S’well goes beyond the bottle in largest campaign yet

In the decade since its launch, S’well has gained cultural recognition for its chic water bottles spotted in yoga studios, office cubicles and even children’s reusable school lunch bags. Less visible is the New York-based brand's expansion into other categories, including food containers, travel mugs and reusable straws. A new campaign, debuting Jan. 6, aims to change that. “People are familiar with S’well—they love the design and the bottle,” says Josh Dean, who joined the brand as chief marketing officer from underwear brand Tommy John last June. “But they’re less familiar with some of the other formats we have—we’re not just a water bottle.” The new push, “More Ways to Use Less,” positions S’well as an eco-friendly, sustainable brand for consumers eager to live better. The campaign is part of the brand’s new purpose—“to bring style innovation and joy to sustainable living,” Dean says. It’s also S’well’s largest marketing investment, though executives declined to provide a specific figure. “January is a time of reflection and New Year’s resolutions,” he adds, noting that the timing could not be more perfect for the campaign, which will remind loyalists of S’well while introducing the brand to new customers. The campaign includes out-of-home, digital and radio ads. Some 93 percent of campaign printing and production materials, such as vinyl billboards, is recyclable. S’well intends to work with a partner to recycle and reuse the ads, which were printed with an ink with low chemical emissions, according to a spokeswoman. While S’well has been building out its own internal creative department—the brand recently tapped creatives from Anomaly to round out the near-20-employee team—it also worked with external partners. Such agencies include Mrs&Mr, Wit Media in the U.S. and Craft Media in the U.K. The campaign, which will run through the end of March, comes at a time when consumers are more aware of their environmental footprints, but also when knockoff S’well bottles—many for far less than its $25 starting pricetag—are popping up. S’well last reported revenue of $100 million in 2016, according to one CNBC report. Learn about wellness trends at Ad Age Next: Health and Wellness on Feb. 6. Buy your tickets here.

S’well goes beyond the bottle in largest campaign yet

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