Campaign: Friends of Glass - Endless Lives of Glass
Success achieved
A fun and creative campaign raising awareness of the benefits of glass packaging , supporting the environment and driving behavioural change across Europe.- Website
- https://www.friendsofglass.com
- Project dates
February 2016 - January 2017
Project team
- Michael Delle Selve, Senior Communications Manager
- Adeline Farrelly, Secretary General Weber Shandwick
- James Nester, Executive Creative Director
- Nora Lawton, Director
- Benjamin Fox, Digital Strategist
- Christian Prior, Account Director
Tools & Systems
- Survey: an Omnibus survey was commissioned to outline quantitative results and analysis of European perspectives on glass packaging recycling. The Friends of Glass website was re-designed to push as many users to the campaign content as possible. This revamp also included the creation of an interactive tool which doubled as the online hub for the European omnibus survey results.
- Innovative sound technology: ‘Talking Bottle’ Marketing Campaign
- Video: video footage was promoted via paid advertising across social media platforms – with comedians sharing via their social presences and short teasers created to entice consumers to watch the full videos.
- Social media platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
Introduction
FEVE is the voice of the European glass packaging industry. The aim of its long-term “Friends of Glass” campaign is to encourage more people to choose glass packaging when shopping for groceries.
In 2014, the 3-year strategic campaign, ‘Look Beyond the Label’ was launched, aimed at positively influencing consumer perceptions of glass packaging. In 2016, we launched ‘Endless Lives of Glass’, a consumer campaign born of a simple, but compelling insight: unlike any other packaging material, glass is endlessly recyclable. If only glass bottles could talk, what interesting stories they might tell.
The campaign is a truly European initiative that engaged with consumers in 11 European countries in a very innovative and creative way through social media and offline. The design of the campaign allowed national and European relevance, showcasing in an engaging and fun way the unique environmental assets of glass packaging.
The ‘Endless Lives of Glass’ consumer awareness campaign in 2016 was a brave leap by FEVE: trade associations are governed by multiple stakeholders and sometimes communications activity can focus soley on conventional media relations. To support Europe’s glass packaging industry body, FEVE, we found a compelling insight: unlike any other packaging material, glass is endlessly recyclable. If only glass bottles could talk, what stories they might tell... In supermarkets across Europe, glass bottles surprised shoppers by coming to life, thanks to innovative custom-built bottles, hidden cameras, and voiced by well-known comedians.
Discovery
In 2014, Friends of Glass launched a three-year long campaign, ‘Look beyond the Label’ with the aim of encouraging more people to choose glass packaging when shopping for groceries. Since 2014, the campaign has significantly evolved and continues to perform successfully.
The Friends of Glass community has grown considerably year on year. Online engagement continues to outperform original targets, whilst campaign coverage within traditional media outlets and channels remains impressive. The benefits of glass packaging are clear: it’s sustainable, it’s virtually inert, it’s 100% recyclable, reusable and refillable; it’s safe to store food and drinks in; and it’s beautiful. But it faces stiff competition from the likes of plastic, metal and laminated cartons.
‘Look beyond the Label’ is active across 11 European markets. Over the last three years, a distinct focus has been placed on the following themes: health (2014), taste (2015) and the environment (2016).
Since 2014, our core objectives have remained steadfast:
- Grow the Friends of Glass community across Europe, to show increasing awareness of and support for the benefits of glass as a packaging material
- Deepen consumer engagement via established Friends of Glass social channels (such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram)
Activities
Our analysis of consumer trends as well as pan-European survey findings indicated that consumer perception and awareness has a real impact on sales of glass products. Research also showed that glass packaging is seen by consumers as a commodity product. We wanted to turn a commodity product into a considered one, by creating video content based on a compelling insight: unlike any other packaging, you can endlessly recycle glass. In fact, glass has endless lives (and glass containers have been with us in one way or other since 1500BC).
We wanted to create a new platform in 2016 that would effectively tell the story of what makes glass packaging so special from a distinct environmental angle. Friends of Glass 2016 focused on positioning glass as the most positive packaging material due to its recycling capabilities, whilst communication efforts further reinforced how glass is a positive contributor to a sustainable society within the circular economy. Indeed, glass packaging is the most sustainable form of packaging, as it’s infinitely recyclable. Based on this key insight, a simple, yet disruptive campaign idea was born – the Endless Lives of Glass (Parents are busy. How are we going to get them to stop in their tracks and get them to reconsider glass? If only glass bottles could talk, imagine what stories they could tell).
Talking bottle
For the first time, we gave glass a voice. We built innovative ‘talking’ glass bottles that engaged with consumers in supermarkets all over Europe. The bases of wine, beer, olive oil, tomato sauce bottles were removed and replaced by 3D-printed modified bottoms. Our bottles looked exactly like ordinary bottles – but actually, they were quite extraordinary. Each bottle had its own uniquely designed label to ensure it looked authentic on the shelf. Created by a UK sound technology company, the innovative ‘talking glass bottles’ are made of 100% glass and feature a 3D-printed base retrofitted with Bluetooth technology to capture surround sound.
Our comedians were placed in backrooms of the supermarkets, from where they could see what was going on in the store. The comedian would surprise passing shoppers by waking up and addressing them directly. The ensuing conversations blended pre-scripted lines with the spontaneous, ad-libbing wit of the comedians.
We worked with six supermarkets across Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and Poland. Cameras were hidden among products on shelves and in point-of-sale displays to capture genuine consumer reactions – shocked faces, the “OMG” gasps, and laughter – from multiple angles.
The voices of glass were Bridget Jones actress, Sally Phillips (UK); comedian Christophe Beaugrand (France); comedian Kaya Yanar (Germany); voice-over celebrity Ramón Langa (Spain); actor and comedian Diego Abatantuono (Italy) and local TV weather-man Bartek Jędrzejak (Poland). The 2016 campaign focused on the positive benefits of glass from an environmental point of view.
The three key points of focus include:
1. Education through investigating consumer habits on glass recycling
A consumer omnibus survey was carried out in partnership with research institute Respond in order to showcase consumer perceptions and ideas about glass, sustainability, and recycling, in turn providing a concrete research-driven basis for the 2016 campaign. The survey was conducted across five priority markets: UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and France, and six secondary markets: Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Our analysis of consumer trends, as well as pan-European survey findings, indicated that consumer perception and awareness have a real impact on sales of products in glass. Glass is seen as only one option in the competing market of packaging materials.
Our research has also shown that glass packaging is seen by consumers as a commodity product – one that requires an interesting and creative angle to make it relevant to consumers and to communicate the product’s benefits effectively.
Friends of Glass used the findings to create engagement content and to eductate European consumers on the benefits of glass when it comes to the environment.
2. Engagement on the environmental benefits of glass and its endless recyclability
A disruptive, creative approach would need a compelling and persuasive insight. And we found one: unlike any other material, glass can be endlessly recycled. In fact, glass containers have been with us in one way or other since 1500 BC. If only glass bottles could talk about their previous lives, what interesting stories they might tell!
3. Measurement of Europeans’ perception of glass packaging and the effectiveness of the Friends of Glass campaign
Target audience
The campaign targeted European shoppers, in particular mums and dads who are responsible for the family grocery shopping – but who are also very active online across numerous social channels.
We wanted to tap into their appetite for authentic, genuine and engaging content, whilst placing a laser-sharp focus on the Tier 1 markets - Germany, France, Italy, UK, and Spain. Video content was also captured in Poland (Tier 2 market).
Innovation
The campaign was a huge technical challenge. To make it work we had to create a talking bottle, building innovative sound technology within a glass bottle, which would be placed on a supermarket shelf in a manner that would blend in with the other products on shelf, but also, go unnoticed by shoppers.
Marketing
The talking bottles became our key campaign asset and the hero of the ‘Endless Lives of Glass’ video content across our core social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, to engage with our target audience like never before.
Short teasers drew viewers to the longer versions of the video content – we leveraged the power of our celebrities’ social media presence to keep the campaigns ‘localised’ (e.g. all content was deployed across on our social channels, whilst it was also boosted by comprehensive placement on our comedian’s personal channels!).
Social media advertising was used to target specific audiences across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. We pushed our content within channels where we know our target audience spends their time whilst online. In general, the Friends of Glass social media channels and website were re-designed to push as many users to the video content (and ultimately towards our campaign messages) as possible – where we had strong social media calls-to-action, which in turn led to behavioural change.
Challenges
FEVE members produce over 20 million tonnes of glass a year for some of the world’s biggest brands. Glass packaging is sustainable; virtually inert; recyclable and reusable; safe to store food and drink in; and beautiful. But it faces competition from plastic, metal and laminated cartons.
Consumers perceive glass packaging as a commodity product. So, how do we tell consumers the story of what makes glass packaging so special and enable them to take an informed decision when doing the grocery shopping?
Achievements
- Consumers demonstrated a huge interest in the campaign through their comments on the videos on the social media channels. These comments relate to the humour of the campaign, but also to the key messages and the issue (i.e. the environmental benefits of glass packaging).
- The campaign ‘Endless Lives of Glass’ surpassed all KPIs
- A Q4 2016 European survey indicates half of all consumers claim to use more glass than they did three years ago (2014). In a competitive market space, industry data indicates glass packaging production was up 2.4% in H2 2016 during the campaign period.
Targets & Statistics
Statistics - Friends of Glass campaign
The campaign was a huge success in terms of consumer engagement and raising awareness of our key messages and topics through a very creative approach. We surpassed all KPIs and received very positive feedback from consumers and the industry. Results to date include a stronger online presence, with only positive engagements across social media and a significant community growth, as well as numerous traditional media spots in tier-one publications across the markets.
* Including coverage in Le Figaro, Mail Online and Corriere Della Sera.
** They were largely positive about glass packaging but also about the way of how this has been communicated.
When it comes to Friends of Glass awareness, 1 in 4 people indicate awareness of ‘a glass campaign’ (which is impressive as Friends of Glass is essentially an awareness driving exercise), whilst Friends of Glass campaign awareness is up 1% from 2010, now at 5% on average – the highest is Italy at 9%, followed by Spain and Poland at 8%. Due to the success of the Endless Lives of Glass campaign across the key markets, the industry decided to extend the campaign to 2017.
Financials
In total, the ‘Endless Lives of Glass’ campaign budget was €1,200,000
The campaign resulted in increased awareness surrounding the benefits of glass packaging. The community of Friends of Glass increased by 42% in one year. Almost 22 million people viewed the campaign video content. Based on estimates from ComScore research, +14 million people are now more likely to buy glass packaging after watching ‘The Endless Lives of Glass’ video content.
A measurement of the digital performance index indicated that the campaign generated each consumer engagement at 0.1 EUR per engagement. This is far greater than the 2015 performance which generated an engagement for 0.05 EUR.
In addition, the results of a recent European survey (January 2017) imply a consumer behavior change since the start of this 3-year campaign: 1 out of 2 consumers claim to use more glass than they did 3 years ago. Overall, the campaign proved to be a very good return on investment for the members.
Feedback & Testimonials
“Glass is 100% recyclable and has endless lives, so do like me: choose glass and recycle it!”
Christophe Beaugrand, Campaign Ambassador in France
“I’ve really enjoyed working along with Friends of Glass for their new campaign, it is a fun environmentrelated activity. Filming along with the team I have realized that some people are unaware of the real benefits of glass, I have learned a lot myself and believe the campaign will catch consumers’ attention.”
Ramón Langa, Campaign Ambassador in Spain
“I really enjoy my connection with Friends of Glass and it fits well with my role as a drinks educator. The project to educate people on how the shape of glassware affects the taste and drinking expe rience of beer & cider has intrigued people and made them think about glass. Friends of Glass focus on food and drink has been timely as this is a growing area as people expand their drinks options with meals and are keen to learn about how to match their food and drink. On the dining table this is where glass bottles have no peer - they are elegant and the 75 cl size are perfect for sharing.”
Jane Peyton, Campaign Ambassador in the UK
“People who follow me know that, among the topics I talk more about, “waste” is a relevant one. I used quotes because what really interests me is the universe of all things that, thanks to our good behavior, can be saved from landfill and reintroduced in the economic circle giving them new life. Glass is a material that can be endlessly recycled and is a clear example of circular economy”.
Letizia Palmisano, letiziapalmisano.it
“....If you’re equally enthused about glass, then Friends of Glass is the community for you. This community supports everything about glass packaging, and advocates a lifestyle which includes glass for three main reasons: health, taste and sustainability. I’m sure we can raise a glass to that!”
Moral Fibres Blog
Wider impact
The Friends of Glass campaign significantly grew our audience base during 2016. This resulted in increased awareness, positive engagement with people as well as serving to enhance industry reputation. We highlighted the unique environmental benefits of glass packaging whilst increasing the support of glass as the most optimum and best form of packaging available. On a human perspective, we also wanted to promote a sustainable lifestyle. We showed people that they need to ‘Look Beyond the Label’ and choose a packaging solution that doesn’t harm the environment.
The campaign proved a significant return on investment for FEVE and its members; indeed, our work went beyond creating awareness by encouraging consumers all over Europe to consider buying more food and drinks packaged in glass when doing their grocery shopping.
The results of a recent European survey (commissioned in October 2016 with results shared in January 2017), indicate positive consumer behavior change since the start of this 3-year campaign: 1 out of 2 consumers claim to use more glass than they did 3 years ago (2014). When it comes to Friends of Glass awareness, the results are just as strong; 1 in 4 people indicate awareness of ‘a glass campaign’ (which is impressive as Friends of Glass is essentially an awareness driving exercise), whilst Friends of Glass campaign awareness is up 1% from 2010, now at 5% on average – the highest is Italy at 9%, followed by Spain and Poland at 8%.
Based on estimates from ComScore research, +14 million people are now more likely to buy glass packaging after watching our content. Campaign content and our comedians helped to secure positive coverage in tier 1 media outlets such as the Daily Mail, Le Figaro and Corriere Della Sera.
