Catching Up with Waterloo’s CMO Kathy Maurella

Kathy Maurella joined Waterloo Sparkling Water in the midst of the pandemic — December 2020. As Chief Marketing Officer, she jumped right in to help lay the groundwork that has ultimately set the brand on a course for continued success.

By leveraging data and insights, listening to the consumer, and ultimately revisiting the basics of marketing, she’s created a lot of positive momentum to carry the brand into the post-pandemic future.

“There are so many consumer behaviors that are changing right in front of us. And if you don’t lean in on what’s happening, you’re going to miss the boat,” Maurella told us as part of our exclusive marketing thought leadership report for the food and non-alc beverage industry. “We are doing marketing plans on a quarterly basis. The reality is that if we really buy into our own strategy of a testing and learning approach, you don’t want to get too ahead of yourself.”

Maurella is currently focused on defining the new target consumer and refining Waterloo’s brand positioning.

“We’re really getting to the basics,” Maurella said. “Start with the consumer and start with research, and use them as a guide.”

Looking ahead, Maurella feels confident that the foundation she and her team have built together has positioned them nicely for long-term growth. In April, Waterloo announced its partnership with a new agency “to leverage the brand love for Waterloo into a compelling new brand campaign that will amplify further Waterloo’s robust growth and expanded distribution.”

For Maurella, her and her team are just getting started.

Read the full marketing thought leadership report from ForceBrands here.