"Show me you care, don't tell me", my old advertising teacher used to say.
Sun Chips have done exactly that and strengthened their brand with their new compostable packaging.
This leap forward in their brand perception allows Sun Chips to more effectively weave into the eco-friendly community. A deeper relationship can now be forged with the customer based on action and product.
This example shines golden compared to the empty corporate logo plastering that occurs with earth-friendly communities and events. I remember being invited to a benefit concert in an effort to clean up the beaches where I live that was sponsored by a certain energy drink. I was shocked to see their cans and promotional items littered all over the sand.
Packaging can have as much effect on consumers as the product itself. It is the visual representation of, and container for the product. In many cases packaging has a 'remarketable' staying power as in Altoids tins, shoe boxes, etc.
Since the package is a significant visual cue toward purchase of said product, then Sun Chips has answered the question - how can packaging be legitimizing? more effective?
The recent concerns of greenwashing and overuse of the words 'natural', 'organic', etc., have created a more skeptical consumer. In this case, it should be noted that with every passing day, this same consumer is able to perform a solid background check about a brand online on sites such as Good Guide, a "...source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home."
Given that the Sun Chips brand has always had a solid niche in the saturated (pun intended) world of chip companies, the biodegradable bag is a strong statement of walking the walk.
Sun Chips passes the test by doing what they represent. How can your brand do the same?
Tim Andren is the founder of Guideas, Inc. an innovation and marketing company.
