Cynthia Schmear PCM 320 Is recycling plastic bottles truly something that can help save our environment or is it just a way for a corporation to profit from launching a media campaign?

DESCRIPTION * BRITA campaign: It’s an easy way to help your community and the world * Corporate campaign to promote use of filters in place of plastic drinking bottles * Media used is internet along with print ads, radio and television. * In spite of having easy access to clean water, the United States is a huge consumer of bottled water. In 2008, the U.S. used enough plastic water bottles to stretch around the earth more than 190 times*. *

* ANALYSIS * Persuasive Advertising * Association Principle: 1 Brita water filter can replace up to 300 water bottles. It is both cost effective and saves the environment. “People in the United States purchase nearly nine billion gallons of bottled water a year spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a product that is virtually identical to that which freely flows from their taps.” (Lewis, 2010)

* INTERPRETATION * Personal perspective is that the continual consumption of bottled drinking water is expensive and harms our environment. * Brita does profit from promoting the use of their filters instead of purchasing bottled drinking water. * The plastic industry profits from selling bottled drinking water. * If tap water is safe, use it. If you feel tap water is not safe then use a filter.

* Truthful * Authentic * Respect * Equity * Socially responsible

ENGAGEMENT * Reduce Bottled Water Waste. Do a World of Good. * Recycle your Brita filters. Instructions are part of the campaign. * The Filter For Good campaign raises awareness of simple changes everyone can make to live eco-friendly lives. Help us improve the environment one bottle at a time by staying hydrated with filtered water and a reusable bottle instead of disposable bottled water.

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