Bubbles, bubbles again

Published: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 24:16

Last updated: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 24:21

Perrier: more than 150 years, and still crazy (VIDEO)

Perrier, French brand known worldwide, celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2013. The mineral water, whose saga started there 120 million years, remains a reference brand, thanks to a marketing strategy that allows it to remain constantly in fashion.

Perrier has always heal his advertising campaigns. © Superstock Sipa

These are still the numbers say it best. Perrier is nearly a billion bottles a year, output of the plant in Vergèze in the Gard (Nîmes is fifteen kilometers), where is located its source, where also activate a thousand employees. Perrier, it is also 50% of export sales. A planetary triumph demonstrates, for example, the fact that Andy Warhol agreed to customize the bottle in 1983.

On the occasion of 150 years of the brand, in 2013, the silkscreen of the American artist protean epitome of pop art, found themselves on the vintage of the year. Other fine editions had emerged, signed Dita von Teese or Agnès B. art remain connected at all times. Art, too, to cultivate its own history, which belongs to the legend.

Hannibal I loved the small bubbles

According to Nestlé Waters, giant which owns Perrier since 1992 (but Vittel, Contrex, Hépar or San Pellegrino), Perrier saga really starts there are 120 million years. Then, according to the brand, "rainwater slowly seeps underground while the volcanic gas rises to the surface. The water and gas have met and have pioneered at the option open cracks in the limestone rocks. The presence of permeable faults allowed the water to continue its ascent and forth on the surface with a bubbling aspect related to the release of carbon dioxide. This gave rise to the name of the lieutenant said The Bouillens ".

The suite is emerging in 218 BC with, who would have thought, I turned into Hannibal fan of small bubbles. Party from Spain with his army to conquer Rome, the military strategist chooses to stop at the edge of what will become much later the place called "The Bouillens" in Vergèze. He finds the suitable place, its proud soldiers taking pleasure in a refreshing drink of water from a gas source.

Dr. Perrier owns the source in 1898

Later appointed proconsul of Gaul, Julius Caesar rewarded his soldiers by distributing land in the plains of Languedoc. The Romans were the first to build a stone basin and a few buildings around the source.

Then operates a huge leap forward since after Julius Caesar, the following legend is named Alphonse Granier. Who? Alphonse Granier, who is interested in the source, the field of Bouillens being owned by his family since 1769. Its exploitation begins with the decree signed by Napoleon III in 1863. The spring water is recognized natural mineral water. "With many scientists that highlight the therapeutic properties of carbonated water, the area sees the first spa visitors to arrive," says Perrier.

But six years later, a fire destroyed the Vergèze facilities. It was not until 1898 that Louis-Eugène Perrier becomes owner of the source for this doctor and politician sketch the outlines of the future. It also buys the spa of Vergèze while for packaging and transporting water which contains three times the volume of gas it is developing a glass bottle is sealed with a stopper.

A revolutionary English lord

The meeting of Perrier with Sir John Harmsworth in 1903 acts as an accelerator. The English Lord bought out the doctor and gives the name of his friend at source. It draws also of Indian clubs, which he uses to keep in shape, to give the bottle its iconic shape.

Therefore, any racing: two years later, Perrier water is drunk in Buckingham, with patented a supplier of His Majesty the King of England! In 1933, year of death of Harmsworth, Perrier source is declared of public interest and produces 19 million bottles.

Gustave Leven, in 1947, relaunching the brand. The stockbroker has the heart for the source and redeems. It will sparkle Perrier for many years, making enter fully into the industrial age, production, and from 30 to 150 million bottles.

Other intuition Leven entrusted Jean Davray, author of novels and plays, advertising boom. A saga of her all alone, including the legendary slogan "Perrier it's crazy" by Jean Davray in 1976 or spots made by Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Paul Goude particular.

Even the crisis of benzene does not reach

When Gustave Leven stepped down as president of Perrier in 1990, it is the first mineral water in the world, even if the crisis benzene marks the spirits, causing notably the overall shrinkage of the bottles after traces of this hydrocarbon had been discovered by a American laboratory in thirteen bottles.

Since then, the brand continues its forward march, sold in 140 countries, continuing innovations, such as the plastic bottle of 50 cl (2001) or the Water Perrier, two years later.More good news: the numbers are starting to rebound in 2012 and three new bottling lines have been installed.

Realizing 45% of its turnover in France where it is the market leader of soda water (27% market share by value), however Perrier wants to expand abroad and especially with young people, segment of the population on which the leaders acknowledge a "consumption gap". The objective for the little green bottle is to double its production by 2020.

One of the weapons of the mark-and especially among youth- remains its commercials that come out of the ordinary (see all these videos on the YouTube account of the brand, here ). The latest spot , particularly successful (see below), launched under the "Extraordinary Perrier" slogan, was presented on June 7 at the final of Roland Garros, including Perrier is a partner since 1978.

(See below for the last commercial Perrier):