Small Giants Water

Natalia Kresic
2 hours ago
5 min read

Our world is getting ever more thirsty - thirsty for water, but also thirsty for positive, uplifting stories. So, here goes a story that puts a smile to people's faces while tackling

some of the most important issues of our times: water as an endangered resource, a

warming planet, plastic waste.

On the 22nd of March 2024, the World Water Day, the Tourist Board of the Šibenik-

Knin County in Croatia launched an initiative called Small Giants Water. The initiative focuses on free access, promotion and protection of the County's drinking water.

Croatia - a country rich in water

Our story's home lies in Croatia, a country on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. Besides its picturesque Adriatic coastline, Croatia boasts an abundance of clean

drinking water. It is the EU country with the largest quantity of water per capita. 96% of its water comes from underground sources, making tap water safe for drinking throughout the country. Croatia's karst areas are especially known for their filtered underground waterways that are extremely clean and reliable.

We are big on water

One of the karstic regions where water has a special role is Šibenik-Knin County, home to Krka River and numerous waterways stemming from its hinterland towards the sea. This county's water quality was the subject of research in the 1990s exploring possible links between environmental factors and the anthropometric characteristics of the local population, particularly newborn birth weight. The findings suggested that environmental factors, such as water quality, may contribute to the fact that Šibenik-Knin

County is home to the world's second- largest newborns as well as the tallest teenagers. The latter findings were later supported by a separate study published in 2019. It was not until 2023 that this story was brought to light by several enthusiasts. It was recognized by the County's Tourist Board, which embraced the opportunity to take a new direction in the destination's branding and make Šibenik-Knin County known as a region where life literally thrives!

Hence the evocative name of the initiative: Small Giants Water.

A story that uplifts the community pride

From the very beginning the basic idea was to promote "ordinary" tap water to prevent visitors from buying unnecessary bottled water. Today, two thirds of global travelers buy bottled water because they do not know if the water in the destination is safe for drinking. We wanted to make a welcoming (and free of charge) glass of water a symbol of people living in our County.

The goal was to create a superbrand of our quality water and make positive change not only among the visitors, but more importantly, within the community that would embrace its vital resource and develop a (re)connection with their homeland.

Messages like "Even a small step can be gigantic" or "Join the family of water lovers" have been communicated to foster the sense of power of the individuals, and to evoke pride in joining the initiative. Every cafe and shop owner or tourist accommodation host can make a difference in making the Small Giants story live.

The flow of the story could have been only successful if it were truly accepted among

the locals. We decided that none of the paid marketing campaigns would have proven

as successful without the people taking a stand and embracing the water story

themselves.

The first step was establishing a refill network of cafes and restaurants that would choose to become Guardians of the Small Giants Water. This meant putting a recognizable sign at their door, being mapped as a refill station on the initiative's website, and accepting to keep this door open to anyone willing to refill their water bottle.

Also, if the guests were seated, their glass of water would be put on a bright-colored branded coaster with an invitation to scan the QR code and discover the amazing story that lies within their free glass of water. The same goes for the attractive tag hanging from a water jug.

*Small Giants Water messages in hotel accommodation*

As for the owners of tourist accommodations and hotels, the idea was to visibly position notes, coasters and/or glass bottles that would motivate the guests to use tap water for drinking. After months of initial efforts and many face-to-face conversations, the story gradually became familiar among the people and new members started joining.

The general pride in taking part in something that boosts local identity and tangibly supports protection of water through real-life action overtook the flow of our story.

From an initial idea to a movement for greater good

Since its launch, the initiative has brought together tourist guides, museums, libraries,

primary and secondary schools as well as other local institutions. It became a leading

example of applied sustainability in the Croatian travel sector and far beyond a

project that has defining duration, but long-term perspective. From the initial idea, to

establish a water refill network, rose a movement for greater good. This kind of

tourism branding has not been seen anywhere in Croatia by now, and is among the

most innovative approaches of branding development that goes far beyond the usual

beautiful-postcard kind of destination promotion.

Besides the tourist and public sector that was primarily envisioned to take action, the initiative also formed a "Giants Registry" available online for all those who were born in the County with birthweight over 4 kg to sign in. This was a way in which everybody who wanted to stay in touch with the initiative's activities could do so. We witnessed whole families signing in.

Carefully crafted media communication helped establish further recognition within the local community. This culminated in events like the International Children's Festival in June 2024, when a stilt walker engaged the passerbyes in height measurement and other activities.

Schools: children and youngsters overtaking the flow

A very special chapter of the story unfolded in the County's schools earlier this year and has since become an integral part of the initiative's development. A series of workshops was organized and the schools were also made Guardians of the Small Giants Water. The feedback was far beyond our expectations. Children and their teachers took pride in becoming part of something so unique to their region.

Acting today with future generations in mind

The key to the initiative's development and such a positive general response lies in a simple wish, if we may use somewhat romantic narrative, to make the local community fall back in love with their own home. Also, to embrace their distinctive character that mirrors in the crystal clean waters that ensure life here remains in a flourishing state. This brings hope not for only this part of the world, but for the others as well.

Collective action through raising awareness and starting right at your own doorstep is a way that can inspire other regions in the world to stand together in protection of their own resources.

Our modern times require a strong attitude from us as responsible citizens that believe that our tomorrows are shaped by today's actions. In the same way, one of the leading messages to everybody involved in the initiative was that we need to protect our waters for all the small giants that are still waiting to be born.