Is Water My Friend?

I would like to address Pr. question about Poland Spring's social media. Their last tweet was July 26, 2010. It links to their facebook page which just restates what is already on their website. I am assuming their target audience is not big on social media. Ironically this past Friday they posted their first question to their facebook fans. Since they sponsor so many marathons they seem to be associated with runners, they posted on their wall:

You may know that we’ve sponsored various running events... So while WE might be partial to lacing up and pounding the pavement, we were wondering what YOU like to do for exercise?

The responses have been 4 comments that include, hiking, swimming, yoga, hitting the weights, 20 oz. curls and long brisk walks.

However they often post promotions by linking to  their “Better Things in Life” Games, one a sweepstakes and the other a daily instant win game. Neither requires a purchase of the product but you do have to subscribe setting up an account. If you scroll down you can also subscribe to an RSS feed and SMS messages. I know you are all freaking out with excitement about all these features but you must remain calm and keep reading.

The search for Poland Springs 100% Water marketing strategies could only be found by their parent company Nestle Global. 

Nestle Global Poland Spring Investor Site

 Annual, Financial, Corporate Governance and Creative Sharing Reports

This is where they have laid out their strategy to connect to investors and government bodies. And if you thought that was too much to handle just hold on because I am going to hook you up on the latest social media available: 

 

Nestle's Blogger/FB

Yes people, you heard it here first. "Its a place...to share ideas and comments with Nestle Waters people." How strange since there is no mention of this interpersonal space on the Poland Spring facebook page. And as noted in earlier posts, it appears that PS facebook wall is shy. Hm? Something was not adding up here. Sounds like I had myself a Scooby Doo mystery. 

While drinking coffee, I found this:The Story of Water, then this Nestle Environmental Footprint . In 2008 Nestle was and maybe still is in a legal battle with the State of Maine over its water wells. Nestle claims their action is purely justifying consumer demands. The rural communities of Maine who would be effected by their new neighbor Nestle were not happy. It appears that the locals are not upset with Poland Springs but with the International Corporate predator Nestle. 

So how does a company who is owned by another company handle a crisis? Well it does not have to since it has been silenced by the parent company. Nestle is is all over CNN battling Greenpeace with Kit Kat chocolate bars.

Still feeling the purity of water? You want to spend 10 hours researching this nonsense? You want to know what I think the most important strategies are during a crisis?

The strategy would be not to have a crisis. I only like drama in show tunes. I will NEVER do PR for a company who is or appears shady. If so I would have become a union actor a long time ago. Morality is impossible to find on the net. I hate politics for this very reason.  Nestle, Facebook, Twitter, Google, CNN and YouTube just wasted my time with a million views and/or experts that are only confirmed by pretty pictures, news people, reports and really elaborate .pdfs.   

I HATE you Nestle.

You killed my relationship with Poland Springs % Natural Water.

I removed you from twittter.

I unfriended you on facebook.

Water.....we are NOT friends. 

PS If they were a humane company my marketing strategy would be to anticipate a crisis. I would define all possibilities and make sure that immediate response be the first thing we do. I would run right in front of the press work towards a resolution that maintains the company's personality, trademark, values and core principles.

Reinventing Water

It strikes me as unusual for such a long running company to have such little participation in social media. They do have an online contest running right now on their website which is featured along on facebook. I genuinely feel that they do not necessarily need a blog. Maybe it is because there is only such much you can blog plug about water. I stumbled upon some weird blog types that I am still trying to get the visuals out of my head. However there were three searches that I do not believe were actual blogs but that stood out and applied to what Bhargava was addressing. The first one was the Poland Spring Review website where 30 people on camera reviewed Poland Spring water mostly by reading the label on the back and stating it is from Maine and that it tastes good. Unfortunately none of these people qualified as the accidental spokesperson.

The second website I found was a letter to an editor from an actual employee of Poland Spring advocating against a possible ordinance of the extraction of water for profit in his town. In his letter he distinguishes all the benefits of having Poland Spring as his employer and as part of his community. His name is Ed Swift Wells and Poland Springs would be wise to hire him as an internal public or external blogger. The fight between tap water and bottled water is a close tie. Perhaps a first blog would distinguish the levels of minerals not in tap water, that nurture more of the body, the organs and digestion. A second blog could discuss the economy and preservation efforts of spring water for future generations. Here’s the link to his letter blog.kennekbunkpost.com.

The last site I found coincidently was of a feature story about Poland Springs Spokesperson, elite marathon runner Jeff Cox. Springs sponsors a number of marathons and hydration is one of their basic company elements. Cox fits the role with his hydration tips and his expertise in training. He is the authority and the super hero Lindstrom says we all want to be. The earthiness of his nature matches that of Poland Springs' personality. The team of Cox and Springs was made clear in the PRnewswire.com site. Newswire featuring Spokesperson Jeff Cox & ING NYC Marathon.

 

Lindstrom states that transformation or reinvention is key to successful marketing strategy. At first I thought well maybe Poland Springs is not planning on a full transformation into social media however they are still reinventing themselves. In the past it appears like they used the available media outlets, for example the early pamphlet of Poland Water in 1878. A much used form of passing fast information in the late 1800s.

This 1906 picture has the royalty advertising strategy.

When I came across this picture I assessed historical re-invention and transformation. You can see their marketing strategy through the years just by examining each bottle.

Today their redesigning is not heavily web based because their target audience is the contemporary health active consumer. They sponsor marathons to associate themselves with health. Which was at their beginning a cure for tummy aches is today a sign of hydration and nutrition for the body. It is still the same personality and company.They have always had a subliminal association with health.

The Power of the P

Companies that feel they can have actual reality through their computers risk survival. Due to the rapid forms of technology evolution some corporations are searching for an easy formulaic equation that will give them control over their interactive stakeholders. Breckenridge in chapter 7 states that journalists and public relations professionals agree whether it is digital or traditional, it all boils down to content. After researching on the internet I consistently found the famous 4 P's: Product, Price, Placement and Promotion. 

Here are the P in Poland Springs:

Product: The quality of pure 100% all natural water is Capable of meeting the needs of its stakeholders.

Pricing: It is not stated on their website, I am assuming because it varies from region to region. 

Placement:This lies withing their website and has been replaced with the modern term of communication.

Promotion: This unique form of eco-friendly nature preservation comes in the form of convenience. Its easy to find anywhere and you can buy it online.

A powerful media strategy is their support for the NYC marathon. You can view the pictures on facebook. Runners drink water and tend to be health conscious so choosing to make themselves personally appear at the NY Fitness EXPO fits into their personality.

I would encourage Poland Springs to launch a campaign detailing how nutritious qualities in pure water can keep the body balance. Creating a presence on weight loss websites and sports or athletic websites and hoping to convert those who may not have discovered the water.

Product:
Their product quality of pure 100% all natural spring water is Capable of  meeting the needs of its stakeholders..    
Pricing:   This is a vague public element. As the price changes from region to region and
the availability of home delivery.
Placement:
Their website fulfills the strategy of Placement product because it has been
replaced with clear constantly updated Communication on their website.  

Promotion:
Poland Springs website replaces promotion for Convenience. You can buy it
online.  

Its the all about the content. Linking is just exhausting. Today I found an article about a lawsuit against Poland Springs claiming it was using tap water. Due I think its true? I do not know because the internet can not validate the absolute truth. So again a half hour I will never get back. Reliance on RSS feeds will be the biggest mistake for Public Relations. 





A complaint on last weeks post from Poland Spring's Facebook wall from Sue Winer complaining about not getting her coupon in her local paper. Poland Spring reponded by posting that they were sorry and would include her paper the next time they run their ad.



Poland Spring never stated the coupon would be in every newspaper in the country. The social media post was a promotion to look for a coupon in major newspapers. Do you think this stopped wining Sue? No. She went to post how she's from Maine and how could her paper be overlooked. If you go to the page Poland Spring did not respond. They fused her by silence. Something you do not find online.



Congratulations Poland Springs 100% Natural Water! Your awareness in pure human psychology fits right into the digital nature of rocky mountains, green trees and spring water.

Link to My Poland Spring Audit

I didn't know I could link my pics from my picasso gmail account.

I was trying to make my audit table legible then I saw that my post pics were already uploaded to picasso.

If you click on the link you can see a much clearer image and also zoom with precision. I get better everyday.

Poland Spring Audit

Poland Spring Rejected My Friend Request :(

I Thought We Were Friends

For the past couple of weeks I have been checking Facebook for the social validation of Poland Springs 100% Natural Water. Let’s be real here. If I can’t be friends with a water bottle then I must have a serious type of social disorder. However, I discovered that they do not accept friend requests but do allow Facebook junkies to post complaints on their wall. Although there is no social bookmarking, Poland Springs does shares its pictures, logos and videos.

According to their Facebook wall, it appears that Amy Breeze, a weathergirl and John Cox a champion runner are the faces of Poland Spring. I’m assuming since they seem to be working the Poland Spring Booth at the NYC Fitness Expo. 

Branding at a function as such is the uniform that compliments their mission statement. Even more the appearance of different people in their pictures suggests they welcome all. They seem to have almost 50,000 people following them on Facebook.

  

Check out their Poland Springs Facebook Video.

Micro blogging seems more of a chore. I have been following them on Twitter and found they haven’t posted since July. In tune with their identity of natural living, Poland Springs has a minor social media presence. They do not have a blog but they have people who blog about them.  Free user created content like Marion Ronan of Flatbush NY does all the work. I have no words to describe the kind of writer she is except its somewhere between funny and scary. Read her blog at:

http://marianronan.wordpress.com/tag/poland-spring/

They only have one meta-tag called content-type text/html charset=UTF-8. I’m guessing it indicates the type of html characters. There’s no encryption and no information about its author.

I am probably generalizing but perhaps the target audiences are not people who are constantly on the internet.  The website’s content organization, usefulness, interactivity, professionalism and user friendliness are how they get more intimate with their customers. I am sold on their web design and believe this to be the gem touch point. Outshining their competitor’s website “FiJi Water” which offered no content except to where to click to place your order.

Here’s my audit of Poland Springs:

Water Born Better

It never occurred to me that water was more than active hydration. The mineral content of any water is measured scientifically as TDS (total dissolved solids). For an illiterate science water consumer like myself, the significance of such experiments means nothing. I never did quite get the scientific table of elements in high school. I was too busy listening to Madonna in my head, “dum   dum   dummgh… Like a Virgin…weeee! Now when I see words and phrases like alkaline, pH balance, and bicarbonate they have the same effect as Mandarin Chinese letters. I do not know what they stand for.

Preservation of the actual springs are not the major issue although I will discuss it in future posts. The concern is keeping the water uncontaminated for distribution. The TDS (total dissolved solids) measures the elements we cannot see in water such as metal, salt or minerals. Its purpose is to detect the overall purity of water. In theory, the lower the TDS number then the purer the water. Swimming a bit deeper into the Poland Spring website, they reveal how they monitor their water from spring to bottle. The quality assurance is fortified by Poland Springs 10 Step Quality Process:

1.  Source Selection and Monitoring

2.  Source Water Receiving and monitoring

3. Water Storage and Monitoring

4.  Micro-filtration

5.  Ultra violet/ Ozone Disinfection

6.  Bottling Control

7.  Packaging Control

8.  Clean-In-Place (C.I.P.) Sanitation Process

9.  Plant quality Control and HACCP Program

10. Corporate Quality Assurance Program

To learn more visit the Poland Spring website and download: The Bottle Water Quality Report.

This free user-friendly pdf content is an authentic and genuine reveal of Poland Springs identity. They do not bore you with every detail on actual reports but instead make them available for those who have no life, are bald and do not know how to drive to Fairfield CT. 

Here is a sample of it:

THE WATER ANALYSIS REPORT

Dated December 2010, 1^st-2^nd Quarter

No Volatile Organic or Synthetic Organic Compounds Detected.

All Radiological results are in full compliance with all FDA and EPA standards for bottled and drinking water.

All values provided in milligrams/liter (mgl) unless indicated otherwise.

• Calcium            4.0-9.5
• Sodium             1.8-6.4
• Potassium         ND***
• Fluoride            .075-.17
• Magnesium       .78-1.5
• Bicarbonate       5.9-31.5
• Nitrate               .11-.95
• Chloride            .82-10.7
• Copper              ND
• pH (units)          6.0-7.1
• Sulfate              1.3-7.3  *MRL .10          **MCL 250.
• Arsenic             ND       *MRL .0014      **MCL .010
• Lead                  ND       *MRL .005        **MCL .005

TOTAL: TDS          29-59         *MRL 1.00      **MCL 500

MRL* Minimum Reporting Limit

MCL** Maximum Contaminant Level

ND*** Non Detectable

Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonate, Chloride, all exceed the MRL

None of their minerals/metals test surpass the MCL** standard.

Boring right? But, when identified these features may nurture while hydrating. Bicarbonate is a biochemical player in the pH system balance of the body’s alkaline or acid levels. To keep it simple it helps process proteins and strengthens enzymes without which one could die.

Poland Spring 100% Natural Spring Water:  Born Better is the unique slogan and talkable factor discussed in Bhargava, R (2008). Clarity is their position with spring heritage as a twist. This fusion of advertising differentiation is brilliantly demonstrated on its corporate website. It is an interactive dialogue featuring user choice and freedom. The language of nature is directed to all humanitarians who understand the tone and personality.They target people who feel the innate desire to reconnect with their environment and health. A purity like no other water because the nutrition is that of mother earth. Think of Poland Springs as home birthing facilities for H20. It is still water but it is delivered better.

 “Dum dum dumgh….Like a Virgin… Weeeee!”

The Value of Water

Water.

It rejuvenates, hydrates and cleanses our body. It can heal, baptize and nurture our human ecology. It has been used as a source of travel between continents and even in block-bluster movies like the Titanic. A story based on the tragic event of ship sailing through the Atlantic sea and hitting an iceberg of which both are forms of the chemical substance H20.

I only become a morning person after my first cup of coffee. Today however, I reached for my 1 liter eco-shaped bottle of Poland Spring and it occurred to me that I have been drinking Poland Spring water for the majority of my adult life. I discovered it while attending college in Boston in the early 90’s. It was considered part of the student actor handbook: like cigarettes and wearing all black you had to show up to class with a huge bottle of water. So, roughly I have been drinking Poland Spring water for over 20 years, which is a lot longer than I have been drinking my pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.

More unusual is the difference of exposure between Starbucks coffee and Poland Spring water. Starbucks exists on every corner of Manhattan including department stores, universities and bookstores; but this true of Poland Spring water found in every deli, subway and drugstore.

According to their website the Poland Spring was caused by a glacier in Maine about 20,000 years ago. In 1793 the Ricker Family opened a small inn that led to the opening of a bottling plant in 1845. The healing powers of Poland Spring water came from the tale that Mr. Ricker cured his upset stomach by drinking the spring’s water. Soon many journeyed to Poland Spring to drink its healing magic. This led to smaller bottling sizes, national distribution and eventually the water that is a part of my everyday life.

What makes their water marketable?

It’s the source of their water. They claim that the consistency of their water is tested to ensure the geological makeup and weather patterns of the springs match to original spring Mr. Ricker bottled back in 1845. By monitoring the surrounding ecosystem they assist in its preservation. Beyond plant and aquatic responsibility, they test their water for safety and absence of BPA (bisthenal-A). Since the 1930’s this organic estrogenic compound was commonly used in the production of plastic materials. However in 2008, it was discovered to have harmful effects specifically on pregnant women and fetuses. Canada and Europe have banned BPA in the production of baby bottles.

This is what makes them stand out. A consciousness to the earth and a commitment to the health value of pure water are at the core of Poland Spring 100% Natural Water.

Their products range in portion sized eco-shaped bottles including 1 liter, 500 ml, 1.5 liter and 20oz. liter bottles. Their products are available in  3 liter, 1 gallon and 3-5 gallon amounts. Also they have flavored varieties of sparkling waters such as lemon, lime, raspberry lime and mandarin orange.

Their target audience is the health and environmentally green conscious individual. The 8oz. mini with added fluoride is even targeted to include teeth conscious children.

Poland Spring 100% Natural Water is now part of Nestle Waters North America Inc., the largest water bottling company in the United States.

Just like their product their mission statement is transparent.

Corporate Responsibility:

A package beverage company focusing on natural products, our success depends on both the long-term productivity of the waters and lands that support our business and our relationships with our neighbors, consumers, employees and other stakeholders. We refer to this 

“concept as creating shared value.”

http://www.polandspring.com/ - /home

For more information on their parent company visit: 

http://www.nestle-watersna.com/