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Dr Pepper Sponsorship Repaints Norman Water Tower

Businesses seeking municipal partnerships can see how a $500,000 sponsorship turned an obsolete tower into a branded public landmark.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Philanthropy

A tall steel water tower with a solid cream-painted tank stands beside a small green park with native prairie grasses under a clear sky.
Norman, Oklahoma, has repainted its Lindsey Street water tower under a $500,000 ten-year sponsorship deal with Dr Pepper, funding a new public park. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Norman, Oklahoma has finished repainting the Lindsey Street water tower with the Dr Pepper Fansville logo under a city partnership with the soft drink maker. Dr Pepper will pay the city $500,000 over 10 years for the campaign.

Why it matters

The project turns a decommissioned century-old municipal structure into a branded landmark funded by a corporate sponsor rather than city budget. For operators, it shows how a sponsorship agreement can underwrite civic infrastructure and public space.

Dr Pepper will pay the city $500,000 over a 10-year term, averaging about $50,000 a year. The water tower dates to over 100 years ago and was determined in 2014 to no longer have the hydraulic characteristics needed for its original function.

The players

Dr Pepper

A major American soft drink brand whose marketing campaigns frequently use high-profile local sponsorships to build consumer engagement.

City of Norman

The municipal government of Norman, Oklahoma, which owns the water tower and approved the resurfacing and partnership.

The details

The city partnered with Dr Pepper to repaint the Lindsey Street tower as part of the company's nationally recognized Fansville campaign. Council approved the resurfacing earlier this year, along with a small park and lighting. Landscaping uses native plants, and local artists created murals around the park.

Timeline

  1. 2014: The water tower was determined to no longer be needed for hydraulic function.

  2. Earlier in 2026: Council approved the resurfacing, park, and lighting.

  3. November 13, 2026: Norman celebrated completion of the project.

  4. Over the next 10 years: Dr Pepper makes its $500,000 payments to the city.

Market Landscape

Brands increasingly fund local infrastructure and public art in exchange for visibility, as Dr Pepper has done with its Fansville campaign. Norman's arrangement fits that pattern while reusing an obsolete municipal structure rather than building something new.

Operators in municipal-facing or local-sponsorship businesses should note that brands are willing to fund civic projects in exchange for visibility, opening potential partnership avenues. Any business considering a comparable public-private arrangement should have its terms reviewed by qualified counsel.

The takeaway

Municipal partnerships that trade naming rights for funding can convert obsolete public assets into revenue. Businesses exploring sponsorship deals should track how such arrangements are structured and renewed once their initial term ends.

Further reading

For more on corporate giving and community sponsorships, explore our Philanthropy coverage.

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Would you support companies paying cities to put their branding on public landmarks?