The Challenge
When Hydro Flask approached us in 2016, reusable bottles were only just edging into the mainstream. S’well was enjoying its peak fashion moment, Nalgene was the default plastic option, and a wave of premium stainless-steel bottles was beginning to appear. Hydro Flask wanted to break into the UK market, earn space in outdoor retailers, and become the bottle of choice for people who lived and played outside.
The Strategy
Having launched Osprey Packs in the UK, we knew that strategic seeding would be one of our most effective tools. Hydro Flask had a major advantage over the plastic bottles of the time: its double‑wall insulation kept cold drinks cold (and hot drinks hot) for hours.
We built a targeted media relations campaign centred around demonstrating that insulation power. We filled bottles with ice, sent them via next‑day delivery to key London journalists, and waited. The impact was immediate. National outlets ran stories about the “bottle that kept ice frozen in the post,” turning technical performance into a cultural talking point.
The Result
The campaign quickly moved Hydro Flask from unknown to in‑demand. One shop assistant even overheard a customer pointing to the display and saying, “That’s the flask the Telegraph wrote about, the one that kept ice frozen in the post.” Momentum from that early buzz led to major retailer listings and helped cement Hydro Flask as the premium insulated bottle to own.
Today, UK campaigns focus on community, events, and inventive seeding — the brand’s DNA from the very beginning. We remain the only original members from Hydro Flask’s first UK launch team.
