The Sexiest Conversation You’ve Ever Had about Sustainable Packaging

While we all hope that brands continue to think about the environmental implications of their packaging, let’s be honest here – it’s generally not a very sexy topic. Conversations about reduced carbon footprints are often communicated as stuffy PR pieces which, while commendable, are hardly worth sharing.

That’s what makes the above video from Puma so refreshing. The clip takes the viewer through the story behind the packaging change, and drives home the environmental benefits in a visually appealing manner. Conversations about megajoules don’t normally look this good.

The same can be said for Starbucks’ “The Big Picture” campaign, in which Starbucks’ drinkers pledge to switch from disposable cups to reusable travel mugs. Again, a nice gesture, but not too exciting. Yet, the campaign does a nice job quantifying the aggregate results of thousands of consumers making the switch. The campaign video (housed here) feels more like a lighthearted Apple ad than an environmental message, and it’s framed by a real-time counter showing the total environmental impact generated by the campaign (the latter being a nice example of using gaming mechanisms to make mundane tasks more fun).

Both of these campaigns go beyond simply touting their green credentials; they each tell stories about sustainability. In a recent article from Mediapost’s Marketing Green, the author claims that storytelling is “the antidote to information overload.” By connecting these somewhat mundane behaviors to an emotional context (i.e. being part of a worldwide cause), participation feels much more like an enthusiastic statement of values than a guilt-motivated chore.

Marketers who are touting their green credentials (and frankly, who isn’t these days) must recognize that there’s just as much clutter in the green space as there is elsewhere. For your efforts to really resonate, make that messaging sexy, emotional, and – gasp! – a lot more fun to digest.