A flagship experience for one of the world’s most iconic nonprofits

SERVICES

Marketing Strategy

Video & Photo Production

Digital Advertising

Traditional Advertising

PR Outreach & Management

Experiential Activations

CHARITY: WATER

The Experience Lab launch campaign

charity: water is a global nonprofit on a mission to end the water crisis in our lifetime. With a strong legacy of innovation and storytelling, the brand has inspired millions — but like many trailblazers, they knew that staying relevant meant evolving how they showed up in the world.

In 2025, charity: water opened The Experience Lab, a first-of-its-kind immersive brick-and-mortar space in Franklin, TN. The Lab was designed to bring people face-to-face with the global water crisis — and the hope that charity: water offers — through interactive storytelling, tech innovation, and a clear call to action.

The organization turned to 5by5 to build and execute a holistic go-to-market plan that would drive awareness, generate foot traffic, and set a new standard for nonprofit brand engagement.

Our team developed a comprehensive marketing strategy to support the launch, rooted in a deep understanding of charity: water’s brand voice, goals, and growth mindset.

We focused on Franklin and the surrounding area to saturate a high-intent, local audience that could experience the Lab in person and help spark word-of-mouth momentum. From campaign planning to boots-on-the-ground activation, we worked as an extension of their team to execute every piece.

 

Key efforts included:

A full advertising plan across digital, radio, out-of-home, and sponsored web placements

Influencer and media strategy with regional PR outreach

Content production, including a suite of on-brand photo and video assets

Event support and planning for a World Water Day Water Walk to kick off the launch

On-site and online experience consulting to align creative with campaign messaging

 

On launch day — which aligned with World Water Day — we helped coordinate a Water Walk through downtown Franklin. Community members carried jerry cans just like families do in water-scarce regions, ending their walk at the doors of the Experience Lab. This tangible, participatory moment generated buzz, drew media attention, and gave locals a memorable first interaction with the charity: water brand.

The Experience Lab launch campaign positioned charity: water as not just a legacy brand — but a living, evolving force for good. While early metrics are still being gathered, the Franklin market saw widespread campaign presence and community participation, fueled by a blend of strategy, creativity, and purpose.

The Experience Lab is now a permanent presence in Middle Tennessee, inviting thousands of future donors, innovators, and advocates to step into a story bigger than themselves.

Ready to change the world?