Sustainability Is The New Green

Nearly a year ago, The O Group sent an article out to its clients entitled “Eco-Luxury: How Luxury Brands Can Go Green.” It was highly relevant at the time, as many of our clients were struggling with the idea that going green meant sacrificing a certain level of sophistication. Now, the burning question is not “how can we retain our brand values and integrate green practices?” but rather, “how can we prove our commitment to green practices to our customers?”

Countless polls and indices have revealed that consumers now expect brands to have a position on environmental responsibility. But are we even just talking about “green” anymore? The combination of the economic downturn and the new administration’s focus on environmental and social responsibility has meant that businesses and consumers alike are looking for ways to cut extravagant, wasteful spending, focus on value and embrace community. This movement is more about sustainability– a broader term that actually allows brands more flexibility in how they choose to position their commitment, whether that means local sourcing, using materials and processes that have a low environmental impact or giving back to the community.

I can’t help but make a comparison to the impact the Internet has had on the way brands position themselves and interact with audiences. Once upon a time, having a website was a forward-thinking marketing extension; it is now a benchmark and mandatory tool. No website, no way for consumers to find you or differentiate you from the competition. This seems to be the direction the sustainability trend is taking as well, and the implications are just as broad. Excess, whether it be in the form of bloated packaging or corporate behavior has become a detriment to consumer perception for every kind of brand out there. Not recognizing the need for a position on sustainability will soon seem just as antiquated as not recognizing the need for a website.

So, if everyone will be jumping on the sustainability train, how can brands participate AND differentiate themselves? The particular advantage here is that a creative approach can align your efforts with your brand attributes, resulting in a cohesive positioning and clear value proposition. This means looking at long- and short-term goals for your brand, and identifying opportunities that are meaningful and cost effective. For example, reuseable shopping bags are already de rigeur for many retailers. Retailer Target takes this one step further by offering reuseable bags made from their own discarded plastic bags.

Packaging design has also been moving more towards sustainability. In September GreenerPackage.com (in partnership with Walmart) will launch a new database with information on sustainable packaging. The database will allow creatives, consumers and buyers to easily search for sustainable packaging materials, products and suppliers.

Pangea Organics, purveyors of ‘ecocentric’ bodycare products, is one company who’s brand is truly sustainable. Case in point; their holiday packaging. The boxes are 100 percent compostable, biodegradable and plantable, made from a zero-waste process using 100 percent post-consumer newsprint, without glues and dyes. The raffia is made from a minimum of 30 percent recycled content and is itself recyclable.The outer labels are 100 percent post-consumer, FSC-certified, elemental chlorine-free, and printed with vegetable-based inks.

Your brand is making a statement about your commitment to the environment, you are producing less disposable shopping bags, your customers are advertising their loyalty and feeling good about themselves. But you have to take it a step further: invest in an attractive, functional design that will appeal to your customer base, make it stand out in their collection. Maybe it folds down to a small square that attaches to a keychain, maybe it has lots of extra pockets, maybe it’s constructed from last year’s catalog… just make sure what makes it special is in line with your brand’s unique qualities.

Industrial designers Mike and Maaike’s Baja BBQ Firepack for Lazzari is another example of a good brand gone sustainable. The BBQ Firepack is eco-friendly instant charcoal packaged in recycled paper pulp. Just light the package and place in your BBQ.

Sustainable parameters actually allow for a more creative, focused outcomes. The mandate for sustainable practices should be viewed as an opportunity to connect with your customer in a new way, to build loyalty and get attention for compelling initiatives that build your brand as well as your reputation. Oh and another plus: you might actually improve your bottom line.