Melodies in Marketing

This milk product packaging produced by GreenBottle Ltd., has been introduced into an ASDA supermarket this week in Suffolk, United Kingdom. The outer packaging is made from white office waste paper, which can be recycled alongside magazines and newspapers. The inner bag is made from corn starch, and is biodegradable.

ASDA hopes to further distribute these milk bottles over coming six months should customer demand prove viable. The UK Telegraph newspaper reports:

“Britons drink around 180 million pints of milk every week, of which around two-thirds is bought in plastic bottles. More than 100,000 tons end up in landfill each year - equal to 260 jumbo jets. They take 500 years to decompose…An independent analysis calculated that its overall carbon footprint, including delivery, was 48 per cent lower than the standard plastic bottle.”

NOTE: ASDA is owned by Wal-Mart. It should be interesting to note if they take special interest in its American milk producers to produce alternative packaging solutions.

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Green Packaging Noise - The diva JoAnn Hines, an expert in packaging with over 20 years experience in the field, gives a great sobering thought piece on the real value of sustainable packaging.
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Shades of Green - Another excellent thought piece on green packaging by Jackie DeLise. She describes the current state of affairs, gives some terminology, consumer perceptions, and some paths forward.
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Dennis Salazar on Green Secondary Packaging - It appears that greenwashing and vague statements also pervade in the packaging world. Dennis shares some stories and adds these key points: Higher percentages of recycled content are better; packaging manufacturers should state guaranteed minimum percentages (not statements like “up to 50%”); and post consumer waste is the best form because it’s already been through the life cycle once.

See also:
What is Secondary Packaging? - A concise and easy to grasp explanation.
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The Importance of Secondary Packaging - A list of points Dennis gave to some eCommerce professionals.
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Secondary Packaging, the Silent Killer of the Environment - A must read primer on the subject; includes discussion on stretch film and corrugated cardboard.
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Ecoblivious Packaging, Polystyrene Loose Fill - Peanuts as filler are really a waste. From a user design perspective, they’re more of a hassle than air pillows or simply scrunched up newspaper.

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PLA and Meat Packing - An Italian company is finding much success in its trays for meat, poultry, and seafood packaging; a 100% biodegradable solution (if one also uses PLA stretch film).
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Biodegradable Coffee Bags for Larry’s Beans - Maverick Enterprises and their proprietary plastic additives (”Green Film” - lame name, I know) were used to help make Larry’s Beans coffee bags that are certified landfill degradable or compostable (claimed to break down between 9mo. to 5yrs.)  They also claim they’re certified by the US EPA to not leave dangerous heavy metals in soil or water.
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McDonald’s uses Polystyrene Cup for Sweet Tea - This isn’t good news, as the article goes into some of the details and questions why so, if it doesn’t degrade as nicely as paper. But what’s even better is in the comments. Look for Mike’s response; he’s from the cup’s manufacturer, Dart. Also notice one commentator’s assertion that the paper cups are really a mix of paper & plastic, and it’s not such a clear cut issue. The point is that we do need to consider a systems design approach AND the performance requirements of the packaging. But when we consider the massive size of McDonald’s US retail network, wouldn’t it be best to fix the system? Let’s see if a PLA style ’styrofoam’ (Dow Chemical trade name by the way), cup would be a viable option in coming years.
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PWP Packaging Introduces AgroResin Line - AgroResin was developed by a Singaporean materials firm as a 100% biodegradable and 100% certified compostable fiber, made from non-GMO agricultural byproducts that would normally be discarded. After coming to the US through a few exclusive marketing agents in 2006, it appears that the PWP company has likely licensed AgroResin for a variety of food packaging solutions. It can be microwaved and is gas permeable, but water resistant.
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Method Switches Lines to 100% Post Consumer Recycled Packaging - After having used virgin PET for some time in the US, Method tested bottling using recycled sources in the UK. The challenge was finding a supplier that could go for the full 100% shabang back in the states.
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100% Recycled LDPE Air Pillows - GlobeGuard is a line of inflatable air pillows made by Automated Packaging Systems; Dennis is happy to distribute them to his clients, as he reports.
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11th Hour DVD Packaging gets Complete Eco-Design - Very interesting article on the materials and design into this media for Warner Brothers. Everything, apart from the disc itself, is recyclable.
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Au Revoir!

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Where there is concern for personal health, and most importantly the health of infants and children, there is a market opportunity.

The Adiri Natural Nurser is an award winning baby bottle that is Bisphenol-A free, and is probably best described in the words of its founders as such:

“Designed with the help of doctors, moms and lactation consultants, the AdiriTM Natural NurserTM is the ultimate baby bottle. With reduced air ingestion, unparalleled ease of use, a graceful design and 100% polycarbonate-free materials, the Natural Nurser is a safer, simpler, more natural feeling, bottlefeeding experience for your baby, and for you.”

Yes, this is indeed a product that has a simple but elegant design. From a product marketing point of view, it is capitalizing on a real & growing societal concern about the relative safety of particular plastics (U.S. #7). And that my friends, is beautiful innovation in practice. The application is for something so highly regarded by parents anywhere in the world: the health of their children.

I would like to use this product as an example of innovation tied to a specific cultural value. Could we use the word ‘sustainable‘ or ‘green‘ in this case? Why sure, but by themselves they would be subjective and meaningless. Jacquelyn Ottman and other so called ‘green marketers‘ like myself, will happily tell you that there is no such thing as a ‘green‘ product.

The Point: Develop and market better products that provide customers with an improved value proposition, user experience, and benefits conferred, while appealing to relevant values that matter. If it happens to have an ecological advantage over competitive products, so much the better.

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Sustainability Officers Working with Marketing Leaders - Sometimes sustainability leadership comes as an additional role for a marketing leader. But increasingly this position is being filled with qualified individuals from a technical background. This AdAge article discusses how these two roles can work together to properly communicate green objectives & accomplishments as part of a firm’s corporate social responsibility programs within a public relations & advertising context.
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Vehicle Eco-Calculator - Todd And and his team from Leopardo construction created this tool for management to use for considering the petrol efficiency and ecological impact of proposed vehicle purchases.
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Webinar for Sustainability Reporting 101 - Presented by Addison Communications, this free webinar on sustainability reporting may be worth your while. It’s on Wednesday 23 July, between 1-2pm U.S. EST (GMT+5).
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The Green Bottom Line for Consumers is First Personal - This article by the Hartman Group, a research firm, confirms similar findings about consumer interests as does Clorox and other firms: The personal realms are where people care about the most. Skip through the first 1/3 of this article and also see their great Body-World Continuum Graphic.
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Michael Pollen and What’s Wrong with Environmentalism - In this excellent interview with Yale University, Michael discusses sustainable agriculture, world commodity prices, a 3 prong solution, and some terrific insights that tie into the ’sustainability is personal’ topic within healthier living. Money quote: “your health is inseparable from the health of whole food chain that you’re a part of…there’s a direct connection between the health of the soil, the health of the plants, the health of the animals, and you as eater.”
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Nanotech & The Unknown Risks - This is a very promising field, which can help us design lighter and stronger materials among MANY other uses. But with all new technologies, we must be aware of social, economic, and environmental risks. This article also by Yale University sums up the concerns quite well. As paraphrased by writer Carole Bass, the raw materials of nanotech are most commonly carbon and metals like silver, iron, and titanium which at the nanoscale, take on new and unpredictable properties. This makes them versatile and valuable, but it also makes them potentially dangerous in ways that their larger-scale counterparts are not. Case studies, research, and the current state of affairs are given.
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Sustainable Print Marketing - The choice of paper is a great first step. Until I find or write further on this unique subject, I’ll just point you to New Leaf Paper as the best sheet supplier in North America. But these articles by ‘Notes on Design’ about Ink Considerations and Working with Printers, provide excellent introductions.
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Japanese Packaging Reduction Design - Very clever PingMag article with great pictures and stories. Features include Nissin’s Cup Noodles transition from polystyrene to paper, ‘Nobori’ shop banners turned into tote bags, and aluminum drink cans with concave-convex patterns that reduce material and improve grip (based on research by NASA).
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The State of LEED - While many are familiar with LEED building certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, this article by GOOD Magazine discusses the current state of affairs with LEED certification, some valid concerns, and how the guidelines will be revised in the Fall.
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Nanopaper and its Potential - This article by MIT Technology Review, discusses current R&D into making super strong paper fibers and weaving that results in a material stronger than cast iron and tougher than bone.

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Au Revoir !

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[Video Link for Email/Other Subscribers]

{UPDATE 7/15: Due to some recent concerns on a few of these videos, unfortunately every one except #2 and #32 will be temporarily removed. We live in the social media age and for a topic this important, I hope all these videos can be made publicly available for the educational community. Please leave a comment if you’d like to know when they’re available again. Merci mes belle Amis…}

A 10-Minute Highlight video of some sessions I filmed at a great conference I attended in early June: Sustainable Brands 08. All of these videos cover topics in marketing communications, product development, operations, human resources, and management. The camera may not be always perfect, but I tried my best to get the best audio and sharpest resolution. Rollover a link for a quick abstract. On each individual page, there is descriptive information below the video about the speaker(s), the presentation’s summary and analysis, and additionally related articles and resources for further learning.

If someone you know may benefit from the incredible educational value of these sessions, please send them a link to this page or one of the videos below. They are under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license, and may be downloaded and redistributed as appropriate. If you’d like to learn more about the process involved in producing & distributing video through online social media, please send me an email at: mvellandi [at] yahoo.com . ~ Adieu

{UPDATE: Thanks to the Universities that have taken interest in these video case studies. I hope they serve essential value to educators and students interested in responsible & ethical approaches to sustainability}

1. SMaRT Sustainable Product Standard (Special Event)
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2. Environmental Defense Fund - Beth Trask
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3. California EPA - Leonard Robinson
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4. Clean Tech Investment - Bob O’Connor, Wilson Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati
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5. CleanFish - Tim O’Shea
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6. Brown-Forman (Alcohol) - Rob Kaplan
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7. Green Marketing - Jacquelyn Ottoman
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8. Dow Chemical - Julie Fasone Holder
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9. Clorox Co - Bill Morrissey
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10. PANEL: Consumer Green Brand Perceptions for 2008
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11. Keen Footwear - Bobbie Parisi
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12. Seventh Generation - Jeffrey Hollender
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13. PANEL: Designers Accord (summarized for conciseness)
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14. World of Good / Ebay - Robert Chatwani and Priya Haji
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15. PANEL: Environmental Labeling
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16. Big Green Purse - Diane MacEachern
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17. PANEL: The New Social Ethic, Making Sustainability Personal
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18. Climate Change Film Producer - Patrick Gregston
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19. Method Products - Eric Ryan
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20. Yahoo for Good - Erin Carlson
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21. New Belgium Brewery - Greg Owsley
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22. PANEL: On the Path to Carbon Neutrality
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23. PANEL: Establishing Credibility, Avoiding Greenwash
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24. Blogosphere Green Consumer Insights - Janet Eden-Harris and Averill Doering, Umbria
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25. PANEL: The Greening of Traditional Media
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26. Design for the Other 90%
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27. Fabien Cousteau - Undersea Adventures & State of the Ocean
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28. The Future of Sustainability - Mark Lee, SustainAbility
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29. PANEL: Building a Sustainable Brand at Gap Inc
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30. Hewlett-Packard, Printing & Imaging Division - Michelle Price
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31. PANEL: Innovations in Sustainable Packaging
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32. John Edson - Sustainable Product Design
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A model for concept development I put together, as part of a weekly series of info diagrams from different designers, marketers, and other creative types. The series is called “Think Draw Make”, the website is www.thinkdrawmake.com , and is organized by DT of DesignSojourn.com

Here is my official explanation of the diagram, as left by my comment at ThinkDrawMake:

My inspiration is from product development phases, with the understanding of ‘product’ as being wide open to include objects (physical and intangible) for commercial, nonprofit, personal, and communal use.

The word ‘Market’ may imply designing an object for commercial use only. However, it could be stretched so that we simply mean looking at non-competitive objects elsewhere in the world. This may be done for noting best practices, styling, and other inputs into concept development.

In the diagram, multiple ideas are thought out then each is examined against:

- Our Objective or Scope
- Quality (as a function of time, cost, and absolute value)
- Strategic Fit (organizational or personal values, culture, intended future direction)

If the idea passes that preliminary intuitive test, then it’s a good ‘Concept’. These will then be further explored and refined through detailed descriptions, models (drawings, 3d forms, etc.), research, and viability analysis.

The second screen simply asks which concepts are worth making, given our scope, their viability, attractiveness, and whatever constraints we may have (time, money, etc.).

Then we build prototypes and lastly, finished objects. In the diagram, we began with 5 ideas and ended up building 2. I don’t want to make the whole process seem too disciplined or difficult - but hey that’s life - to make great objects we have to be a little critical, you know? Money and time doesn’t grow on trees

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