"George, don't be silly. This water's expensive," William White pointed at the bottle as he joked with Bush Jr..
"Sigh, I never thought someone would actually drink it," said George.
"Come on, George. Trust me, in ten years, this water will be everywhere around the world."
"Alright, alright. You're a fantastic salesman."
"Thank you, I'm honored."
The two guys were casually chatting, not caring about the outcome of the auction. Bush Jr. had witnessed so many miracles by now that he was somewhat numb. William White wasn't worried either; he was confident enough.
...
While the two second-generation wealthy kids could afford not to care, Wall Street didn't have that luxury. Viking Comics was about to raise funds, and naturally, they wanted to know the insider details.
Seeing Glacier Spring Water on the table gave advertisers a headache. This pesky guy had started flooding the ads once again. Ever since the plant began regular production, William White had been tirelessly promoting it.
And you know what? Because of its good quality, this bottle of water was very much sought after in California and Texas.
Health and environmental protection were still very unconventional themes of that time.
Because they were unconventional, they stirred up considerable debate.
This was precisely what William White needed the most. Without controversy, there's no exposure; without exposure, no one cares.
Believe it or not, this pricey mineral water indeed filled a market niche. Sure, you could say it was a bit costly. While others sold it for a few dimes, this one was $1.50.
But so what?
It's just over a buck. If you returned the bottle, you got a decent discount on your next purchase.
Everyone was bewildered by this. The bottle certainly wasn't worth fifty cents. How could one play this game?
"We're doing it for the environment. This is circular economy. All you need is high-quality water, so we're giving up considerable profits to encourage environmental protection. This is for the survival of our planet."
Well, this theory was quite appealing. Suddenly, William White became an environmental guru.
Environmental protection?
Sure, let it be.
...
The water, named "Ice Age," rapidly became synonymous with environmentalism and the circular economy.
Coca-Cola was a bit upset. They had been using glass bottles for years, yet no one talked about environmental protection. Could he be more shameless?
Even if they were upset, they had to keep quiet. Not to mention, this guy was practically a major shareholder. And considering the current state of public opinion, it was better not to meddle.
Don't forget, another major theme is health. What health benefits does drinking cola offer? You'd probably feel too embarrassed to say it yourself.
Transforming a simple bottle of mineral water into a symbol of quality life, you have to admit, William White was shamelessly driven by profit.
Holy cow! He even tied it to patriotism, arguing that they couldn't let the French trick them with poor-quality water for their bucks.
With Evian's various quality scandals, the storm William White started swept across America.
Honestly, the production quality was just about the same. Some equipment was a bit newer, leading to better filtration. It wasn't poor quality; it simply reached the quality limit.
...
For Montana, such a barren place having an output was something big that needed strong support. They hadn't realized how suddenly so many titles were attached to them.
Titles like the "State of Wealth" or "State of Longevity" had become points of shameless praise.
Montana's government found they received quite a bit of investment interest. In today's economic environment, as a relatively remote area, they were dirt poor. If they sat around doing nothing while people sang their praises, it would be politically idiotic.
"You see, George? Isn't it tough just to sell a bottle of water?"
"You're really shameless."
"Thanks, your compliment brightened my day."
"Ha, William, you're one heck of a politician. I reckon you've got a real knack for politics."
"Haha, I thought about it, but I gave it up. You know, George, I've got a lot of bad habits, and I have no intention of changing. But you really surprised me. Shamelessness is a required course for a politician. Very nice, you completely grasp the concept. Haha, no wonder you're from a political family. It's in your blood."
*****
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