How to Pack Marketing into Your Green Packaging

The packaging industry is often chastised for having unfriendly environmental policies. I'm not here to debate this point, but I do want to talk about using environmental issues in a positive and realistic manner.

Let's take the word "green" as an example. Obviously, we think of the color first, but what about the variations of the definition that relate to packaging? How green is your packaging world?
•    Green could mean less damage to the environment.
•    Green could imply producing packaging from renewable resources.

•    Green could connote the use of less material and recyclable and degradable materials.
•    Green should entail designing products for environmental sustainability and that includes the packaging.

Once you have a certified sustainable product, then it can be maximized for branding purposes in a host of different ways.  If you have a "green" packaging product, what ways are you capitalizing on the current media exposure? (In addition to sending out a press announcement.) Here are a few points to consider:
•    Did you support or promote participation in any Earth Day activities?
•    Do you belong to one of the many organizations that support "green" and the environment?
•    Did you orchestrate your new packaging introduction to coincide with the aboves events?
•    Have you submitted your green product to the numerous packaging associations that offer opportunities for environmental awards?
•    Have you submitted your package to any of the non packaging related organizations that have "environmental" awards?
•    Do you have a plan in place for your staff to understand and utilize in order to build your "green" brand?
•    Do your employees believe in being "green?" (This is a very important buy in.)
•    Have you looked at any websites such as Treehugger.com or Sustainable Life Media to see what they are doing?

Sustainable packaging goes hand-in-hand with a sustainable product. For a primer into this green packaging check out Sustainable Packaging - From Green to Great. It's a overview at what works in green packaging and what does not.

 

Your product might be the most sustainable thing on the planet, but if you packaging doesn't carry through on the promise, you've lost your sale before it starts.

 

Contact JoAnn Hines at PackagingDiva@aol.com

http://blip.tv/file/1163738/

 

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Comments

[EcoLabelFundraising]

And if your product isn't the most eco-friendly, shouldn't your packaging at least be? That is something you can do that would make a huge impact!

Great post!

[MC Milker]

Great post, JoAnn,

As green packaging comes to the forefront for all businesses, manufacturers need to understand the basics and the limits to green packaging.

All of this starts leading to more intense discussions of branding and brand message - green packages doesn't mean a "green" brand and vice versa.

That will become more and more clear as green goes mainstream.

[Miguel]

You raise many important points about what businesses should consider when developing a sustainable brand. At Schawk, a big part of our business is packaging, and we're working with several top brands to make sure they are developing the kind of sustainable packaging that goes hand-in-hand with their sustainable products.

Schawk has found that package design is an increasingly critical factor in delivering a successful brand -- with more than 70% of purchase decisions made today being made in-store. Package design influences the relationship a consumer has with a brand -- but it's just one aspect of it. Unless a brand can deliver a compelling and consistent brand experience across all touchpoints -- not just the packaging -- for a consumer, there is a good chance the brand will be less successful.

So, if the "green" message is important for your brand -- it's important that it is consistently delivered in every experience a consumer has. The category of business that can deliver that is brand point management. To learn more, here is some information about brand point management: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/854644/Brand-Point-Management.

I'd be curious to know what people think about brand point management and how the drive toward sustainability in packaging relates.