Good Thinking

The world's most expensive bottled water - US$40 a bottle

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October 15, 2006 Just how do you differentiate a product like bottled water? It’s an important question when you realise that Americans drink more than 25 billion litres of bottled water a year at prices greater than gasoline. Bottled water sales have risen 50% per person in less than a decade, which isn’t bad for a core product that varies little, and is at least a thousand times more expensive than tap water which is readily available as an alternative. In Europe, water is even bigger business – Western Europeans drink more than half the world’s bottled water. The winning answer to the differentiation question in 2006 was to add a magazine to the bottle, but there are thousands of brands out there and some of them are very clever. For all those people for whom only an ostentatious display of wealth will do is Bling H2O.

Available in US$40 750ml and US$24 350ml versions, the frosted, corked bottles are emblazoned with hand-applied, Swarovski crystals. Not surprisingly, the newspapers are reporting that the Goddess of conspicuous consumption Paris Hilton “has tasted the water” as has her dog Tinkerbell. (she sure gets a lot of press for a gal that don’t do much). The drink has also shown up at the Grammy's, Emmy's and MTV Video Music Awards in the hands of celebrities such as Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey and Shaquille O'Neal. Bling H2O is the creation of Hollywood writer-producer Kevin G. Boyd who knows the importance of image and what your choice in bottled water conveys to the public. In Hollywood it seems the bottled water one carries has become an important prop and it has become the land of the upmarket waters - bottles are becoming statements of coolness and Bling H2O was fashioned to make a defining statement. The mission was to offer a product with an exquisite face to match exquisite taste. The product is strategically positioned to target the expanding super-luxury consumer market. Bling H2O has been featured at many recent celebrity events including the MTV Video Music Awards and television’s biggest event, The Emmys. Our favourite quote on the subject was Adjab, which said that it proved the old adage that it's really easy to get rich people to fork over cash for stupid reasons.

Initially introduced to hand-selected athletes and actors, Bling H2O is now excitedly expanding it’s availability.

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5 comments
windykites
No comment (except mine) Perhaps we could get some starving nations to bottle and sell this luxury item.
Ed
Hey! if it comes with the chick in the picture, I\'m in for a 6-pack!
Bob Humbly
There is only one thing to say to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNGWn-aWn5g (Lewis Black on water.)
Charles Bosse
I can\'t believe anything would be marketed on packaging alone! That\'s preposterous! As for bottled water, it may seem silly, but 7-11 doesn\'t have a drinking fountain, and if they did you wouldn\'t want to use it - and when you\'re stuck at the end of a long day and you can spend a $1 for a liter of water or $2 for .25 liter of coke, (and you really didn\'t want the coke anyway) suddenly that water starts to look like a good deal. Even better if you are in a location where public water sanitation is more of a strong suggestion (like most of Europe and the US south)
t1138
Just another example of the clueless 1% who are willing to spend their money on selfish indulgences based of a self inflated delusion of false importance keeping up exaggerated appearances rather then helping those in need. For God\'s sake, get a glass of water from the tap and spend the 40 dollars on a charity. Those 1%ers and those foolish enough to ascribe to their fashion fancies are in a place where style and image are of far greater importance then lending a hand to those in need. Isn\'t there enough captured water on the shelves of stores around the planet? Millions certainly, but more likely BILLIONS of gallons globally... (no wonder that are droughts and water shortages in nature, its all cloistered in plastic bottles on sale for 1.99 on average). In the analysis of studies on water in plastic bottles shows water is less healthy for people in the long run, plastic containers leech chemicals into the water. (I can hear them now, \"my Gawd, that is the reason that makes this product sooo much better since it\'s in crystal.\" Rrrreeeeaaaalllyyyy darling you\'ve just got to try it), not to mention the need to dispose of the containers, whether glass or plastic the waste of material and resources to handle the containers whatever they are made of. Maybe the brand should be re-named to \"The emperor has no clothes water\"... naaaah sadly they wouldn\'t get it. Last note: KUDOs to Lewis Black!!! He\'s the man....