Are You Selling Emotional Support with Your Drinkware?

Since water bottles have long been a popular category, you certainly know the materials, recyclability and whether your drinkware is dishwasher safe. But can you claim emotional support as a competitive edge for your items? Promotional products suppliers have changed the shapes, taken BPAs out, and imprint areas and colors choices have become nearly overwhelming. It’s safe to say that drinkware is a category neither fad nor trend, it’s a staple of your sales kit. As you walk through your clients’ workplaces, you can rate your sales successes by how many desktops display YOUR beautifully imprinted water bottle. You don’t need to be a gym junkie to use a water bottle these days. When was the last time someone asked you if you’re staying hydrated?

The Mayo Clinic is watching out for you (even if your friends aren’t). Their research suggests men should consume approximately 15 1/2 cups of water per day, while women should aim for 11 1/2 cups as a target. Your body relies on water to survive, as it helps with everything from temperature regulation to joint lubrication.

So, what is the deal with this “emotional support” water bottle (ESWB, if you’re in the know)? The Sydney Morning Herald suggests that the ESWB rose to fame during COVID-19 thanks in part to TikTok. Christina Najjar, who began using a reusable water container and of course is a content creator, proclaimed that the move "changed her life." Since then, #emotionalsupportwaterbottle trended a few times on the other social channels, racking up some 64 million views on TikTok — and the rest is history.

Assuming you’re buying into this, by now you’re no doubt wondering what an emotional support water bottle is, how does it differ from the 99 water bottle SKUs you already sell and, most importantly, how you can convince your clients that they really need one.

Think back to the days you spent in lockdown. You, me, and everyone else — even those who had never experienced prolonged anxiety before — in many instances began to feel unsettled by the pandemic. Keong Yap, a clinical psychologist and hoarding expert, compares the emotional support water bottle to other types of soothing items. "They are objects that can't betray us," Yap told the Herald. "They are reliable and predictable, unlike people who can hurt us."

Water bottle manufacturer Frank Green has been riding the ongoing social media wave, with the trend driving their own business hashtag to 123.7 million views on TikTok. “That’s Kardashian territory,” says Frank Green founder and chief executive, Benjamin Young. In response to the trend, the company went big, releasing a two-liter version of their most popular reusable bottle last year with a built-in straw that has kept the clicks coming.

“The bottle has increased total sales for our business by 15 percent, without cannibalizing our other products,” Young says. “It’s the recommended amount of water a female should consume in a day. With the bottle, you don’t need an app to see how much water you have consumed. It’s right in front of you. They do weigh a lot at the beginning of the day when they’re full, but there’s that ‘I think I can, I think I can’ mentality, which makes you feel better the more that you drink.”

Looking for a way to drive a higher total invoice? The ESWB appears to have some upward elasticity. Frank Green’s ceramic 70 ounce bottles start at $69.95 in the U.S., while Prada offers a 600ml glass bottle for $305, and Dior sells insulated bottle holders, with strap, for $1,450. Being attached to objects goes way back in our society, perhaps even to our ancestors and tools they used to survive. Is it a stretch to apply that to an ESWB? The clinical psychologist Keong Yap says not.

“Most of the time those relationships are positive and secure, so we don’t obsess about losing the objects or having to have them with us at all times. That attachment becomes insecure when we feel anxiety about their loss and experience an overwhelming sense of grief.” This kind of grief is actually different than being upset about losing your investment in looking good. “I would probably be disappointed if I lost something that cost so much,” Yap says. “This is just related to money, and I’m sure many people can relate to those anxieties.”

So, are you ready to pitch your version of an ESWB? It seems to have enough hooks — emotional attachment, on trend, and even a little feeling of raw survival needs. Look at it this way, you can pitch reusable and sustainable, and besides, a branded accessory from a fancy handbag manufacturer isn’t all that healthy anyway.