FIJI WATER GAINS STAR POWER BURBANK-BASED PROMOTER MAKING PRODUCT FLOW OFF SHELVES WITH HELP OF FILMS.

Byline: Candice Choi Staff Writer

A little star power is lending some sparkle to sales of the designer water Fiji, putting it in the pristine league of competitors like Evian and Pelligrino.

The bottled water industry is growing at a double-digit rate in Southern California. A survey by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power found about 65 percent of people drink bottled water or use some type of filter on their faucets.

Capitalizing on the growth, Burbank-based Creative Entertainment launched high-profile product placement to push Fiji into the fray. The marketing group's war plan is flooding stars' homes and movie sets with cases of the pricey water in hopes they'll be caught on TV, film, or in magazines toting the distinctive flowered bottles around.

One of Creative Entertainment's first triumphs for Fiji was getting it a starring role in the feature film ``The Thomas Crowne Affair,'' said the company's vice president Stacy Jones. In a memorable scene, Pierce Brosnan pours a bottle over Renee Russo. Some of Fiji's more recent Hollywood cameos include ``Dodgeball'' and ``50 First Dates,'' where the square, light blue bottle was peeking out of Drew Barrymore's bag in one scene.

Creative Entertainment is keeping the buzz going by shipping cases of Fiji to the homes of various stars like Jessica Simpson and Sean ``Puffy'' Combs.

So far, the Hollywood strategy seems to be working.

Fiji Water, established in 1997, experienced a 61 percent boost in sales this year, company officials say. French rival Evian meanwhile experienced a 23 percent loss over the same time, in part as a result of the rise of brands like Coca-Cola's Dasani and Pepsi's Aquafina.

Unlike those latter brands which are bottled locally, Fiji water has ``softer taste'' because it's bottled in Fiji, said company president Doug Carlson. Add that to the designer water's celebrity status, and you've got a six-pack of 500 mL bottles that costs a startling $5.99.

``I think it's silly. I can get a great big bottle for 89 cents,'' said Peggy Chiate, a Woodland Hills resident who was shopping at Ralphs. The only reason she even bothers to buy bottled water is for the convenience of the bottle; otherwise, she said it all tastes the same.

One of the only other water brands that clocks in at that tier is French- bottled Evian.

A comparable pack of Dasani typically costs $2.99. Aquafina costs $2.49, Arrowhead costs $2.87 and Crystal Geyer costs $2.39.

Still, people are guzzling Fiji up.

The plant in Fiji simply can't produce to keep up with demand, said Killeen Brettmann, Fiji's director of marketing. The proof is the empty shelves at vendors throughout the Valley, she said.

The plant in Fiji is tripling its production capacity to 53 million cases a year by early next year as a result.

Part of the reason Fiji isn't in stock could simply be that it doesn't get as much shelf space as a newer brand. Still, many vendors confirmed they were out of stock.

``Someone was just in here the other day asking for a case,'' said Maria Rodriguez, a clerk at the Whole Foods Market in Woodland Hills. The store ran out of the bottles months ago and hasn't been carrying it since.

There were only three six-packs of Fiji left on shelves at the Ralphs in Van Nuys. At the Ralphs in Canoga Park, there was a lone six pack of Fiji left on the shelves and an employee said there were no more in the back. At the Studio City Ralphs, there were five cases of 1-liter bottles and five cases of the six-packs. The store normally keeps double that amount in stock, but was hoping to receive more later in the day, an employee said.

Candice Choi, [phone]

candice.choi(at)dailynews.com

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3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Bottles of Fiji water await buyers at a Ralphs in Studio City, one of the few stores with any still in stock.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) A bottle of Fiji water is the third character in this scene in ``Dodgeball'' with Lance Armstrong, left, and Vince Vaughn.