Stella Artois and Water.org Present Kinetic Art Installation – “Water Ripples” by Stella Artois - In Grand Central Terminal to Help End Global Water Crisis

Today Stella Artois and Water.org, co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, commemorate World Water Day (March 22) with the unveiling of “Water Ripples” by Stella Artois – a kinetic art installation that visualizes and celebrates the impact of their partnership that is helping Water.org provide 1.5 million people in the developing world with access to clean water to date.

Open to the public from March 23-26, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. daily at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, the interactive kinetic installation is activated by the purchase of a Stella Artois Limited-Edition Chalice – the cornerstone of the Water.org partnership. For every Limited-Edition Chalice sold, Stella Artois will help Water.org provide five years of clean water for one person in the developing world.

 “The Stella Artois Limited-Edition Chalice has provided people with a way to get involved in a problem that can be difficult to imagine, let alone take action on,” said Matt Damon, Co-founder of Water.org. “It’s incredible to see this artwork fueled by the same action that is helping us better the lives of millions around the world showing people the ripple effect their purchases can have.”

Visitors to “Water Ripples” by Stella Artois will be encouraged to purchase a Limited-Edition Chalice benefiting Water.org – and those who do will be invited to activate the water-inspired art installation. The installation center column, once touched, will initiate a ripple movement throughout the installation, making the droplets move in perfect unison. This signifies the participant’s contribution to the cause, while mirroring the effect the purchase of a Stella Artois Limited-Edition Chalice has in the developing world.  The participant’s interaction with the installation will also be captured on video, resulting in a unique piece of content to share on their social media.

“‘Water Ripples’ by Stella Artois uses one of the brand’s passion points – art – to help bring the scale and impact of our partnership with Water.org to life,” said Harry Lewis, Vice President, Stella Artois. “Fueled by consumer participation, the installation invites people to join us in taking a small action that can make a big difference for people in the developing world.”

The Legacy of the Stella Artois and Water.org Partnership

The Stella Artois and Water.org partnership began in 2015 and leverages Stella Artois’ global footprint to help raise awareness of the water crisis and spark consumer action to address this critical issue. In 2017, Stella Artois and Water.org set a four-year goal to provide 3.5 million people with long-term, sustainable access to clean water by 2020. The partnership is on track to reach more than 50 percent of this goal by the end of 2018.

Each year Stella Artois introduces new Limited-Edition Chalices representing countries where Water.org provides support. This year’s Chalices feature designs by local artists in Mexico, India and the Philippines, and for every Chalice sold Stella Artois helps Water.org provide five years of clean water for one person in the developing world.  

This year, Stella Artois brought this global issue to the biggest stage in America – the Super Bowl – to encourage beer lovers to “Make Your Super Bowl Party Matter,” by stocking up on Stella Artois for the big game and beyond. From January 15 until April 15 of this year, every purchase of a Stella Artois 12-pack will help Water.org provide 12 months of clean water[ii] for one person in the developing world, while every purchase of a pour will help Water.org provide one month of clean water[iii] for one person.

“With Stella Artois’ reach and resources we continue to push creative boundaries together, to find new ways to shift perspective and drive action,” said Julie LaGuardia, head of Brand Partnerships at Water.org. “Our Super Bowl initiative, along with immersive experiences like ‘Water Ripples’ and our ‘Walk for Water’ social experiment, can help us create that connection in unexpected places. And it’s working.”

“Our partnership with Stella Artois has made a major difference in raising awareness to help end the global water crisis,” said Gary White, CEO and Co-founder of Water.org.  “Partnerships like these will help advance Water.org’s goal to reach 60 million people by 2022.”

Supporting the AB InBev 2025 Sustainability Goals

Alongside Stella Artois, AB InBev addresses the global water crisis through its 2025 Sustainability Goals – including its commitment that 100 percent of its communities in high stress areas have measurably improved water availability and quality. More than just a key ingredient in beer, water is a critical resource for the economic, social, and environmental well-being of AB InBev communities, and the company is dedicated to enhancing water access and security– inside and outside its breweries. 

AB InBev recognizes the need to act as a responsible steward of water in the areas where it operates, but recognizes that the scale of the challenge is often bigger than the reach of its teams alone, and that long-term water security relies on partnership across sectors.  AB InBev is on a journey with others to embed sustainability throughout its business and across its supply chain – addressing issues that are not only relevant to its business, but also have a positive impact on communities. This is evidenced by the success of the Stella Artois and Water.org partnership and its mutual efforts to inspire today’s consumers to be the generation that ends the global water crisis.  

To learn more visit water.org/stellaartois, and join the conversation online with @StellaArtois @water #WaterRipples.

About Stella Artois

Stella Artois® is part of a Belgian brewing tradition dating back to 1366. It is the No. 1 Belgian beer in the world and is present in over 95 countries. Stella Artois® is a bottom filtered, blonde pilsner. It is thirst quenching with a malty middle and crisp finish delivering a full flavor and a hint of bitterness. Stella Artois® is best enjoyed served between 3 and 5 degrees Celsius and should be served in the unique Stella Artois® Chalice according to the 9-Step Pouring Ritual to guarantee a perfect experience of this gold standard lager.  Visit www.stellaartois.com for more information.

About Water.org

For more than 25 years, Water.org has been at the forefront of developing and delivering solutions to end the global water crisis. Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org pioneers market-driven financial solutions to ensure all people have access to safe water and sanitation -- giving women hope, children health and communities a future. To date, Water.org has positively transformed the lives of more than 10 million people around the world. Learn more at http://water.org and www.facebook.com/water.

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[i]$3.13 helps provide clean water to 1 person in the developing world[i] for 5 years.  Stella Artois will donate to Water.org$3.13 for every limited-edition Stella Artois chalice sold in the U.S. between 1/1/18 and 12/31/18, up to 300,000 chalices.[/i][/i]

[i][ii] $0.62 provides clean water to 1 person in the developing world for a year. Stella Artois will donate to Water.org $0.62 for every 12 pack of Stella Artois and Stella Artois Cidre sold in the U.S. between 1/15/18 and 4/15/18, up to $500,000.00.[/i]

[i][iii] $0.06 provides clean water to 1 person in the developing world for a month. Stella Artois will donate to Water.org $0.06 for every draught pint of Stella Artois and Stella Artois Cidre sold in the U.S. between 1/15/18 and 4/15/18, up to $750,000.00.[/i]