Final Thoughts from the Sustainable Packaging Forum

With a five-hour wait at the Denver Airport before journeying home, I had the chance to review my notes and give some thought to a very informative two days.

The final day’s speakers and roundtables, in my opinion, got down to the nitty-gritty of evaluating a company’s sustainable practices and products: Measurement. Which tools should you use? In which contexts? All metrics are not created equal – so which do you choose?

Colbert Reports from Denver

Tim Colbert continues to report from the Sustainable Packaging Forum in Denver:

Live From the Sustainable Packaging Forum

Having posted some audio musings from the opening moments of the Fourth Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum, I’ve ducked out of lunch early to share some keen insights from this morning’s first session.

Entitled Sustainability and Cost: Responsible Value Chain Business Decisions in a Weak Economy, the discussion featured CPGs (Kellogg, Frito-Lay, Sara Lee), packaging companies (ALCAN, GP) in addition to raw material suppliers and machinery manufacturers.

The main take away is that a slowing economy in many instances provides a cataylst for companies throughout the value chain to increase efficiencies and decrease energy use.

I was writing things down so fast during their spirited give and take that the following quotes are without attribution. But I guarantee that this is what was said. Some choice outtakes:

“We all agree sustainability is not a fad-it is here and here to stay.”
“Sustainability is now woven into decision making from the ceo on down.”
“Our ceo has said publicly and often that is one of our most important business opportunities.”
“Sustainability is about forcing efficiencies into the system”
“Major brands are actively looking further down the sc to tap innovatove suppliers and resin companiesm”

And my favorite: “We’re already doing things that are right–now we need to get the message out.”

Indeed. As a professional communicator in BtoB I am frequently frustrated by the inability or unwillingness of companies to responsibly communicate their sustainability successes and plans.

Opportunity, in the words of that anthem from the 70s, keeps walkin by. (Roberta Flack)

Old, Rich, and New-Media Savvy

When billionaire octogenarian T. Boone Pickens, ranked by Forbes as the 117th-richest person in America, takes his campaign for U.S. energy independence online through myriad social-media sites like myspace and youtube, one begins to realize that the term “New-Media” is quickly becoming a misnomer. Perhaps “Media” or “Business as Usual” is a more appropriate moniker.

The opportunities to increase B-to-B marketshare, sales, and brand-value through all of these communication vehicles continue to expand.

Yo, T.B. – Friend me!

From the WSJ Blog:

This morning, Mr. Pickens launched a publicity offensive for his “Pickens Plan,” a call for energy independence that includes greater reliance on wind power. So far, the publicity has included traditional elements, such as a lengthy story in USA Today and an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” this morning. But visitors to www.pickensplan.com, the Web site dedicated to promoting the oilman’s ideas, will find an effort to tap a different energy source: social networking.

Read the full story here: Link

There’s also a video from Picken’s which, while it hasn’t spread like wild-fire, does show what can be done with the medium. You can view it here:

Got Milk?

Here’s something new and different that we don’t often consider in B-To-B communications but holds real-world implications: Consumer Response.

The New York Times featured a story on consumer response to new milk packaging. The article details the experience at Sam’s Club of newly redesigned milk-packaging which is better for the environment, reduces shipping and crating costs, and ensures fresher milk arrives in-store faster. So what’s not to like? According to many customers it is difficult to pour.

Built A Better Mousetrap? Now What?

The former chairman of Young & Rubican, Peter Georgescu wrote about the combating the perils of commodification in October’s Fortune magazine. Georgescu argues that creativity and innovation are key to competing successfully in the 21st century. It’s interesting that he cites Google “new product a day” model as well as the creation of a tagline.

Georgescu does skip over a vital point (although he comes close to making it). Developing differentiation through defining and promoting the Unique Value Proposition. Building a better mousetrap isn’t enough. Communicating its unique benefits that make it better is essential. Ironically, Google did this very well when it first started. A PR campaign outlined why Google’s technology was different and better than what was out there. Today, all search engines use more or less the same technology, but only one is both a brand and a verb — anyone “Yahoo” anything lately?

Whether it’s B2B or B2C, creativity and innovation are important, but clearly defining that to the market is essential to reaping the rewards. If know one knows you built a better mousetrap, it’s just a mousetrap.

From Fortune (actually on money.cnn.com):

“There’s only one way to avoid the commodity quagmire, and it’s not easy: It’s through creativity. The good news is that at their best, American business minds excel at putting creativity to work. In the past half-century, Americans created everything from the Post-it note to the artificial heart to the Internet. Today Steve Jobs and nearly everyone employed at Google let their imaginations loose as a matter of course”

Full Article…(Link)

Related Link: Avoid Commoditization  by Kelly Howard, Senior Vice President, ABI

Mission Impossible

The New York Times ran an intriguing piece on the ubiquity of corporate mission statements and, in the opinion of many experts, their, shall we say, lack of utility. The salient point here is that Mission Statements are not bad in and of themselves. It’s what you do with them. And it comes down to language. Cliche terms and corporate mumbo jumbo don’t illuminate or inspire one to seek a business path forward — in mission statements, corporate writing, or, in fact, in life.

Focusing on benefits to costumers and clearly articulating the value of your business makes it easier for your customers, employees, and partners to see what the real differences are between you and your competition. Poorly written mission statement make a statement of their own: there is no real difference. We’re just like the other guy offering “innovative solutions with a focus on service.” Sound familiar?

(Link)