Electronic Retailer - September 2012 - 53

BY TIM O’BRIEN

Case Study

nuvoH2O Brings Home a Healthier, Cleaner Water Solution via DR

Through long-form direct response and an integrated online campaign, Cesari Direct and nuvoH2O were able to break down the complex process of chelation into simple animation.

nuvoH2O has introduced an affordable, salt-free water softener for single-family homes that not only delivers delicious tasting water but also fills the need of jurisdictions that have outlawed larger, expensive systems proven to be detrimental to the environment. The technology has existed in the commercial arena for years and has been the backbone of amusement parks and hotels. nuvoH2O Water Softening Systems (www.nuvoh2o.com) is a Salt Lake city-based company focused on alleviating the problems and solving the challenges brought by “hard” water now found in eighty-five percent of the United States. It is a safe, inexpensive solution to both households and businesses and protects the life and performance of pipes, fixtures, and appliances, including dramatically increasing the life and efficiency of hot water heaters, and more. The brainchild of Laird Washburn, the company’s chief executive, nuvoH2O Salt-Free Water Softeners uses the scientific principle of chelation to filter hard water without removing the beneficial minerals. Its products, priced between $500 and $900 depending upon the size of the home, are significantly less expensive than salt-based systems that can easily run $3,000 plus untold maintenance. “The important thing to me was to find an avenue to help people understand how the system would save them money,” Washburn said. “The 30-minute, direct response program proved to be the perfect vehicle to illustrate how our water softener not only quickly pays for itself but also can make a person’s life better. Direct response allowed us the opportunity to educate and build awareness which was absolutely critical to our products and our goals.” Through long-form direct response, nuvoH2O was able to break down the complex process of chelation into simple animation, presenting colorful sequences to show how hard water is filtered through the company’s innovative cartridge typically installed under the kitchen sink by the homeowner or local plumber. The DRTV also accommodated a series of overlaid, geographical maps depicting the various regions of the country where hard water has been problematic. Hard water causes many household problems costing consumers millions of dollars annually in cleaning, maintenance, and replacement of pipes, fixtures, and appliances from scale corrosion and clogging. In addition to limiting

Laird Washburn, CEO of nuvoH2O, LLC, at the company’s corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City. nuvoH2O is an affordable, salt-free water softener for single-family homes that delivers delicious tasting water.

their life, scale buildup in hot water heaters decreases their efficiency by requiring more energy to heat the water. Cleaning problems occur from detergents not fully removing dirt. Clothes appear dingy and feel rough. Dishes and glassware are spotted; shower doors, walls and bathtubs retain soap scum. Hair often is dry and looks dull, and skin has an itchy film. Washburn’s has a long and successful history of building and operating retirement homes and senior centers throughout the country. Several years ago at a facility in Mesa, Arizona, he purchased a $3,000 steam cooker that he assumed would last a lifetime. “The water was so hard down there that this wonderful piece of kitchen equipment was useless in about three months,” Washburn said. “I wasn’t real eager to throw it away, but all of the usual ways to clean it up were too toxic to use again. A friend had tested and implemented a simple filtering process that involved a tube about the size of two soda pop cans. We were off and running from there in developing a variety of applications.” Like many entrepreneurs, Washburn felt DR was reserved for products boasting $19.95 or $39.95 price points. How could the same format be effective for a $500-$900 water softener? He quickly changed his mind after he was solicited 53

September 2012 | electronicRETAILER

Electronic Retailer - September 2012

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