River Action Unveils Provocative ‘Pooster’ to Expose Water Companies Profiting from Poisoning Water

Above: A group of wild swimmers fed up with dirty money making water dirty

In partnership with creative agency Uncharted and Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, River Action has launched a bold new advertising campaign highlighting the shocking reality of water companies making billions while polluting the UK’s rivers, lakes, and seas. 

River Action has kicked off the campaign by unveiling a billboard in central London dubbed the ‘Pooster. The huge six-metre-wide special build is constructed from fake £50 notes, stained brown with sterilised waste and water from polluted beaches, rivers and streams across the UK, symbolising the dirtied profits that water companies continue to make at the expense of the environment. The ‘Pooster’ displays a bold caption, ‘This money is stained with crap, just like water company profits’.

The billboard is located near Vauxhall Station, Central London - a high-traffic area in close proximity to the Thames - to draw maximum attention.

This striking visual dirty protest is part of River Action’s wider campaign against water pollution ahead of a March for Clean Water, set to take place in central London on November 3rd.

The campaign exposes an uncomfortable truth: despite dividend payouts to shareholders totalling £72.9 billion over the last 33 years and massive levels of executive pay and bonuses, water companies across the UK are failing to protect waterways. 

Campaigns manager of River Action Amy Fairman said, “Water companies like Thames Water are up to their necks in it, treating our rivers, seas and lakes like open sewers. Our ‘Pooster’ drives home the point: the financial gains they make are filthy money. It’s time for change. The UK public is fed up with sewage-drenched waterways and our campaign demands urgent reform.”

The “Pooster” creative was developed by Uncharted, a creative agency founded by three of the most prominent leaders in the industry: Laura Jordan Bambach, Hannah Hattie Matthews and Fern Miller. Uncharted worked with Global, the Media & Entertainment group, to bring the poster to life on Global’s outdoor estate. 

Laura Jordan Bambach, co-founder and chief creative officer at Uncharted said, "Uncharted is proud to join forces with our great friends at Global and River Action on this vital campaign. The disturbing and complex challenge of crafting a pooster that's safe even for us to handle speaks volumes. If it's this tough for our team, just imagine the state of every waterway and beach across the UK."

With public outrage at an all-time high, River Action’s billboard is shining a spotlight on the urgent need for reform in the water industry.

In addition to out-of-home special build, audio ads voiced by comedian Jo Brand will be played out across all of Global’s radio brands including LBC, Heart and Capital, promoting the upcoming march. 

The campaign will build momentum ahead of the March for Clean Water on Sunday 3rd November where thousands of people, alongside over 100 organisations as diverse as Extinction Rebellion and the National Trust, will demand action from the government against water polluters.