We needed “deep” straws’ impact to be mass-reaching, not restricted to those seeing them on the street, therefore we decided to launch the action on the Internet, as well as a PR campaign.

Intermón Oxfam based its Christmas campaign 2005 on importance of access to drinking water as a key element for development.

On 22nd March, International Day of Water, they wanted to make an action to generate talk and fund-raising, as an ending for Christmas campaign.

High notorietyMore than 55,000 visitors on first 2 daysFunds raised: 15% more than objectives

Only a concept conducted the action: “Would you drink this water?”. A concept allowing those impacted to know exactly what those thousands of people drinking contaminated water feel.

So we searched for an impressing way to reach general public, putting giant drinking straws on the streets, over drains of main Spanish cities where it was written: “Would you drink this water? Thousands of people have no other option”.

The key factor determining the action’s success has been channel integration: a combination of an alternative means giving proximity and notoriety (drain action) with a viral action on the Internet turning the action into mass-reaching, as well as a PR campaign providing visibility and credibility.