Small Heroes, Big Brand Values: Sparkling Storytelling for Gerolsteiner Edutainment Campaign

What it’s about

Since 2018, we have been supporting Germany’s most successful mineral water brand as a strategic partner for branding, visual identity and design.
In this context, we are constantly asking ourselves how the Gerolsteiner brand values can be authentically brought to life. This is how the idea for G-Rex & Friends came about. A completely unique brand world that gives us the opportunity to bring the characteristics of Gerolsteiner mineral water, its origin and relevant topics such as environmental protection and sustainability to enable the youngest to grasp them.

The protagonists of the communication platform are the three dino kids Sparky, Mina and G-Rex, who embody the three core products Medium, Sprudel and Naturell not only through their names, but also through their appearance and character.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a multi-part animation series, which we developed in close cooperation with a Californian author and the animation studio M.A.R.K 13 from Stuttgart. In three-minute episodes, relevant brand content is communicated in a playful, likeable and entertaining way without being patronising.

With over 14 million impressions on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, the first three episodes were the Gerolsteiner brand’s most successful digital campaign to date. The consumer reach was expanded so much that G-Rex & Friends now permanently adorn the 0.33 litre containers of the mineral water.

Who we are

The Superhero!

Name:

G-Rex

Superpowers

Loyal heart, mega-strength and abundant care

Weakness:

Elephant in a porcelain shop, Crawling insects

Favourite Water:

Natural

With his superpowers, he can move mountains and stands loyally by his friends.

The Clever One!

Name:

Mina

Superpowers:

Super curiosity, an inventive mind and always a clear head

Weakness:

sometimes know-it-all, control freak

Favourite Water:

Medium

She is a born explorer, knows every drop of water in Eifelstein and is always on the hunt for even more knowledge!

The Whirlwind!

Name:

Sparky

Superpowers:

Pure cheek, a boundless thirst for adventure and a true extreme sportsman

Weakness:

Chaotic, real scaredy-cat

Favourite Water:

Sparkling

With his cheeky spirit, he plunges headlong into adventure! Sparky is always on the lookout for the next thrill.

G-Rex is bursting with strength – no one is stronger than him. But even though he loves lifting heavy weights, he shows his true strength as a friend: whenever Mina or Sparky need help, he’s right there by their side and always has their back.

Mina is the thinker of the team – always curious and full of ideas. She loves learning new things and has an answer to almost every question. With her clever mind, she never stops amazing G-Rex and Sparky.

Sparky is a true adventurer – fearless and always ready for the next big adventure. No mountain is too high, no path too far. Even though he can be a little clumsy at times, he often makes Mina and G-Rex laugh because of it.

The “Eifelstein Cave” – home of the three friends, main setting of our stories, and source of their G-Power – also explains the origin of Gerolsteiner mineral water and its unique mineralization from the depths of the Volcanic Eifel.

G-Rex (Gerolsteiner Rex), Mina (“Mineralosaurus”), and Sparky (from “Sparkling Water”) don’t just represent the Core Range through their names. Their color schemes are also inspired by the well-known packaging colors of Naturell, Medium, and Sprudel.

In their adventures, our three heroes help the spring spirits protect the water from the fire spirit Pyros. In this way, environmental and resource protection is introduced to children in an age-appropriate way.

Our three heroes gain new powers – their G-Power – every time they drink water. In this playful way, even the youngest children learn how important it is to drink water and how healthy minerals are for our bodies.

“JUSTBLUE has been a strong partner in our agency network for years. We value their strategic approach, creative excellence, and their ability to immerse themselves in our industry and connect with the right partners to help us achieve the best possible results.”

Marcus Macioszek

Marketing Director, Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG