as pure as it gets

Product naming for Eska

It’s always easier doing product naming when your product has a genuine point of difference. This Canadian bottled water from Eaux Vives had a whopper: its super-natural origins. The water comes from the northern reaches of Quebec, where ice-age glaciers left behind a virginal aquifer, capped by a ridge of sand and gravel. The rare ridge formation—called an esker—acts as a natural filter, and the waters springing from it are exceptionally clean, cold and delicious. They’re also more delicate in flavor than mineral waters like Evian. And a pristine world apart from the glorified (read: processed) municipal tap waters on the market.

So what to name it? Our market research confirmed that bottled waters that sound European (or at least, non-American) have credibility and cachet. And this water came from St-Mathieu, Quebec—so there was a legitimate French connection. On the other hand, the bottled water market was already awash with French and Italian product names. A different sort of name could elevate it from the pack.

Brand name creation involved more than 1500 names, tons of research, and naming specialists from both our US and European teams. In the end, we arrived pretty much at the source. Eska. A poetic reminder of the water’s enviable pedigree. Two evocative syllables—one smooth, one crisp. And a distinctly Scandinavian flavor that hints of pristine snows and cool sophistication. It’s European, yes, but refreshingly different from French and Italian competitors. Skal!

Since its introduction, Eska has become the #3 bottled water brand in Quebec. Eaux Vives plans to expand into the rest of Canada—and a limited number of US markets—in spring 2008.