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CASE HISTORY: HETCH HETCHY CLEAR
PROBLEM: In 2001, San Francisco’s Water Department, known as Hetch Hetchy, was required by federal law to change the treatment of drinking water from chlorine to a more environmentally-friendly substance known as Chloramine. The law also mandated public notification of the change, because a few users - such as dialysis patients - might be affected.
Historically, the public is always concerned about any changes to its municipal water supply, and even though this new process would deliver clearer, cleaner, safer water, it was still necessary to allay the public’s perception that more chemicals were being added.
SOLUTION: In truth, the new formula involved fewer chemicals, not more. At the same time, Hetch Hetchy snowmelt had a long-held reputation as among the purist drinking water in the United States - a perception to be both guarded and exploited.
Working in partnership with the Al Williams Consultancy Company, Kevin developed a comprehensive marketing plan and creative executions for promoting the changeover by turning ordinary tap water into a name brand:
HETCH HETCHY CLEAR
Better Water Through Less Chemistry
Unfortunately, the SFPUC went with another (dare we say more well-connected?) proposal.
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Kevin turned a nuts and bolts technical proposal to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission into a vision of exciting possibilities. Who else would have thought of turning the city's ordinary tap water into a brand?
-- Al Williams,
CEO, The Willams Consultancy
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