Page 26 - Sphere No.9 (Sep 2003)

C O V E R S T O R Y
To celebrate its centenary, the work of well-known local artists is being featured on theWatsons Water bottle labels throughout 2003.
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market share rise further in a highly competitive market.
“Most of the things we do tend to be in response to con-
sumer demand,” says Cheung. “We do a lot of research all the
time with consumers in many different aspects, whether it’s the
water, the dispenser or the type of service they want. That
research gives us good guidance as to where we should be
developing in the future.”
The company also publishes guides to provide water infor-
mation to the public.
RAISING A GLASS
The centennial year is of course something special to celebrate.
Very few companies or brands can claim such a distinction and
Watsons Water is the only water brand in Hong Kong to
achieve “Superbrand” status. (It recently won “platinum” for
the fifth consecutive year in the “Reader’s Digest SuperBrands
Awards” based on reader surveys.)
Besides celebrations such as a high profile centennial lun-
cheon and a parade in the shopping and tourist sector of
Tsimshatsui, the occasion is being marked by the “Year of
Hong Kong Creativity” during which a new limited edition
label by avant-garde local artists is introduced every month.
Each incorporates a letter of the alphabet; collect them all and
you spell out the brand name.
As for the future, the potential is obvious. While it is
easy to take the availability of pure water for granted, it
is worth bearing in mind that, according to the United
Nations, about 1.1 billion people around the world still lack
access to adequate drinking water.
As growing populations put more pressure on limited
water resources, the need for clean, healthy and affordable
drinking water will continue to rise.
“Whenever you want to look to the future, just look at his-
tory,” says Cheung.
With Watsons Water already a familiar and popular brand
across Asia, the company is focusing attention on the vast
Mainland market. Fast-rising incomes, a growing middle class
and an increasing awareness of health matters in the major
cities have led to the opening of water plants in Beijing,
Shanghai and Guangzhou with sales offices in Shenzhen and
Dongguan in the Pearl River Delta.
“We are in the process of completely relaunching Watsons
Water in China this year,” says Cheung. “We are currently
introducing the new consumer pack bottles. That’s going to
help us stand out in the market.”
It is ironic, perhaps, that A. S.Watson & Co, the tiny compa-
ny that moved out of Canton at the founding of Hong Kong and
has become a retail giant in its own right, is returning in force to
Mainland China where the story began all those years ago.
As far as its subsidiary,Watsons Water, is concerned, Ricky
Cheung has no doubt the next 100 years will be as successful
as the last.“Carbonated soft drinks are tending to be in decline.
All the big soft drinks players are getting into hot water,” he
says.“Bottled water is the fastest growing non-alcoholic bever-
age market virtually everywhere in the world.”
We’ll drink to that.