Water Colours the West
Water Corporation, Western Australia’s principal water utility, sought to build long-term community understanding around water security in a changing climate. By establishing the foundational "Water Colours the West" platform and employing a distinct "Watercolour Storytelling" visual device, Water Corporation and The Brand Agency clearly articulated the value of water, system constraints, and the necessity of shared responsibility across WA.
CHALLENGE
As the State’s principal supplier of water, Water Corporation plays a key role in securing a safe, reliable and climate-resilient water future for Western Australia. As the State experiences rapid population and economic growth alongside climate change, which has permanently reduced traditional rainfall, the challenge is significant. While the utility is investing heavily in climate-resilient water sources and network upgrades, planning and infrastructure alone cannot remove these constraints. Research also showed that most West Australians were over-confident in WA's water security and felt confused or resistant when asked to reduce usage. How could Water Corporation build a long-term communications foundation that establishes the "why" behind water management, builds trust, and justifies future water decisions without relying on alarmist messaging or tactical behaviour change prompts?
SOLUTION
The Brand Agency created "Water Colours the West,” an educational-led campaign designed to serve as the foundational layer of Water Corporation’s multi-tiered communications strategy. Grounded in the single-minded proposition that "Our water future depends on all of us," the campaign introduced a signature visual mechanism termed "Watercolour Storytelling." The device demonstrates how water enables growth, prosperity and everyday life across the state, with monochrome scenes of West Australian life, from native suburban gardens and city construction sites to regional canola fields, blooming into vivid colour as pipes connect and water flows. In doing so, it builds a stronger appreciation of both the water system and the role it plays in our state’s future.
Designed as the educational layer of Water Corporation’s communications strategy, it helps explain how water enables Western Australia’s future, what Water Corporation is doing to secure supply, and why shared responsibility is needed. By establishing understanding first, the campaign creates the rationale for future behaviour change communications, ensuring requests of the community feel logical, transparent and justified.
