For over 150 years, Saratoga Spring Water has stood as an icon of quality and craftsmanship. And while our water is crystal clear, nothing embodies these attributes in such a striking way as our blue bottle. So to cement these qualities in the public eye and deepen our brand’s visual identity and cultural relevance, we looked to do something no other bottled water brand had done before: bring our signature color to life.
Officially naming our color would strategically reinforce brand recognition, drive awareness, and elevate Saratoga’s presence in luxury spaces. It would also embed a striking visual into our brand identity as a true signature, establishing an unmistakable brand asset we could use consistently. We would be able to use it as we visually immersed audiences in the artistry of water through stunning, high-impact photography. The imagery would become more than product photography, using the signature color to exude the same timeless style that defines our brand. It would help every shot feel premium, evocative, and worthy of Saratoga’s status.
To bring this vision to life, we set out to create a campaign where every frame would be as instantly recognizable as Saratoga Signature Blue and create a visual signature as iconic as the water itself.
Our first step was to form a partnership with Pantone and officially name our color: Saratoga Signature Blue. But showcasing our color meant more than just naming it—it meant building a world around it. Our challenge was to create a visual identity so distinct, it would be instantly recognizable as Saratoga, even without a logo.
To accomplish this, we designed a social campaign that color drenched audiences in Saratoga Signature Blue, elevating it from a packaging detail to a cultural statement. This involved leaning into the trend of color drenching, as every element of our photography was carefully soaked in Saratoga Signature Blue, including backdrops, lighting, props, and even styling choices, all reinforcing the story of our signature hue. We also took inspiration from luxury lifestyle campaigns and used a still-life approach to elevate our water brand to the level of other premium icons. The lighting emphasized the depth, texture, and vibrance of the glass bottle, while strategic reflections created a sense of movement and fluidity.
But maintaining color consistency presented a significant challenge. We wanted our photos to be as monochromatic as possible, which required working closely across all aspects of production to ensure that every asset reflected the true Saratoga Signature Blue.
But monochromatism can also lead to things feeling one-note, repetitive, and flat. Our solution was thoughtful layering—balancing deep shadows, reflective metallic highlights, and contrasting materials to create depth, intrigue, and a sense of movement within every shot.
While this was a familiar move for luxury brands like Tiffany and Ferrari, no bottled water brand had attempted this before. Saratoga’s approach to partnering with Pantone was not just a branding exercise, it was a strategic play in elevating the role of water in culture, lifestyle, and design, giving a legacy brand a modern visual signature, ensuring that every time someone sees our signature color, they don’t just see blue—they see Saratoga.
Our goal was to make Saratoga Signature Blue an unmistakable brand asset, elevating Saratoga’s visibility and reinforcing its position as a luxury brand. And the campaign delivered, generating a staggering 900 million earned media impressions. We proved that our visual storytelling was truly compelling, as our strategic partnership with Pantone resonated far beyond the beverage category, as social engagement outpaced other notable brand collaborations, including 129% higher than Motorola, 342% higher than CLO, and 398% higher than Ultrafabrics.
With a reach of over 5.6 million, we successfully expanded our audience, prioritizing brand awareness and long-term engagement. Our total engagements hit 67,705, reinforcing strong consumer interest.
Beyond social, our website saw a 54% engagement rate, proving that the campaign didn’t just attract attention, it drove meaningful interactions with the brand.
Most importantly, in transforming Saratoga Signature Blue into an iconic, recognizable asset, we cemented Saratoga’s presence in the luxury space with a cultural moment that was impossible to ignore.
