Caliwater Cactus Water founders, Melissa Reed & Matt McKee, reckon they are producing the next big thing after coconut water. And they may be right. Everything Hispanic is hot right now and the drink has all the other essential fashionable elements:
- The trendy promise - “Ancient beneficial nutrients with ultimate hydration in mind.”
- Lots of antioxidants. The prickly pear cactus fruit is the only fruit which contains all 24 known betalains, known for their skin revitalizing benefits. Cactus water also contains five naturally occurring electrolytes, vitamins, minerals.
- Lower in sugar and calories than nearly all leading coconut water and aloe juice products.
- 100% natural ingredients, zero fat, not from concentrate, non-GMO, preservative free.
- Sustainably produced. Caliwater has formed a direct relationship with harvesters who safely, legally and fairly source the cactus fruits in desert regions. The cactus is hand-picked from centuries old Opuntia cactus plants.
...and now trend aware packaging, which is where US branding and design agency, The Creative Pack came in.
In January 2015, Caliwater cactus water re-launched in a Tetra Prisma Aseptic Package instead of its original plastic bottle. This allowed the product to be reformulated as a fresher, more flavourful ‘not from concentrate’ bevrage and become non-GMO certified. The Tetra Pak is also more suitable for Caliwater's on-the-go target market and is able to compete with the brand's coconut and aloe drink counterparts.
The enhanced water brand was also given a new identity and design, to resonate with its young forward-thinking market.
The new brand story had three requirements - to emphasise the product’s local origin, to introduce the Opuntia Cactus and Prickly Pear fruit to consumers, and to inform consumers of the ancient health benefits the beverage provides.
It began with the simple phrase, Desert Discovered, under which the brand story was built. This phrase also inspired the primal, hand-carved illustrations and symbols used to create a trail map of discovery around the packaging.
Caliwater’s primary audience is spiritual, active, and very busy, so the copy had to connect with what the agency dubbed a ‘bohemian fitness’ lifestyle. The copy was fashioned into an inspiring, ancient tale of thirsty souls and Opuntia Cactus legend, along with three simple side-of-pack callouts: Replenish, Revive, Connect. The side copy allowed the front-of-pack design to stay uncluttered.
Currently the product is sold locally in Southern California. The founders' statement, “We're where Zico was ten years ago,” reveals the brand's aims.
