4 represented the work of three young student artists. Through a partnership with Scholastic, LIFEWTR helped to provide classroom art kits, fill the gaps in communities where students do not have access to art in school, and shine a light on the significance of art education.

Series 5, ‘Art Beyond Borders,’ celebrated the power of art to create cultural understanding and unity through artists whose work is inspired by multiple cultures. LIFEWTR, in partnership with Frieze, one of the world’s leading contemporary art publications and event institutions, hosted a series of panels and events at the Frieze NY Art Fair to engage the community in a conversation about cultural exchange through art. As a part of the partnership, the LIFEWTR fund supported an acquisition of a significant work for the Brooklyn Museum.

Focusing on ‘Diversity in Design’ for Series 6, the brand highlighted how diverse perspectives can enhance our collective cultural experience through the work of the three emerging fashion designers who use design as a medium to express diverse backgrounds, share original perspectives, and inspire positive change. Through an ongoing partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), these young designers were able to show their collections during New York Fashion Week.

Project Innovation/Need

LIFEWTR expands the audience beyond water consumers by connecting hydration with a specific and purposeful point of view. By infusing excitement into culture and sparking insightful conversations, the brand creates an emotional connection.

LIFEWTR is leading a cultural conversation in an industry that is typically driven purely by product claims. Instead of a product-forward proposition, focusing on water only in terms of its functional value, we are shifting the conversation to the broader ambition of celebrating culture by building a platform for artists and creators.

Each series reinforces how LIFEWTR stands for advancing artists and creators. It inspires people to think about and build connections to art in tangible ways. One key differentiator is that the brand has been built through experiential design—providing consumers with an immersive, memorable experience that is then shared digitally to build a powerful organic and authentic following.

Design Challenge

The design LIFEWTR was born out of purpose and design thinking—it is a water brand with a uniquely human-centered focus that carves out a distinct space in the water category and impacts the broader society and art community on a global scale.

Effectiveness

LIFEWTR expands the audience beyond water consumers by connecting hydration with a specific and purposeful point of view. By infusing excitement into culture and sparking insightful conversations, the brand creates an emotional connection. LIFEWTR generated approximately $200M in estimated annual retail sales in 2017, its first year.