SUSTAINABILITY REPORT: Marketing sustainability

Marketing sustainability

Brands need to show how they’re improving their sustainability practices to win consumer loyalty with just 52% of Australians saying they trust that brands they’re buying from are acting sustainably, and 69% believe brands need to be more transparent about their sustainable practices, according to new Mastercard research.

Brands in the appliance and consumer electronics industry are highlighting their sustainability efforts in various ways including through campaigns, partnerships, the use of digital tools in favour of printed materials and encouraging consumers to get involved with recycling programs for end-of-life products.

The Electrolux Make It Last Campaign ensures that the company’s commitment to sustainability is not only at the forefront behind the scenes, but also articulates its commitment to consumers, allowing them to make informed purchasing decisions.

INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS

No single organisation can resolve the issues in the transition to a circular economy, which is why many brands are collaborating with like-minded companies to promote their sustainability credentials.

Miele Australia and New Zealand initiated a partnership with carbon and energy management consultancy, Pangolin Associates to understand its carbon footprint and develop a roadmap to 2030 with steps that can be taken to become more sustainable. Miele’s partnership with Pangolin will support progress not only towards carbon neutrality, but also explore opportunities to ultimately become carbon negative.

In 2020, Miele collaborated with Joost Bakker’s Future Food System project in Melbourne embracing a ‘zero waste’ philosophy. Miele supplied a selection of appliances for the pop-up home and urban farm in Federation Square, which operated on solar power.

LG supports sustainability-focused organisations. For example, LG donated $500,000 to WIRES for the conservation of native animals and habitats following the 2020 bushfires. LG has also helped those impacted by environmental disasters, including more than 150 families affected by the NSW floods during 2019 and 2020.

LG donated $500,000 to WIRES for the conservation of native animals and habitats following the 2020 bushfires.

Bosch and Reckitt-Benckiser’s Finish brand are in partnership to generate awareness around the water efficiency of using dishwashers over hand washing. With major sustainability campaigns each year, this message will remain a key highlight of the Bosch marketing strategy.

Groupe SEB is a partner of OzHarvest to help raise awareness about food waste and provide support for food insecurity. Groupe SEB also works with Good Foundation through its partnership with Jamie Oliver to provide products and help customers learn how to cook through classes. ➤

Nespresso is a partner of Planet Ark to help promote its recycling solutions. Nespresso is also working with the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Smart Centre to research better ways of processing aluminium and to discover better uses of aluminium.

TRANSITION TO DIGITAL

The shift toward digital materials and virtual environments has been accelerated by Covid-19 but appears to be a trend that is here to stay.

Electrolux moved to include QR codes on pointof-sale material a few years ago, well before Covid. This move was not only to ensure the longevity of marketing materials, but also to allow consumers to engage with messages more efficiently. Product registration now triggers the automatic digital delivery of the associated user manual.

Smeg is rolling out point-of-sale material with QR codes to reduce printing requirements for in-store activations and displays. Smeg is also investigating the use of screens in-store to update promotions and maintain a visual appearance without the need for paper or cardboard. Smeg products launched in 2022 will include a light user manual with a QR code. Smeg continues to embrace virtual events and leverage its web-based training platform, Smeg Learning, to deliver training to floor sales staff.

Smeg Learning delivers virtual training to more than 2,500 floor sales staff around the country.

BSH has transitioned from a 100-page cooking catalogue to a one-page leaflet with a QR code. BSH is also transitioning user manuals and product registration material to incorporate QR codes.

Jura is moving away from physical collateral instore and will completely remove any paper-based material in the near future. Jura Live is an example of the company’s continued digital investment.

RECYCLING PROGRAMS

Survey participants in the Australasian Recycling Label Consumer Insights Report 2021 listed recycling as the single most important behaviour they can take to improve the environment.

Nespresso invites customers to bring used capsules into Nespresso boutiques or take them to participating florists for recycling. The importance of recycling is promoted through signage and videos in Nespresso boutiques, dedicated recycling pages on its website, and eDMs sent to customers. Nespresso is also trialling the CurbCycle program collecting capsules via kerbside in three councils in Sydney and Newcastle.

Nespresso is trialling the CurbCycle program collecting capsules via kerbside in three councils in Sydney and Newcastle.

In 2022, Groupe SEB will launch a recycling campaign for cookware following success in Europe. The program allows customers to bring back their used cookware in store to be collected and sent to a recycling centre for reuse. Groupe SEB will also introduce a cookware range 100% made of recycled aluminium.

iRobot invites consumers to recycle the lithiumion batteries that power Roomba and Braava products. User manuals provide information and instructions on how to recycle the batteries.

When Jura machines come to end of life, the machine is pulled apart to see what can be re-used or recycled. In Switzerland, Jura is a partner of the Swiss Sens E-Recycling Foundation, a registered collection point and disassembly company that properly disposes of products in a sustainable way. In Australia, Jura works with an e-recycling partner to follow a similar but less formal process.

In Australia, LG Electronics participates in e-waste take-back and recycling services such as Reclaim Refrigerant Australia and the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.