Water for Longhorns Launches [H2Orange]
For every UT fan there comes a day when we look up at the sky, shake our fists and say, “I wear burnt orange, I bleed burnt orange, but why, oh, why can’t I drink burnt orange?” Well, don’t despair, Longhorn, your days of frustration are over. The University of Texas at Austin announced yesterday a new partnership with GSD&M Idea City to launch H2Orange: purified water sold in a plastic bottle shaped like UT’s iconic clock tower. This is the first time UT has licensed the Tower for a consumable beverage.
H2Orange is the brainchild of GSD&M co-founder Tim McClure, who enlisted the help of his creative partner Steve Gurasich (they’re the “M” and “G”, respectively), both UT graduates. According to the H2Orange official website, 40% of the proceeds will go to funding “academic scholarships, fellowships, and internships for students attending The University of Texas at Austin. [The] goal is to raise $1 million annually for the next 10 years and beyond.” An interactive chart on the H2Orange website will allow consumers to see exactly how much of the $1 million dollar goal has been met.
"Our battle cry is 'Drink water. Bleed orange.™ Fund scholarships.'" McClure said on the official press release. In addition to this mantra, the water is also branded as being “Texas purified,” which doesn’t actually mean it’s mixed with Lone Star. Instead, it’s rainwater that has been collected from the Atascosa, Nueces and Frio Rivers. It’s then purified and bottled for consumer consumption.
H2Orange will be available in stores on August 16th, which leaves plenty of time for students and fans to stock up before football season starts. In their official statement, the University outlined where Longhorns can expect to be able to purchase the water: “H2Orange will be introduced with significant distribution in Austin and select distribution in major Texas markets as it rolls out this fall. H2Orange will be available at grocery and convenience stores, in select restaurants, bars and retail outlets, and in multiple locations across The University of Texas at Austin campus.” According to the Austin American Statesman, H2Orange may also be sold in College Station, home to rival school Texas A&M. Once available in College Station, one can only imagine what the Aggies may do with the tower-shaped bottles.
