Drought, floods and a scarcity of clean drinking water may seem a distant problem for some, but for half the world’s population, that’s 3.6 billion people, it is the daily reality. There is an unquestionable possibility that a water crisis might impact us earlier than expected. While many people are unaware of the long-term effects of a water crisis, the issue ultimately affects everyone. Therefore, Publicis Groupe Netherlands is opening a web shop, The Drop Store, allowing consumers to get a glimpse of how a water crisis will affect their daily lives. 

The Drop Store sells water and products that depend on water for exorbitant amounts of money – because that is what the world might come to.

“The Drop Store is a supermarket experience with a twist,” explained René van Hell, director inclusive green growth department Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “All available products are affected by major water challenges. The underlying message is to raise awareness that a sustainable water future can be achieved. But it requires a sea change in how we value, manage and use water.”

As with climate change, the impact of a water disaster is too remote or too quickly forgotten. People are simply unaware of the long-term effects a water crisis can have on their daily lives and consumption. If nothing is done, too much water, too little water and too dirty water can and will drastically change access to essential products, their form, availability, prices and even composition. The Drop Store mapped these products, think of soda, pizza pills, pure water, rice, and cheese.

To raise awareness of the global water issue, the UN Water Conference ’23 will take place from 22 to 24 March in New York, with the Netherlands as co-host. The conference brings together political leaders, various stakeholders, and key opinion leaders. During the conference, various meetings and dialogues will take place, on topics such as water and health, water and sustainable development, water and climate change, and water cooperation. Ultimately, the UN Water Conference should lead to changes in the local and global water agenda.

“To have such an important project and subject like this being led by an agency in the Netherlands, it brings me pride of our local talents and its creative power,” stated Eduardo Marques, chief creative officer, Publicis Groupe Netherlands and Belgium. “The Drop Store is made by our people, for the people around the whole planet. Our industry here has been showing more and more the capability of leading global projects and this is the proof that Amsterdam is a big hub for creativity in Europe and in the world.”

Water facts

• Water is existential: no life without water.
• Access to water and sanitation has been declared a human right.
• Water is the catalyst for sustainable development.
• Without clean water, diseases can spread more easily.
• Without clean water we have less food to feed the growing population.
• Without clean water girls can go to school less often.
• Water is of crucial importance: there is a shortage of water in more and more places, as witnessed by the droughts last year. At the same time, in some places there is too much water with flooding and tidal waves.
• A quarter of the world’s population – 2 billion people – uses unsafe sources of drinking water.
• Half of humanity – 3.6 billion people – lives without safely managed sanitation.
• More than 80% of wastewater ends up in the environment without being treated or reused.
• Nearly three-quarters of all recent disasters are water-related and have caused economic damage of nearly $700 billion over the past 20 years.
• Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate: water security can reverse this trajectory. About 35% of the world’s wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015, and the rate of loss has been accelerating annually since 2000, as they are among the world’s most economically valuable ecosystems and essential regulators of global climate.
• Two-thirds of our rivers are shared, all our aquifers are shared, working on water requires a community-wide approach, so working together across borders, silos, sectors, and scales.

Credits: 
Agency: Publicis Groupe Benelux
Client: Department Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands 

Digital Agency: Neverland
Consultancy: HUMИN
Design Company: PLANT
Audio: Massive Music
Product Design: Street Media Factory