On Thursday Michelle Obama visited our little ol’ town of Watertown, Wisconsin. That morning my daughter called to say she was able to get tickets to the event—did I want to go?
Of course!
Politics aside, I’m a big fan of the First Lady. I like her choice of initiatives and she’s a very classy lady. My daughter and I figured we’d be reliving high school gymnasium days in the remotest of bleacher seats, so imagine our delight when we found ourselves in real chairs, in the very front row. Yes, I actually did take these pictures!
Anyway, Michelle Obama, along with actress Eva Longoria and Lawrence Soler, the CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America, was here to kick off a new health initiative; the Drink Up campaign. It encourages people to drink more water for better health.
Perhaps they chose Watertown because of its name. Or maybe because we’re home to two major bottled water distributors, Wis-Pak and 7-up Bottling Company (also major soda distributors, coincidentally).
Most likely, it’s because in 2010 Watertown was recognized as having the best tasting water in the state.
Encouraging Americans to drink more water certainly has its challenges. It’s not the most exciting product, after all. And then there are those critics who, no matter what a First Lady does, will automatically disapprove. But Michelle Obama splashed water’s health benefits well (one of her many humorous puns) and reminded us that it doesn’t matter where you get it, from the tap, a water bottle, a water fountain—just drink more water.
It’s going to be interesting to see how this campaign takes off. There’s a great simplicity to it, from the purity of drinking water (it’s not even something you have to buy!) to the clean lines of the Drink Up logo and the brevity of the First Lady’s message.
Keep your eye out for the Drink Up brand. And, yes, drink more water!