UNICEF: Tapping the Power of Water

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And inspiration struck one night when he received the typical complimentary glass of tap water at a restaurant. "I remember thinking, we have to make people aware of the luxury we have and help others who don't have it," Droga recalls.

Tap water, Droga explains, is a "brand that no one owns" and is available in many metropolitan cities around the world. Plus, since the campaign rests on people making donations for their tap water, there are no costs for packing, bottling, and shipping the water. Marketing tap water is "a sustainable idea—that's why I like it so much," says Droga.

Flush with Partners

In November, Droga5 took the idea to UNICEF, which quickly agreed to adopt it as its next campaign. Esquire featured the Tap Project in its December, 2006, "Best & Brightest" issue, and is co-sponsoring a launch party along with Donna Karan's DKNY on Mar. 21 at the Hearst building in midtown New York.

Much of Droga5's 36-member staff has worked on the campaign pro bono. One of the ads the agency created features a clear wine-shaped bottle of water with a simple blue "NY Tap" label with the message: "Now with Added Karma." Another ad features a few glasses of water with labels of other cities expected to participate in coming years, and the message: "What if every glass of water you drank quenched someone else's thirst?"

The New York Times has donated a full-page ad that will appear on Mar. 21. Billboard advertiser Van Wagner has given ad space for NY Tap posters on 1,000 phone booths around the city. Reuters has agreed to give Tap a free monster screen in Times Square on Mar. 21-22, and Microsoft (MSFT) has offered Tap a link on its MSN site, says Droga5 CEO Andrew Essex. The agency is also producing a viral film for Tap Project. (Droga5's first video that spread like wildfire online last year was Air Force One for graffiti artist and entrepreneur Marc Ecko.)

Ready to Travel

UNICEF recruited top New York chefs and is funding the campaign's promotion and marketing, along with the cost of creating tool kits for restaurants and a database to track donations. Restaurant owners were lured by both the simplicity of the idea—asking patrons to donate $1 for tap water that's taken for granted—and the ease of implementing the program. And they didn't seem concerned about giving up profits from selling bottled water for a day.

"It's such a great opportunity," says Scott Conant, chef and owner of Alto and L'Impero. "It's not often you can make an impact like this with so little effort."

Indeed, the apparent ease of implementing Tap could help the campaign grow beyond just New York. The Ad Council's Conlon thinks New York is a smart test market, and Miller expects that the launch will help them refine best practices for other cities to follow. UNICEF has devised a simple transaction process for restaurants that won't disrupt their business, has automated the sign-up process for restaurants, and is building a database to track it, Miller says. And it will provide advertising and promotional materials that can be easily replicated in large and small markets, Miller explains.

A Moment's Reflection

Besides the challenge of expanding the campaign, UNICEF also faces competition from other charities fighting for consumers' dollars and their successful fundraising methods, especially the "paper icons" placed at checkout counters of grocery stores. Still, Miller thinks people will respond to the simple idea of giving $1 for a glass of tap water, and that it's unique enough to give the campaign "a competitive edge."

"We're giving people at least a moment to think about a global issue—providing clean and accessible drinking water to children in need," Miller says. "It's a non-threatening way that corresponds with their everyday life."

Says chef and owner Tom Colicchio, who expects to raise $450 from Craft and two other participating restaurants: "Hopefully we raise money—and more importantly we raise awareness."

McCormack is senior producer for BusinessWeek.com's Investing channel .