Sparkling water gets a glow-up in WAWA, a playful new drink co-created with footballer Sam Kerr

Let's be honest. Even if you're a fan of sparkling water, it's easy to forget. Joyless and boring, it's one of those drink categories that has fallen into the old "play it safe" camp when it comes to branding, perhaps mirroring its supposedly dull taste.

WAWA, a tasty new sparkling water brand created with footballer Sam Kerr and designed by Liverpool agency OneMay, wants to shake things up. Built around the idea of 'Water With Aura', it replaces restraint with self-expression, turning the drink into something playful, energetic and full of personality.

With a gorgeously chunky wordmark in playful, inflated lettering, the palette is summer-ready, featuring zesty lemon and lime, muted purples, bright blues, and vibrant pink. Each can features adorable illustrations that turn each of the brand's flavours into entire worlds. Sunset Drive, Garden of Zen, Purple Haze and Palm Halo evoke moods, brought to life through surreal, collage-style imagery and dreamy art direction. We're talking palm trees and butterflies, rainbows and sunsets – the works.

The result brings some much-needed energy to supermarket shelves, promising something people might want to buy even before they've cracked open a can.

Aside from the vibrant packaging, the identity stretches across social media content, merchandise, lifestyle photography, and outdoor campaign assets. Instead of pushing wellness as a differentiator, WAWA sells aspiration, emotion and escapism. It positions sparkling water as a lifestyle choice rather than another healthy option in the fridge aisle.

"Most sparkling waters are sold as a compromise," says Lee Weaver, co-founder and creative director at OneMay. "Less sugar. Fewer calories. Less guilt and less fun.

"With WAWA, we didn't want 'better for you' to mean boring. We wanted sparkling water to feel like something people actively choose, not the drink they settle for. The flavour is the product. The feeling is the brand."

WAWA certainly reflects a growing shift in branding, where consumers increasingly want products to make them feel something, not just serve a function. It's also about standing out in a category long dominated by restraint and minimalism. This injection of colour and personality feels refreshing in more ways than one.