Entry Category
Strategic Use of Audience Insights
Name of Intervention/ Program
Break up with your bottled water.
Background and Situation Analysis
The overall consumption of plain water has risen, but the increase in tap water consumption has not. This reluctance to drink tap water is largely due to mistrust and concerns about its safety. Such concerns have been fueled by national drinking water crises. Factors like taste, smell, color, and residue play a significant role in shaping perceptions of tap water’s safety and influence the decision to drink it. The bottled water industry has exploited this mistrust, marketing their products as safer alternatives despite being subject to less stringent regulations than public water systems. Additionally, the literature revealed considerable public uncertainty regarding the safety of community water fluoridation. However, messaging that emphasizes the oral health benefits of tap water, such as cavity prevention, has been shown to increase support for water fluoridation.
The primary purpose of this campaign was to develop a program to promote increased tap water consumption among Maryland residents, highlighting the safety, benefits and value of tap water consumption, significant among them being the oral health benefits of community water fluoridation. By encouraging Marylanders to drink more tap water, we aim to improve oral health outcomes, particularly in communities with historically higher rates of dental disease and lower trust in public water systems.
Product – Tap water and the oral health benefit of reducing cavities
Price – Free or low-cost for items such as filter and reusable water bottles
Place – In homes and public places that provide filling stations
Promotion – Multi-faceted communications program; message targeted to audience
Publics – Marylanders who distrust tap water and who drink bottled water.
Partners – Critical for addressing trust issues and will include other state agencies, water utilities, dental health professionals, public health professionals and organizations, community organizations, and higher education institutions (HEIs)
Policy – Propose installing new water dispensing and bottle refilling stations in schools, parks, office buildings, and other public spaces; and, where feasible, ban governmental purchases of bottled water and its sale on public property.
Young adults aged 18-29 is the primary audience for this campaign because they constitute the largest segment of the market that; (1,) does not consume tap water, (2.) thinks tap water is not safe to consume, and (3.) prefers to drink bottled water. These attitudes and actions present a substantial opportunity for behavior change. This age group has a significant presence on social media platforms and is profoundly influenced by online trends, making them ideal targets for digital marketing efforts. They are also at a pivotal stage in life where they are forming long-term habits, including their preferences for tap or bottled water. By shifting their consumption habits towards tap water, the campaign can promote the safety benefits and value of tap water, by highlighting the oral health benefits, safety standards and environmental sustainability of choosing to drink tap water. Leveraging a broad young adult audience influence can create a ripple effect, promoting tap water consumption among their peers, their families and the broader community, thereby maximizing the reach and impact of the campaign.
Priority Audiences(s)
Primary audience: young adults ages 18 – 29
Secondary audience: Latino/Hispanic and African Americans in our program area
Our pre-campaign development survey showed young people, adults aged 18 – 29, drink tap water the least and drink bottled water the most. Our research also showed that Latino/Hispanic and African American were the lowest consumers of tap water in our program area.
Moreover, the primary audience of young adults cuts across race and includes audience segments of African Americans and Latinos, allowing the campaign to address the unique needs and concerns of multiple young adult audiences concurrently.
Behavioral Objectives
- Primary Goal: Encourage behavioral change so that Marylanders who are not currently drinking tap water start to drink it (or drink more of it).
- Develop and launch a comprehensive social marketing campaign that educates the public about the safety, benefits and value of tap water consumption.
- Create informational content and materials that educate the target audience about the safety, benefits and value of tap water consumption.
- Implement initiatives to reduce perceived barriers to drinking tap water, such as educating that Maryland tap water meets or exceeds all federal safety standards and installing water dispensing systems in public spaces and promoting the use of home water filters.
- Partner with local businesses and community organizations to provide incentives for tap water consumption, such as discounts for bringing reusable water bottles or installing water refill stations.
- Increase tap water consumption among Maryland residents as measured by follow-up surveys.
- Secondary goal supported the primary goal: Increase awareness of, and conversations about, the importance of drinking fluoridated water to prevent dental caries, the disease that causes cavities.
- Create educational content and materials that educate the target audience about the safety, benefits and value of fluoride in tap water to prevent cavities.
- Partner with local influencers, healthcare providers, and community leaders to disseminate key messages about fluoride in tap water to prevent cavities through social media, public events, and local media outlets.
- Distribute informational materials to partners about drinking fluoridated water to prevent cavities across Maryland, targeting schools, dental offices, and public health clinics.
Description of Strategy/Intervention
Our survey suggested a three-pronged strategy for increasing tap water consumption in Maryland.
• Educate and reassure the public about tap water safety through frequent communication and health expert endorsements
• Informing residents of the benefits of tap water consumption
• Providing solutions beyond safety such as the use of filters for ensuring safety, more tap water access in public areas and improved water quality/taste
Messaging
We tested several messaging directions to identify what encourages tap water consumption. The most motivating message for both Black/African-American and Latino audiences emphasized that Maryland’s water quality requirements meet all federal standards, including testing for harmful contaminants like lead, E. coli, and others.
Our survey also found that younger residents are more likely to believe bottled water is better regulated. Therefore, messaging that emphasizes rigorous safety standards for tap water while highlighting the lack of regulation for bottled water is likely to be effective.
Most respondents were aware that local utilities add fluoride to public tap water, but awareness was lower among priority audiences—particularly around fluoride’s role in preventing cavities. Some also expressed concerns about its safety. Based on these findings, the following messages could be impactful:
- Drinking fluoridated tap water prevents cavities.
- Drinking fluoridated tap water is safe.
Bottled water is marketed by for-profit companies that benefit from public distrust in tap water and often target Black and Latino communities with heavy advertising. In contrast, public utilities have far fewer resources for outreach. As a result, counter-marketing—fact-based messaging that debunks bottled water myths—is part of our strategic approach.
Key Messages address:
- Perceived Benefits: “Drinking tap water is convenient, easy, can save you money and protect your teeth from cavities.”
- Perceived Barriers: “Tap water in Maryland meets or exceeds all safety standards and is regularly tested for contaminants.”
- Perceived Susceptibility: “Skipping tap water means missing out on fluoride’s protective benefits against cavities.”
- Perceived Severity: “Not protecting your teeth can lead to cavities, pain, costly dental treatments and other health problems.”
- Self-Efficacy: “You can improve your tap water’s taste and safety with affordable home filters.”
- Cues to Action: “Start drinking tap water today – it’s safe, healthy, and good for your teeth.”
Communication Strategies
- Skill Building: Provide resources on how to choose, use, and maintain water filters.
- Behavior Modeling: Feature confident young people, community leaders, and influencers enjoying tap water. Show reusable bottles stored in fridges, and common home filter use.
- Positive Reinforcement: Share testimonials from individuals and families who have switched to tap water and gained health, taste, and cost benefits.
Stakeholders
Involving a diverse set of stakeholders was a strategic decision grounded in both trust and reach. Our survey showed that Maryland residents place the greatest trust in public health agencies for information about tap water safety. By anchoring the campaign with the Maryland Department of Health, we ensure all public-facing messages are backed by a credible and authoritative voice. Additional stakeholders—such as the Maryland Department of the Environment, local water utilities, dental professionals, academic institutions, and filter manufacturers—were selected to expand the campaign’s reach into different aspects of daily life. Each plays a unique role in reinforcing the safety, health benefits, and affordability of tap water through channels that are both accessible and trusted.
The strategy also allows for message reinforcement across varied environments. Dental professionals can speak to fluoride’s benefits during checkups, while colleges can increase tap water access and normalize its use among young adults. Water utilities can offer transparency through simplified water quality data, and retailers can highlight affordable filtering options. These partnerships broaden message delivery and create collective investment in Maryland’s public water system—positioning tap water as a community-supported, evidence-backed, and environmentally smart choice.
Key stakeholders who can amplify and extend campaign messages included:
Maryland Department of Health: Lead the campaign and provide a trusted voice.
Maryland Department of the Environment: Partner with water utilities to create simplified water quality dashboards; test bottled water and share findings; promote investments in water infrastructure.
Water Utilities: Communicate frequently about system upgrades, testing protocols, and the people and science behind tap water safety; provide simple, visual water quality reports.
Dentists and Dental Hygienists: Reinforce the oral health benefits and safety of fluoridated tap water with patients.
Higher Education Institutions: to spread the message by encouraging the use of reusable water bottles and increasing access to tap water in public spaces.
Water Filter Manufacturers & Retailers: Highlight filter use as a practical step for addressing taste or safety concerns and support messaging around sustainability and eco-conscious choices.
Implementation
Implementation for this program included research, strategic planning, and campaign brand development—laying the foundation for a behavior change effort rooted in audience insight, message clarity, and creative resonance. The goal for the implementation plan was: to elevate Maryland’s tap water as a safe, smart, and community-backed choice, while addressing the barriers that lead many residents to choose bottled water instead.
Central to the campaign’s strategic development was a robust behavioral insights framework. Research underscored that educational attainment plays a significant role in shaping perceptions about water safety and consumption. Data from our survey confirmed that Marylanders with lower education levels are less likely to trust tap water or support community water fluoridation, whereas those with higher education are more aware of the health and environmental benefits of drinking tap. Recognizing these differences, the team designed a tiered messaging approach to resonate across the education spectrum.
For audiences with higher educational attainment, messaging focused on scientific credibility and environmental stewardship. Infographics, data visualizations, and evidence-based language were prioritized to reinforce informed decision-making. For those with moderate educational attainment, messaging highlighted practical advantages—such as tap water’s adherence to federal safety standards, its role in cavity prevention, and its convenience and cost savings. Visual storytelling and simplified scientific language were key here, delivered through accessible channels like social media, community news, and short videos.
For audiences with lower educational attainment, messaging emphasized clear, relatable benefits using plain language and culturally resonant visuals. Across all levels, tailored messaging aimed to close knowledge gaps while honoring the concerns and values of each group.
Norms and social influence also informed strategy. Since behavior modeling plays a powerful role in shaping water habits, future campaign tactics will leverage peer voices and everyday scenarios to make tap water consumption feel normal, aspirational, and community-supported.
Emotional drivers—both positive and negative—were also mapped out and addressed in the brand strategy. Many Maryland residents have an underlying fear of contaminants or a lingering distrust of government systems. Others are motivated by financial savings, environmental values, or a desire to live healthier lives. The creative direction aimed to meet these emotional moments with a mix of reassurance and empowerment, showing that choosing tap is not only safe and sensible—it’s also a small but meaningful way to take control of your health and contribute to a healthier planet.
Environmental Context – Understanding environmental factors was essential, including access to clean tap water, societal attitudes towards tap versus bottled water, and the regulatory framework governing water safety. This implementation plan included promoting water filtration options in homes and encouraging partners to provide more water filling stations in public places.
The campaign’s flagship brand concept, “The Breakup,” was selected to communicate these messages with humor and cultural relevance. Drawing on the familiar format of a breakup text message, the creative series turned bottled water into the ex that wasn’t worth it—unreliable, expensive, wasteful, and not to be trusted. Lines like “It’s not me, it’s you” and “I deserve better” helped position tap water as the healthier, more trustworthy partner.
The series included:
- It’s not me, it’s you.
- It’s over between us.
- I can’t trust you anymore.
- I deserve better.
- I’ve met someone else.
- Sorry, bottled water. This relationship is over!
Reinforcing copy drove home the message:
Break up with your bottled water. Choose tap water, which is tested for purity more often than bottled water and held to the highest safety standards. With no plastic waste, tap water is better for the planet and your wallet.
Drink Smart. Drink Tap.
1. Content Themes
- Safety: Addressing safety issues builds trust. Highlighting rigorous safety standards for Maryland’s tap water and addressing common misconceptions.
- Benefits:
- Health Benefits – Emphasizing the role of fluoridated tap water in preventing dental caries and promoting overall oral health.
- Environmental Benefits – Advocating for the environmental benefits of reducing plastic waste through increased tap water consumption.
- Value: Comparing the low cost of tap water to the high cost of bottled water and dental treatments.
Communications materials included:
Ads
Videos
Water utility toolkit
Direct mail
Brochures
Table tents for dental offices
Infographics
Tip Sheets
Water bottle stickers
Together, these materials reflect a cohesive, audience-informed campaign built to shift perceptions, spark conversation, and lay the groundwork for long-term behavior change. With a strong brand identity and messaging platform in place, the campaign is ready for the next phase of implementation and amplification.
Evaluation Methods and Results
While the campaign has not yet launched, evaluation was a core pillar of the program’s development. From the outset, we prioritized rigorous measurement design to ensure our communications would be both impactful and accountable. Our evaluation plan is fully integrated with the campaign strategy and shaped by the insights gathered during an extensive pre-campaign research phase.
The program’s overarching goal is to shift deeply held beliefs and behaviors around bottled versus tap water consumption—specifically among young adults, and within Latino and African American communities in Maryland. Achieving that shift requires more than messaging; it requires a credible, research-informed evaluation framework to measure progress, optimize execution, and demonstrate return on investment.
Evaluation Planning Objectives:
- Establish baseline measures of current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KABs) related to tap water.
- Identify key motivators and barriers to behavior change for target audiences.
- Design actionable metrics that align with campaign objectives and can be tracked over time.
- Prepare tools and partnerships needed for post-campaign measurement and attribution.
Evaluation Tactics in Place:
- Pre-Post Survey Design: A statewide survey was conducted prior to campaign development to establish audience benchmarks and segmentation. The same survey instrument will be used post-campaign to measure shifts in awareness, attitudes toward water safety and fluoride, and self-reported tap water consumption behaviors.
- Digital and Community Engagement Metrics: Digital assets (videos, infographics, direct mail, toolkits) were developed with embedded tracking tools. Metrics will include video views, click-through rates, social media engagement, and downloads or distribution of toolkits and materials.
- Partner Activation: Stakeholder engagement will be tracked to assess reach and participation. Metrics include the number of water utilities and public health partners who actively share messages, co-brand materials, or host campaign elements locally.
- Access and Infrastructure Improvements: Changes in public access to tap water—such as new filling stations installed in public areas or filter rebates redeemed—will be tracked in collaboration with public agencies and retail partners.
- Media Monitoring and Message Penetration: Campaign messages will be assessed through both earned and paid media tracking. This includes measuring the frequency, reach, and resonance of key messages in target media markets and social platforms frequented by the primary audience.
Future-Proofing for Evaluation: Although implementation and outcome data are not yet available, we designed this program with best-in-class evaluation standards from the outset. The campaign’s logic model aligns every tactic with a measurable behavioral objective.
Anticipated Outcomes: We expect to see measurable improvements in:
- Awareness that tap water is subject to higher safety standards than bottled water.
- Positive attitudes toward tap water and fluoride use.
- Reported behaviors such as switching from bottled to tap, use of filters, or increased consumption of tap water in daily routines.
By designing our evaluation approach before campaign launch, we’ve laid a strong foundation for transparency, learning, and future success—hallmarks of successful programs in social marketing.
Entry Letter: X