Having a corporate social conscience and being fiscally responsible go hand in hand. Can packaging be used to help brands balance style and ethics and win the “goodness” war? We first reported on this trend in the March 2006 issue of BRANDPACKAGING.

Consumer research indicates that today’s homeowner cares about the environment, yet is unsure of how to be a good environmental steward. Toward this end, the Scotts Company has introduced an initiative to educate consumers on how to protect the environment during their lawn and garden activities.

“Enjoying the benefits of a healthy lawn and protecting the environment go hand in hand,” says Rich Martinez, chief environmental officer for ScottsMiracle–Gro. “It is our responsibility to help educate consumers on stewardship issues and continuously improve products through design with the environment in mind.”

Scotts has incorporated environmental best practice tips on more than 35 million Scotts TurfBuilder brand fertilizer products. Messages, prominently featured on the packaging beneath the tag line “Scotts & Your Environment”, provide consumers with tips on the benefits of growing healthy turf, as well as information on how to ensure fertilizer remains on target in order to protect our water sources.

Bilingual instructions have also been incorporated on all Scotts branded lawn product packages. A significant percentage of the company’s customer base in the DIY market is of Hispanic or Latin American descent, and Scotts has found that providing instructions in both English and Spanish is another way to ensure that products are being used correctly. BP