Asking teens to change anything they do? That is quite a task. M+C Saatchi Group UK has risen to the challenge of getting 13 to 19-year-olds to rethink how much water they use when brushing their teeth by giving a simple water-saving behaviour a name, Wild Brushing, and turning it into a youth culture movement designed for festivals.

The campaign, for water supply company, Severn Trent, uses creator content and social media to encourage more sustainable water consumption habits early and position Severn Trent as a modern, purpose-driven company engaging younger audiences. With climate change increasing pressure on water resources across the Midlands and beyond, Severn Trent believes the habits people form early are the ones that stick for life. Wild Brushing is designed to make water-conscious behaviour feel instinctive, not instructive – so today’s teenagers grow into water-aware adults.

The heart of the campaign are Wild Brushing Kits, that show you don’t need running water to brush your teeth. Presented in a gorpcore-inspired metal tin – (gorpcore being the fashion trend of wearing practical, outdoor clothing as everyday street wear) – and designed to be seen and shared, not just used, each kit contains a sustainable toothbrush with three small vials of water, demonstrating that just 20ml is all you need to brush your teeth.

Guy Bradbury, chief creative officer at M+C Saatchi UK, commented, “Our idea began with a simple truth: you don’t need a running tap to brush your teeth. The real challenge wasn’t proving that – it was getting teenagers to care. So instead of sounding like a water company telling them what to do, we created something they’dgenuinely want to own: a festival-ready kit designed to be carried, shared, and shown off. Because when sustainability becomes part of their culture – not another lecture – the message has a chance to last and become second nature.”

Billie Gurr and Tom Lander, senior creatives at M+C Saatchi UK, added, “You’ve never felt more uncool than trying to figure out the inner workings of a 13 to 19-year-old. So, when Severn Trent asked us to get them to stop wasting water, we knew we had a real task on our hands. This audience is at the edge of culture and allergic to being told what to do. So instead, we made them something they’d actually use, with a punchy piece of language to help curb their behaviour. Wild Brushing is a gorpcore-inspired way to make water saving weirdly cool. We’re not just giving them a new way to do it, we’re giving them a reason to show it off.”

A limited run of 900 kits, designed to feel like a limited-edition streetwear drop, has been created to live naturally within youth culture, creator content and digital spaces. The campaign launched at Y Not Festival in Derbyshire, supported by influencer partnerships across Instagram and TikTok, encouraging young people to adopt “wild brushing” at festivals and campsites, using only the water they need rather than leaving the tap running

Campaign imagery was shot by lifestyle and fashion photographer Annie Feng and the physical kits feature distinctive brand colours developed to appeal to younger consumers and position them as the ultimate summer festival accessory.

Tamsin Morgan, head of communications at Severn Trent, stated, “Wild Brushing is built on a simple idea – you don’t need to leave the tap running while you brush your teeth. By making small changes today, a generation of young people can help save billions of litres of water and protect a resource we all rely on. As climate change puts increasing pressure on water supplies, we hope that young people across the Midlands will lead the way and show how everyday actions can create lasting change.”

Marcus Peffers, executive chair at M+C Saatchi Group UK, added, “Too often, sustainability campaigns assume the message alone will change behaviour. Cultural Power is about giving important messages a place in culture by connecting them to the stories, behaviours and references people already care about. Wild Brushing takes its cues from the world’s young people already want to be part of. By tapping into festival culture, creator content and the gorpcore aesthetic, Severn Trent has shown that environmental messages don’t have to feel worthy to be effective.”

Credits:

Client: Severn Trent
Head of Communications: Tamsin Morgan 
Brand & Campaign Lead: Jennifer Brookes
Communications Planning & Insights Lead: Daisy Powell 
Marketing & Campaign Manager: Harriet Simpson 
Digital & Social Media Manager: Emma Jarvis

Agency: M+C Saatchi
Chief Creative Officer: Guy Bradbury 
Creative Director: Richard Morgan
Senior Creatives: Billie Gurr & Tom Lander
Senior Account Director: Emma Lowrey
Producer: Matt O’Neill

Photographer: Annie Feng

Production Company: ROLO Productions
Media Agency: ROM
Business Director: Alex Brown
Comms Planning Senior Manager: Dionne McComish 
Account Director: William Challoner

Kit Producer: Dave Marrable @ The Hub London