Arkansas Water Company Makes Appearance in Summer Blockbuster
By Nate Hinkel
Arkansas Business - 7/18/05

Tom Cruise and Hot Springs have something in common. And no, there haven’t been any reports of a Scientology-related rant involving warm spring water or an overzealous love confession on Central Avenue.

Mountain Valley Spring Co. of Hot Springs, the country’s oldest bottled water outfit, hit the big time in the world of product placement when the familiar translucent green bottle made a few appearances in the summer blockbuster “War of the Worlds.”

Jim Karrh, chief marketing officer at Mountain Valley (and Arkansas Business’ regular marketing columnist), said the water label has a long history in popular culture dating back to the city’s gambling gangster days.

“There have been 13 presidents in the White House that were Mountain Valley drinkers, even Elvis and Frank Sinatra,” he said. “Sports figures like Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Sugar Ray Robinson have also all been instrumental in establishing that trend.”

Ruth’s New York Yankees used to hold spring training in Hot Springs, while Hollywood stars also frequented the lively town to gamble and soak in the naturally warm water at bathhouses.

Karrh said Mountain Valley has contracted with a Hollywood company called Legacy Entertainment Services that specializes in getting the Mountain Valley product onto the big screen and television. The “War of the Worlds” placement only cost the company “about $10,000,” Karrh said.

Look for the product in the recently wrapped “Come Early Morning,” which was directed by North Little Rock native Joey Lauren Adams and filmed in central Arkansas, and the upcoming Paris Hilton installment of “National Lampoon’s Pledge This,” which is the sorority version of “Animal House.”

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