Thames Water enlists bloggers in water efficiency campaign

Thames Water has become one of the first utility companies to sponsor social media influencers to help spread the message of water efficiency.

The utility firm worked alongside more than 30 fitness, parenting and food bloggers to encourage their social media followers to use water more efficiently, from using nutrient-rich waste cooking water on house plants to teaching children to use collected rainwater to clean bikes.

The campaign also aimed to encourage homeowners to be mindful of population growth and potential water shortages in the future.

One of the bloggers who took part in the campaign – @daddy_to_triplet_girls – posted about how his family will share bathwater to save water.

While Thames Water worked with @lilandlife to develop content that would reflect her role as a responsible mum – cleaning mucky faces and fingers while encouraging her children to think about what happens to a wet wipe after use.

Influencers were also used to promote Thames Water’s Flourishing Future Garden at Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July.

The so-called ‘micro-influencers’, who have between 1,000 and one million social media followers, were invited on a tour of the garden, which was designed to withstand the challenges of climate change and won a gold award at the show.

They were also able to speak to designer Tony Woods and posted Instagram stories and tweets highlighting the garden and festival. All this was done for free in return for access to the event.

‘People respond well to individuals that they know, like and trust,’ said Thames Water’s marketing manager, Jo Charles.

‘We have seen positive engagement amongst these targeted audiences because we are able to offer tailored water sustainability advice, that will fit their lifestyles. We work with a range of different influencers from parenting, to food and fitness.

‘Thames Water is acting on the opportunities presented by social media to start more conversations around the potentially alarming water issues we could face in the future. Through doing this we can lead a change in attitude and action towards water efficiency and sustainability.’

An estimated extra 2.1 million people will move into the Thames Water region over the next 25 years and it is predicted that this, combined with climate change, will result in a shortfall of 350 million litres of water a day between the amount available and the amount needed by 2045 if no action is taken.

By 2100, this is predicted to increase to 650 million litres a day.