Class Project

Portland State University

Client

Pani Source

Role

Strategist

Context

Pani Source is an emerging water filtration and hydration brand offering enhanced, customizable water through high‑quality filtration and nutrient‑infused pods. Despite its innovative product offering, Pani faces an awareness gap: consumers may understand the value of clean water, but they don’t yet understand what makes Pani different — or why it matters.

In a crowded category of filters, bottled waters, and wellness beverages, Pani risks blending in unless it can clearly articulate its relevance in consumers’ daily routines.

Agencies care about this because the strategic challenge isn’t just to “sell the filter.”

It’s to define Pani’s role in wellness culture and in the modern family’s life.

The Problem

Consumers see water as a necessity — not a customizable wellness tool.

Although Pani delivers superior filtration, personalized flavor, and functional health boosts, people aren’t actively seeking a product like Pani because they don’t know it exists or how it fits into their lifestyle.

The brand communicates features, but not the meaning of those features. As a result, consumers don’t yet connect Pani with the emotional and practical benefits that matter most to families looking to stay healthy.

Strategic Approach

My goal as a strategist was to bridge the gap between Pani’s advanced hydration capabilities and families’ emotional drivers around health, wellness, and daily ease.

To do this, I reframed Pani not as a tech‑driven device, but as a wellness companion that elevates everyday hydration.

Research Focus

I explored five key areas:

How families — especially mothers — manage daily hydration for themselves and their children
What motivates parents to choose one wellness product over another
Where hydration brands are winning (or failing) in their messaging
How customizable wellness products fit into modern family routines
What unmet needs exist around healthy, convenient hydration options

Through this research, one theme emerged consistently:

People don’t just want water — they want water that supports their lifestyle.

Healthy families want hydration that is easy, reliable, and adaptable. They want wellness woven into their routines without needing to think about it.

Key Insight

Pani empowers families to stay healthy and energized by making hydration personalized, effortless, and trustworthy.

The brand’s innovation isn’t about complexity — it’s about giving families hydration that works for them: better filtration, better flavor, better wellness.

This reframes Pani’s benefits from technical to emotional, aligning the brand with broader wellness aspirations.

Strategic Implication

Shift Pani’s messaging from: “Here’s what our filter and pods can do.”

to “Here’s how Pani helps your family feel better every day.”

This unlocks messaging centered on:

Everyday wellness made simple
Hydration tailored to individual needs
A healthier routine for the whole family
Water that adapts to lifestyle, seasons, and moments

This approach positions Pani as a differentiated player in a category that typically communicates function instead of feeling.

Positioning Statement

Pani Source is the hydration brand that equips families with personalized, effortless, and wellness‑driven water — helping them stay refreshed, energized, and thriving in every moment.