Environmentalism and sustainability are now
essential aspects of brand building, and in an increasingly competitive marketplace, effectively engaging consumers
poses many challenges. The expanded retail landscape has altered the way consumers interact with products and services, and standing out from direct competitors and defining oneself as a leader in the category requires an extra level of value strategy.
Getting back to basics may help businesses and major brands better communicate their dedication to the circular economy, engaging the consumer through an invitation to participate. Through our partnerships at TerraCycle, we’ve seen several consumer product brands and businesses experience success with in-store recycling collections.
Drives Foot Traffic
One of the invaluable positives to an in-store recycling promotion is the foot traffic it generates. Though marketing experts like to attribute the burgeoning trend of e-commerce to
millennial shopping behavior, the reality is that all generations of consumers find themselves taken with the convenience of shopping online. But brick-and-mortar retailers offer customers what online shopping can’t: the opportunity to physically touch, feel and experience products for themselves.
The advantage created by making recycling the reason a customer enters a brick-and-mortar retail store is a two-fold: number one, you get them in the store and, number two, they have something to feel good about before they even buy anything. For example, TerraCycle and GU Energy Labs have recently expanded their successful
Performance Nutrition Recycling Program to include all brands of performance nutrition packaging, and have given all GU retailers the opportunity to designate their locations as a public drop-off points for recycling performance nutrition packaging such as energy gel, drink mix and energy chew packets.
Creating in-store foot traffic around an empowering behavior like recycling inspires goodwill and positive feelings in the same environment where purchases occur, maximizing profit potential for each retail transaction.
Builds Brand Loyalty
We know that consumers are now more
willing to pay more for sustainable products and services than ever before. But while cost, performance and credibility remain prohibitive factors standing between consumers and “
doing the right thing,” creating and strengthening brand loyalty for these eco-conscious companies is essential for driving sales against well-established competitors.
This is especially true for specialty brands like
Wellness Natural Pet Food, a premium pet food brand available
in pet specialty stores. Presented for purchase alongside well-known dog food brands like Purina or Iams, Wellness Natural Pet Food is faced with the tall order of offering the consumer a promise of value exceeding that of other labels.
Through TerraCycle, Wellness provides a recycling solution for its difficult-to-recycle product packaging, and retailers designated as public-drop off locations per the program can promote themselves as a collection point, communicating their sustainability commitment to customers.
This type of sustainable marketing rewards the consumer by giving them the opportunity to invest in a cause. Emotional and social value benefits are prevalent here, as the activation plays to emotional sensibilities and allows the consumer to make a social statement.
In-store recycling collections are a visual, tactile way to engage customers with the product you are trying to sell. Consumers are driven to purchase by a variety of factors, and it’s up to manufacturers and brands to figure out what those are, and market accordingly.
Never underestimate the allure of a well-placed masquerade-style mask. Are you Zorro? A debutante? A superhero? Who knows! But even without full disguise grab, this nifty Halloween mask is an instant costume and adds interest and intrigue with its eye-catching, unconventional material.
Click HERE for Capri Sun Halloween Mask DIY Instructions
Dogs are the real MVP. They love us unconditionally, and just want to spend time with us. Include your furry friend in the Halloween festivities by crafting a handmade costume that speaks to the hero they are inside. Super dogs super upcycle!
Design Tip: This sizing is for a smaller dog; scale accordingly for your pet.
Click HERE for Wellness Dog Cape DIY Instructions
It’s been said that 25% of your wardrobe budget should go towards your accessories; we disagree. Give your Halloween costume (and your everyday ensemble) that je ne se quoi at little cost; if you have all of the materials, it would be a negative cost since you’d normally throw out used coffee capsules and are tapping into a new resource for your DIY supplies: positively energizing!
Click HERE for Nespresso Capsule Bracelet DIY Instructions
Don’t forget to jazz up your hair! Perfect for children who need a bit of help keeping their mane tame and tidy in general, this fun, voluminous hair barrette lends itself well to a costume for a baton twirler, a faux flower for a hula dancer, or, more literally, a topping for a sweet confectionary treat like a cupcake or lollipop.
Click HERE for Chocolate Wrapper Barrettes DIY Instructions
Get togethers and parties are an excellent reason to decorate, and this DIY shampoo bottle chandelier gives off a ghoulish green ambiance that’s perfect for All Hallows’ Eve. Bold, bright and boo-tiful (we had to!), a centerpiece you made yourself is sure to be a conversation starter. Don’t have enough bottles? Swap in some empties of other containers like lotions, conditioners, or beverages—better yet, ask your friends for their recyclables!
Click HERE for Shampoo Bottle Chandelier DIY Instructions
Holidays are about having fun. Best part about these Halloween DIYs is that they allow you to use your creativity and your rubbish to make something amazing with items you already have. If you can make something out of “nothing,” just think of what else your resourceful self can do! Another option: make nature-inspired Halloween crafts from the world around you.
Happy Halloween Upcycling!