WaterAid has launched a vibrant new Christmas campaign, celebrating how everything we love about the festive season – from turkey to trees – starts with clean water.
Breaking from the tradition of more sombre charity adverts, the international development charity has teamed up with creative agency, Special, and production company, Blinkink UK, to create Ode to water – a joyful reminder of the vital, though often overlooked, importance of clean water in our day-to-day lives and during the festive season.
Directed by former artist in residence at Alexander McQueen’s Sarabande Foundation, Isabel Garrett, and Gareth Bowen and starring the voiceover talents of Scottish actor, Mark Bonnar, the film combines striking visuals from artists, directors and illustrators with humorous narration, to deliver a serious message.
The tongue-in-cheek tone is underpinned by a serious message – across the world, one person dies every 30 seconds because of diseases caused by drinking unsafe water. Today, nearly one in ten people globally still live without access to clean water close to home, making them vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change, disease and poverty. Ode to water invites viewers to help WaterAid tackle the water crisis by donating £2 a month.
The advert is part of WaterAid’s winter appeal, Everything starts with water, which aims to raise up to £1.8 million during its run from November until the end of January.
Nick Miller, Mass Engagement Director at WaterAid, said:
“We’re living through challenging times, both here in the UK and around the world. This Christmas, we wanted our campaign to offer a fresh perspective – a reminder that while most of us rarely think about water, it’s the unsung hero in everything we do, including Christmas. From the food we enjoy together to the trees in living rooms across the nation – everything starts with water. Yet for nearly 700 million people, access to clean water remains a daily struggle. Ode to water is a celebration of this vital resource and a call to action – together we can make real change in people’s lives.”
David Day, Chief Creative Officer at Special, said:
“We built on WaterAid’s inspiring ‘Change Starts with Water’ platform by expanding the idea into the celebration of water’s wonder that is the “Everything Starts with Water” campaign. The campaign connects the everyday things we love to the often-overlooked resource that makes them possible, helping the impact of water on everyday life hit closer to home. By understanding how entertainment influences memorability, we moved away from traditional charity tropes, embracing a more relatable and engaging tone to deliver this important message in a way that leaves a lasting impression.”
Money raised during the appeal will provide life-saving clean water to communities around the world, including those living in Taranty Bas and Ankilimiary in Madagascar’s deep south, currently in the grips of a long-term drought made worse by climate change*. Nearly half of people living in Madagascar (nine in 20) live without access to clean water close to home. Without this vital resource, families here are left vulnerable to the impacts of drought and disease. Women and girls miss out on work and school as they must walk long distances in search of drinking water, often from contaminated sources like riverbeds.
Everything starts with water. Babies are born healthier. Children grow up stronger. Women and girls spend less time collecting water and more time in work or school. Whole communities thrive.