The Best Ads for Sparkling Water

THIS WEEK’S FODDER
☀️ Good Morning

You’re reading Marketing Fodder, a newsletter dedicated to helping you improve your Facebook and Instagram ads.

Today, we are focusing on the Instagram ads of these companies:

1. LaCroix

2. Waterloo

3. BUBBL’R

4. Spindrift

What do they have in common? They all sell sparkling water! Let’s take a look at how these companies can improve their ad copy, and images.

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MAIN
Sparkling Water

How big is the market for sparkling water?

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for sparkling water was valued at 38.13 billion (USD) in 2023 and is projected to grow to 108.35 billion (USD) by 2032. That’s a projected compound annual growth rate of 12.37%.

The growth of the sparkling water market is attributed to a rising demand for healthier beverages and beverages that do not contain alcohol.

How I Analyze Facebook Ads

A great Facebook ad communicates the benefits of the product or service, not solely the features. Features are cool, but customers really care about what those features do for them (the benefit). So, ideally, a Facebook ad communicates how the features of a product or service create a result or transformation for the customer.

Alright, let’s see how these companies market their sparkling water on Instagram:

#1: LaCroix

The Good:

• Instagram ads tend to have less text than Facebook ads, and that makes sense given that it’s a more visually focused platform. This ad does a great job of being eye-catching and visually interesting, which is crucial for stopping someone from scrolling past.

The Bad:

• The phrase, “Luckily, I have purse” seems like an attempt at being light-hearted or funny, but it could be improved by saying something like, “Luckily I have a purse to carry my favorite flavors.”

The Recommendation:

• Revise and add to the Primary text to make it more compelling.

#2: Waterloo

The Good:

• This Instagram ad from Waterloo shows that the company understands it’s core audience and Instagram as a platform.

• The ad is very colorful, helping it stand out.

• The image is dynamic—the model’s hair is blowing sideways, fruit is falling, and sparkling water is exploding out of the can. All of these elements help catch the eye of a viewer and create interest in the product.

• The slogan, “Water Down Nothing,” is intriguing, and suggests that the product is full of flavor.

The Bad:

• The image may be a little chaotic. The water isn’t really the focus.

The Recommendation:

• Test images where the can of water is in the middle of the image.

#3: BUBBL’R

The Good:

• This Instagram ad uses more text compared to the previous ads and does so effectively.

• “Boost your day” is a great phrase and suggests that the customer will get the benefit of productivity or increased energy from this product.

• Highlighting that this product contains natural caffeine is smart because that differentiates it from other brands.

• The image checks off the main elements I like to see:

  1. models with smiling faces

  2. the product is in use 

  3. the setting looks natural

The Bad:

• Only having the brand name “BUBBL’R” below the URL is not an effective use of that space. This area should be used to convince a skeptical customer that needs an extra nudge.

The Recommendation:

• I recommend leaning into the social aspect of this product. Emphasizing friendship, or enjoying the moment, could help convey the benefit of buying this water for the customer. I would change the Primary text to align with that.

#4: Spindrift

The Good:

• The text of this ad sounds like the recipe for a cocktail, which may help drive interest.

• There’s no smiling people in this image, but the product is in use and the image does a great job of making it look refreshing and tasty.

The Bad:

• There’s no mention that the fruit juice comes from whole fruit, not from concentrate (I found that fact on their website). This would be a big selling point for some customers.

The Recommendation:

• I recommend mentioning that “real” fruit juice is added to this sparkling water.

• Using a bullet point list of the features and benefits that make this water unique could help drive engagement and interest.

Meme of the Week: