Package Design | packagedesignmag.com

(December 2010) posted on Fri Jan 21, 2011

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The Scott Naturals sub-brand debuted in 2009 with a confident “Green Done Right” tagline and products that contain 40% recycled content or have other unique benefits, like the tube-free product pictured above. Earlier this year, parent company Kimberly-Clark began looking at new ways to promote sustainable behavior in consumers’ homes.
In their exploration, Kimberly-Clark discovered both dire predictions of future water shortages in the U.S. and consumer misconceptions about water use. For instance, in a survey of 1,000 consumers, 45% believed bathing or showering consumes most household water. In fact, toilet flushing is actually the number one use of water in the home.
To raise awareness of the water conservation issue, the Scott Naturals brand gave away thousands and thousands of an innovative Smart Flush bag on their normally priced 8- and 12-pack Scott Naturals bathroom tissue. When placed in the toilet tank, the material in the bag absorbs water and expands, reducing the amount of water consumed in each flush by up to one liter. Estimates indicate a family of four could save 2,000 gallons of water per year by using the Smart Flush bag.

Starting conversations
“We’re kicking off the conversation about water,” explains Doug Daniels, brand manager for Scott brand strategy and innovation. “The biggest challenge is the education that needs to go on with consumers.” Though 80% of consumers might express interest in buying green, few act on that interest.
The Scott Naturals brand approach is to make it as easy as possible for environmentally aware consumers to take a green step at home without changing their normal routines. “The ‘Green Done Right’ promise is about finding the right balance,” says Daniels. “Our green products, from a quality standpoint, are virtually indistinguishable from our main product line.”
The heritage of Scott paper products is a value brand, where consumers get the maximum number of bathroom tissue sheets at a fair price, and the Scott Naturals message stays confined to one or two specific benefits. “Consumers get overwhelmed when you’re throwing a number of messages at them,” Daniels explains. “We’re staying true to our core brand.

Attaching sustainability
The three-month Smart Flush initiative ran through the fall with a wide release through existing channels, especially with distribution in Walmart and Target stores. One aspect that took some trial and error was figuring out how to attach the Smart Flush device to the outside of the 8- and 12-packs.
The device is not small, and it has some weight to it. There was a balance to be struck between securing the device and providing easy access to it for consumers. The solution was a hand-applied square sheet of plastic glued to the top of the package. The combination of the weight of the plastic sheet and the adhesive strength was such that an easy pull from the consumer freed the Smart Flush device.
Internal, informal testing with both the packaging solution and with the direct “Save Water” branding were all that were necessary for Kimberly-Clark to move forward with the campaign. “We were very confident we were hitting the right points,” Daniels concludes. “We’re addressing the issues that consumers are reacting to. Delivering on sustainability is the whole package you’re giving to them.”