If you've ever visited the post room of a national media company in late December, you'll know that nothing in the world more closely resembles Santa's grotto on Christmas Eve. There's billowing bags of bubble-wrapped stocking fillers, bulging booze hampers, balloons, ribbons, and glitter galore – all there as an end of year token of appreciation or (more likely) to catch the eye of a journalist sitting upstairs.
It's a universal PR strategy that has been practised for years; send in a product with the aim of receiving editorial endorsement in return. And as the competition has become more fierce, the packages have grown more frequent and often more elaborate.
Over the past few years the response from journalists to such send-ins has gone from appreciation to ambivalence and this is predominantly down to one thing: excessive packaging and the long-term effect on the environment. Think plastic wrapping, oversized cardboard boxes, bubble-wrap and styrofoam, all of which is considered a serious sustainability concern.
Cosmopolitan US beauty director Carly Cardellino, former ELLE.com beauty editor Julie Schott and a ream of influencers have previously taken to social media to criticise brands for sending in product samples in disproportionate, unsustainable packaging. Just a few weeks ago in Australia, Mamamia executive editor Leigh Campbell took to Instagram to call for a change in the way beauty products are presented when sent to media.
While the tide is already beginning to change – last week Revlon's media drop arrived in a small, recyclable cardboard box – there is still a way to go. Following Campbell's Instagram stand, we sat down with the writer and editor, along with other members of the beauty industry, to find out their thoughts on how the time-honoured tradition of media deliveries could be updated to better consider the environment.
Ethical over elaborate
Brands and PRs could never be criticised for lack of creativity when it comes to helping products stand out. Portobello PR director and founder Charlie Boyce, says that in the past she would always try and push creative mailers to get cut through. But according to media, it's often the more theatrical packages that cause an attack of the conscience. Custom boxes with in-built foam are difficult to dispose of agree a number of journalists, while Campbell refers to screens and tablets embedded in packages as being, "Increasingly popular, very difficult to recycle and I'd imagine very expensive."
ELLE and Harper's BAZAAR beauty director Janna Johnson O'Toole agrees that anything that can't be reused should no longer be considered. This includes giant balloons, glitter confetti and excessive amounts of tissue paper, she says. And above all, "purpose-built containers."
The result of these eye-catching media send-ins can be of great significance and monetary value to a brand. Inclusion in an article or a social media post from an influencer can launch a product into consumer mainstream. But the journalists we spoke to for this article are insistent that these days, a simple parcel will get just as much consideration.
"If a brand wants to make an impact (which I absolutely understand), something useful or reusable is always appreciated," says Campbell.
"Fruit or food deliveries and flowers that haven't had the stems cut off still look great for social media but then get used afterwards. Or donating the cost of what would have been a press kit to a cause related to the brand or product always sends a positive message," she suggests.
In addition, a primary concern for O'Toole, who is now working across two monthly magazines, is that she has all the information about the product when it's received.
"Simply packaged products can still provide that lovely mini-moment and it doesn't mean it'll get any less consideration for coverage," she says, reiterating that covering the basics is still important. "I can receive a dozen parcels a day, so it’s very helpful when the package also includes all the vital information at a glance, preferably on a press release that can be kept on hand and passed on to our subs."
Small steps, big strides
Behind the scenes, PR experts will undoubtedly face external challenges that impact decisions around how products are presented and packaged - be it client or global team directives. This may mean that change won't happen straight away but as far as both Boyce and Campbell are concerned, education is the first step.
At Portobello PR, Boyce has communicated to all clients the importance of including sustainability in their public relations strategies. The team is now looking at how they can make eco-friendly amendments in the short-term, as well as what could be done by 2020-21.
"We appreciate it can be a long process for a larger packaging overhaul but our clients seem receptive to initiating small changes right away," says Boyce. "Generally all brands seem aware that there is a shift and it needs to be looked at quickly."
Following an internal workshop, Portobello PR has now switched to using branded calico bags where possible, non-laminated and recycled paper bags and compostable, biodegrade satchels to post products in.
Campbell also acknowledges that tomorrow or the end of the week are not realistic goals for a complete sustainability switch. But she recommends a number of resources including Sarah Wilson's climate change cheat sheet and Beach House PR's #changethebeautygame initiative over in the U.S, for ideas on how to be more mindful.
Campbell also rightly points out that the issue of waste is not limited to the PR and media industries by any stretch. It's something that needs to be addressed in our personal lives as well as our professional ones. But with an estimated 67 million tonnes (Mt) of waste produced in Australia in 2016-17, 5.6 Mt of which was paper and cardboard, not having a leaning tower of discarded boxes in the corner of the office will help journalists and PR professionals alike, sleep better at night.
Here at BD we know many beauty brands and PR companies are making positive changes in order to become sustainable. If you would like to share your story, please email aja@beautydirectory.com.au to be part of our Sustainability Switch series.