“Thousands have lived without love, none without water,” wrote the poet WH Auden in 1949. Fast-forward to the present day and that water is increasingly consumed in a plastic bottle, with little love for the planet or thought for the environmental consequences.

According to research from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish. Annual consumption of plastic bottles is set to top half a trillion by 2021, far outstripping recycling efforts and jeopardising the environment.

Let’s be honest here, the marketing industry has a challenging relationship with bottled water. In the developed world, where safe drinking water is readily available, bottled water is often criticised for solving a problem that doesn’t exist, the ultimate in over consumption.

The Brooklyn Brothers identified that this is particularly a problem for travellers; 65% of travellers consume more bottled water when they are abroad. A nugget of insight which saw the agency transform a tourism brief into a campaign which reverberates far beyond the traditional realms of travel marketing.

The campaign comes at a pivotal time for the industry. Research from Canvas8 suggests that Generation Z is arguably the most environmentally engaged generation in history. They are actively looking for communities, lifestyle choices and digital tools to help them bridge the gap in reducing their environmental impact. It’s not just young people who are engaged. A study by Legal and General found that 92% of British consumers, regardless of age, say minimising their impact on the environment is important.

By seeking to challenge destructive consumer behaviour by creating the world's first "premium tap water" brand, The Brooklyn Brothers have effectively turned a tourism campaign into something more meaningful. This is an approach that not only delivers cut through with its target market, but underlines the role of the advertising industry as a force for progressive and positive change.