The UNICEF Tap Project is an annual awareness and fundraising campaign launched in 2007 to highlight the global water crisis and support UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs.
It encourages donations for the tap water people often take for granted, having raised nearly $2.5 million by providing clean water access in countries like Haiti, Iraq, and Vietnam. The “Dirty Water” vending machine was a standout guerrilla marketing stunt within this project, designed to shock passersby into action by literally selling contaminated water.
How the “Dirty Water” Vending Machine Worked
- The Concept: Created by ad agency Casanova Pendrill (now part of McCann) with a $0 budget, the machine repurposed a broken-down vending unit into a stark symbol of the crisis. For $1 (via cash, text “TAP” to 864233, or online), users “bought” a bottle of murky, brown water laced with visible particles—safe but unpalatable—to mimic what 1 billion people drink daily.
- The “Flavors”: Eight buttons labeled deadly waterborne diseases common in developing regions, turning a routine purchase into a gut-punch:
- Malaria
- Cholera
- Typhoid
- Dengue
- Hepatitis
- Dysentery
- Salmonella
- Yellow Fever
- Messaging: The machine blared facts like “4,200 children die daily from water-related diseases” and “Thirsty? So are millions around the world with no access to clean water. Just $1 provides 40 days of safe water for a child.” Bottles included donation receipts and UNICEF info.
- The Impact: Nobody drank the water (as footage shows shocked reactions), but it sparked viral media coverage (e.g., NYT, Inhabitat) and boosted donations beyond expectations. It humanized stats: Imagine choosing between “hepatitis” or “dysentery” for your kid.
Unsurprisingly, while many people chose to pass on the contaminated water, they did choose to donate money to the Tap Project fund, either by putting money directly into the vending machine, or by text donations.
This eye-opening Dirty Water initiative from Casanova Pendrill New York, went beyond the usual collection strategies for Unicef with this unique street activation, that shocked the local public who encountered the event.