More info, please.

There are a lot of brands, and they are all “great.” Why spend time figuring out which one to buy when your favorite YouTuber, TikToker or podcaster can just tell you the best one to get — and why — and then give you a discount code on top of that? Over the years, I’ve learned about and purchased from plenty of companies through the people I follow online, and overall it’s been a pleasant experience.

Social media’s ability to curate and bring new information to you through what and who you choose to interact with can help brands find their audience. Even without the influence of influencers, a brand can use social media to communicate about itself and tell a story. As a consumer, you can pick what to buy based on things that matter to you — like packaging, ethics, sourcing, ingredients, etc.

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve worked for Lush Cosmetics in the past. Each product came with a transparent story about why and how it was made and exactly where and who the ingredients came from. I still remember the story about the team flying to France to see and touch the lemons on the trees before deciding to use that lemon oil in its products.

Like the cosmetics and food and beverage industries, the packaging and waste management industries have a unique opportunity to be transparent. Social media can be used to share more information with consumers. Packages can only say so much, and as consumers continue to use e-commerce more than ever, they are looking to companies for more information about the process.

There is an obvious demand for sustainability from consumers, and this goes hand in hand with transparency and accountability. Sustainable packaging does not always guarantee a sustainable ending; many consumers don’t recycle for various reasons. For example, it is rare to see blue bins put out on recycling day in my neighborhood. The time has come for the packaging supply chain and waste management companies to start the conversation about how we can all follow through to achieve a circular economy.

In a recent podcast interview with George Argyros, CEO and partner of Soulsight, we discussed the importance of brand authenticity and using social media to communicate. As he puts it, “Regarding social media, brands have to have an authentic voice, touchpoints and engage with consumers intentionally. The days of an intern running your social campaign are waning; truthfully, brands are becoming more sophisticated and now understand that is one of the most intimate engagements it can have with their consumers.

Sam Paul

ASSOCIATE EDITOR
(248) 385-4346
pauls@bnpmedia.com