White is the New Green
Most laundry detergent brands are sold in large carton boxes and still widely in use around the world. Brands of course need a canvas in which to distinguish themselves and communicate with their consumers on pack, but the use of ink printed on carton and paper material significantly reduces its sustainable benefits. We explored ‘cleaner’ packaging design concept to test the use of white itself can become a strong communication cue in terms of supporting the product’s proposition, a cleaner pack for cleaner laundry — simplifying the design to help amplify the impact. By removing the need for ink, we can enhance the consumer packaging experience and help brands to navigate the circular economy maze.

Does human behaviour ‘buy green’ ?
As part of our consumer neuroscience research, we have explored the impact and effectiveness that such desirable and sustainable packaging designs can have, as compared to a benchmark of existing packaging already in the market — one that we know to be performing well. Our mission is to understand if brains really do ‘buy green’. The conceptual packs received high scores on product value similar to the Omo pack but the white conceptual pack received more calm attention that was not seen with the Omo’s coloured pack. Overall, the exercise showed that brands can navigate the circular economy maze whilst still maintaining desirability.

Evolution NOT revolution
Brands such as Unilever’s Omo are committed to taking steps towards a more sustainable future — such steps are not a ‘nice to have’ but a necessity in order to both meet Government regulations and to protect our environment. Our research results indicate that well established brands can take such steps with confidence. By leveraging existing elements of recognition and amplifying the sustainable credentials of the packaging, brands such as Omo can evolve to offer more sustainable and desirable packaging solutions while maintaining their status in market.