Bling H2O – the most expensive bottled water
Bling H2O water is the world’s most expensive bottled water. The brand’s creator, Hollywood writer-producer Kevin G. Boyd, targeted to sell it to the celebrities who highly esteem their bottled water. I have just heard about this product but I hope to see it soon since it is currently readily available to the public. Bling H2O, manufactured in a nine-step process from the water of a spring in Tennessee, is studded with Swaroviski crystals. The excellent packaging of the product makes it to be attractive. However, since the brand has a high retail price of averagely $55, I consider it only relevant to the rich people.
If this product were available to the consumers in Australia, it is likely to receive a mix of reactions. Traditionally, spending over $500 million on bottled water every year, the Australians have a liking for bottled water. Consequently, the introduction of this product in the new market will make some of the consumers to purchase it so as to have the experience of tasting it. Most consumers in the country are used to the local brands of bottled water.
Therefore, since Bling H2O is manufactured outside the country, some consumers can find it to be more appealing. On the other hand, some Australian consumers esteem geographic issues highly since they determine their values and perceptions concerning what to either buy or not buy. This implies that some of the consumers in the potential market can reject the new product as it fails to give them a sense of identification and pride.
Nonetheless, carrying out adequate advertisements centering on the nature of the new product, can surmount this difficulty. As of the end of March 2010, it is estimated that the population of Australia is growing at 1.8% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010). The growing population signifies more spending. Therefore, Bling H2O is likely to record increased sales when introduced in the new market. Since the new product is more about maintaining ones status in the society, the high-spending Australian consumers are more likely to purchase it. In some places in Australia, such as Bundanoon, the selling of bottled water is no longer acceptable because of the effects it has for the environment.
However, perhaps the introduction of Bling H2O would change the perceptions of the environmentally conscious consumers to purchase the brand since it has less negative effects to the environment. Therefore, playing the role of a marketing manager, I think that the product has a good potential in the Australian market.
Bottled water industry in Australia
The Australian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI) is the agency that controls the lucrative bottled water industry in the country. The ABWI controls the bottled water industry by certifying water bottlers and suppliers in the region (ABWI, 2004). On the other hand, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is endowed with the responsibility of ensuring that the production of bottled water is consistent in terms of safety, quality, and taste and all the bottled water manufacturers are supposed to comply with the guidelines issued by the agency without exemption. Australian consumers generally prefer bottled water as an option to other packaged drinks.
This is because they want to reduce the amount of calories they consume by drinking unsweetened, natural product, and it also gives them a more satisfying taste as opposed to the tap water that is readily available. In addition to the bottled water, other categories of bottled water that are available to consumers in the country include ‘near waters,’ mineralized water, glacier water, rain water, purified water, natural mineral water, and filtered municipal water (Australian Beverages Council Limited, 2004).
The mineral water in the country is carbonated whereas ‘near waters’ refers to a variety of products including flavoured natural spring water without sugar, or vitaminised waters that may be having reduced quantities of sugars or other different sweeteners. The bottled water industry in Australia, producing close to six hundred million litres of bottled water every year, is flourishing well (Alter, 2010).
Ethics of high prices for Bling H2O
The introduction of Bling H2O to the bottled water market has raised a number of ethical concerns. First, many consumers think that the market price for the brand is unrealistically high (Koutsoukis, 2007). Compared to the average price of bottled water, which is usually $2-4, most people think that it is highly priced. For example, 750-milliliter bottle of Bling H2O is priced at $40-60 (Said, 2007).
However, if I were the brand manager for this product, I would defend my marketing strategy by promoting its uniqueness in providing exquisite face that matches with its exquisite taste and outlining its thorough manufacturing process. Second, some people perceive that the product is more destructive to the environment. However, as a brand manager, I would object to this by illustrating that the Bling H2O bottle is fashioned such that it is reusable and refillable. Lastly, some individuals think that a bottle of Bling H2O does not guarantee it to be highly priced. Nonetheless, it is of essence to note that a bottle of the product is much more than a plastic container used in keeping water as it is studded with Swarovski crystals to give it its distinctiveness.
Reference list
Alter, L., 2010. Australia’s Prime Minister on Bottled Water. Web.
Australian Beverages Council Limited, 2004. Australian Beverages-A world of variety. Web.
Australian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI), 2004. What is ABWI? Web.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010. Australian Demographic Statistics. Web.
Koutsoukis, J., 2007. The real cost of bottled water. Web.
Said, R., 2007. Bling H2O: Water Bottle with Swarovski Crystals for Rich People. Web.