Another fantastic team effort, thank you.
Client feedback,
Southern Water
Background
Southern Water serves over 2.6 million customers in the water-stressed South East region. Faced with increasing environmental challenges from climate change and population growth, Southern Water recognised the urgent need to reduce water consumption. The ‘Make one change’ campaign aimed to address this issue by promoting small, everyday actions that conserve water. The goal was to lower the average daily water consumption from 127 litres to 100 litres per person by 2045, targeting both awareness and long-term behavioural shifts.
Strategy
We worked with Southern Water to design and implement the ‘Make One Change’ campaign, focusing on 775,000 households across four key water supply zones identified for high water consumption. The strategy involved understanding customer personas, such as ‘Time Poor and Receptive’ and ‘Conscientious and Concerned’, to deliver targeted messaging and media placements that would resonate with each group.
Our approach was grounded in extensive research, including surveys and focus groups, to gain insights into customer attitudes and behaviours.
Our visual identity was designed to be friendly and approachable, avoiding guilt or pressure, and positioning Southern Water as a supportive partner in the journey toward sustainable water use.
We deployed a multi-channel approach to maximise reach and engagement. Traditional media, including TV, radio, and out-of-home ads, provided widespread visibility, while digital platforms such as YouTube, Meta, and programmatic advertising offered targeted outreach.
To enhance effectiveness, the campaign was adaptive, using real-time weather data to optimise visibility during hot periods when water conservation was critical. The campaign’s approachable tone, combined with relatable live-action films, demonstrated the practical benefits of water-saving habits.
The narrative centred on the concept of collective action, reinforcing that small changes by individuals could lead to significant community benefits. This theme was consistently integrated throughout the campaign, creating a cohesive and motivating message.
The
results.
To date, the campaign has successfully increased awareness and drove water-saving actions, significantly impacting both public understanding and customer behaviour.
- Over 37 million impressions across media channels, ensuring widespread visibility.
- 6.9 million video views on TV, VOD, YouTube, and Meta, demonstrating strong audience engagement with campaign messaging.
- 21k website landing page sessions (13.6k first time users) with an average session duration of 1.12mins and engagement rate of 86%.
- Prompted campaign recall increased on the previous year +8%, highlighting its impact on public understanding of water scarcity.
- 69% of surveyed participants reported taking action in response to the campaign, indicating effective adoption of water-saving practices.
- +13% rise in customer satisfaction among participants, reflecting improved perception of Southern Water’s sustainability efforts.
+37M
Impressions across social media.
21,000
Website landing page impressions.
