Congratulations! Your marketing effort to build your brand and persuade prospects to buy your product has worked.
Do you know what happens to your brand when consumers finish with your product? Here are some of the brands I’ve seen displayed on the beach this summer:
3 Ways to prevent your brand from becoming litter
As a marketer, I know that you can’t be responsible for your customers’ actions. That said, you could make it worth their effort to dispose of the litter from your products in an environmentally friendly way. Here are three options that marketers employ to reduce the chances that their packaging will become litter.
- Incentivize customers with a reward or usage fee. Reusable bags are one method retailers use to accomplish this. Provide attractive bags that consumers will want to use again that help promote your firm. Some retailers like Whole Foods give customers a savings for bringing their own bags. Many beverage companies charge a nominal deposit fee to ensure that consumers return their bottles and cans.
- Make your packaging biodegradable. Going green can provide an advantage to a segment of your customers who are concerned about the future of our planet. For example, Sun Chips advertises its new green-friendly wrapper.
- Offer recycling. This can take a variety of formats. For example, some retailers collect their used plastic bags, cleaners can collect hangers, and cell phone providers collect old rechargeable batteries.
3 Questions to ask regarding your brand
While some may regard the issue of disposed brands as a form of anthropology, in today’s green-friendly environment, it can be turned into a distinguishing attribute. Here are three questions to bear in mind:
- What is leftover in terms of the product and related packaging after your product is consumed? Do they have brand identifying marks?
- How are these residual product remains disposed of? How does this reflect on your brand?
- How can your firm aid the process and appear helpful and environmentally friendly while enhancing your company’s marketing?
Remember, as a marketer, it’s important to use every opportunity that your products and customers offer you to extend your brand image in a positive manner.
Happy marketing,
Heidi Cohen
Photo source: Heidi Cohen
