Hitting the Shelves: Drinking and Giving -- August 2009

Cause-related marketing marks one driving force behind a rising number of consumer packaged good items. An item that supports a charitable cause is certainly one means to promote the feeling of doing something right. In the U.S., beverage company PurBlu Beverages introduced its Give Natural Spring Water, a line of four drink varietals that each benefits a separate cause. As stated on its company website, Give is “a movement designed to bridge the for-profit and non-profit worlds, sustainably and transparently.” This range houses the following varieties: Give Hope to support women with breast cancer, Give Strength to fight muscular disorders, Give Love to support environmental causes and Give Life to donate to children in need. By drinking Give, consumers are in control, because they can purchase water that promotes the cause of their choice. For every purchased bottle of Give Natural Spring Water, 10 cents is donated to a local charity specific to the water varietal’s overlying cause.

Information in this column is from the Global New Products Database, the premier source of global product intelligence, published by Mintel International Group; 351 W. Hubbard, 8th Floor; Chicago, IL 60610; call: 312-932-0600; fax: 312-932-0474; or e-mail mhollihan@mintel.com.