The challenge

In the highly competitive market for bottled natural spring water, Harrogate Spring Water had a clear advantage – back in 1740, Harrogate became the first place in the world to bottle its water, famous for its health-giving properties. Arguably, this makes Harrogate Spring Water today the modern incarnation of an early wellbeing brand.

Of course, our view of the world has changed a lot since the 18th century and Harrogate Spring Water, as custodians of a precious natural resource, place a high priority on sustainability as a guiding principle across their products, processes and packaging.

Our relationship with the brand extends over X years, during which time we've supported Harrogate Spring Water from the early development of the brand and the packaging design, onwards through a series of brand-led campaigns to promote sustainability.

Our approach

Working on the original brand, we recognised the perfect opportunity to reconnect Harrogate Spring Water with Harrogate's history as a genteel spa town. To help tell this story on pack we were given permission to use the image of the town's Royal Pump Rooms, while the decorative interiors of the Royal Baths inspired an elegant new 'diamond' bottle shape that clearly distinguishes Harrogate Spring Water in the category.

Harrogate Spring Water’s PET bottles use more than 51% UK-sourced, post-consumer recycled content (rPET) and all its bottles are 100% recyclable, including label and cap. Its glass bottles also use 50% recycled content. As a result, the brand was a finalist in the World Food Innovation Awards 2018, short-listed for the Sustainable Packaging Award.

The results

Following the launch of the new brand, over a period of two years, profits increased by 47% and market share increased by 6%. While these early results are impressive, for us the satisfaction has been in sharing the X-year journey of the Harrogate Spring Water brand all the way up to its recent sale to Danone.

We very much feel that ThreeTenSeven (formerly Thompson) is part of the DNA of Harrogate Water Brands. Their extensive understanding of our brand, superb retail knowledge and modern approach is fundamental to how we wish to continue to position the brand.

— James Cain MD and Owner, Harrogate Spring Water