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Regional Water Authority Water Efficiency Program

“Drought Face” was a short-term social media campaign and sweepstakes that ultimately reached audiences well beyond the social scene. The goal was to raise awareness about actions people can take indoors to conserve water during the winter months.

 

The premise: Beards save water—about 5 gallons per shave. A Drought Face symbolizes all of the small actions people can take to conserve water that add up to big savings, like skipping a shave or two and taking shorter showers.

 

Residents entered the Drought Face sweepstakes simply by putting down the razor and growing a beard, then posting a photo of their stubble to the sweepstakes entry page. They could also enter by sharing stories and photos about the small actions they were taking to save water–like turning off the sprinklers for the winter or the faucet when brushing teeth. The sweepstakes prize: A chance to be featured on a digital billboard at Cal Expo and Business 80.

 

Drought Face and water-saving messages were promoted via Facebook and Google advertising, as well as media outreach. Results included significant media coverage and a robust online conversation about saving water.