Procter & Gamble, Unilever, TerraCycle and other members of the Loop Group were on hand in New York City last month to tout the benefits of totes; you know, those reusable bags that Loop members hope will appear on doorsteps across the US and Europe in the future. Loop’s goal is to reduce packaging waste by convincing consumers to think of packaging as an asset and not as a disposable item. Utilizing beautifully redesigned, reusable containers, Loop is billed as a zero-waste initiative from some of the biggest names in CPG (see Happi.com for more details).

Through efforts like Loop, FMCG companies are rethinking their branding; now it’s time for the rest to do so, too.

A couple of trade shows ago, a couple of exhibitors half-jokingly berated me for never taking samples, trinkets or tchotchkes from their booth; it’s not them, it’s me—after three decades in this industry, I have enough pens, pads, collapsible drink cups and phone charger cords to last six lifetimes; not to mention more shampoos, skin creams and sun care formulas than I could ever use. I’ve a feeling that many other industry veterans feel the same way. All these giveaways end up as throwaways and frankly, there has to be a better way. How about handing out a simple card with a note that reads: thanks for stopping by our stand. A donation has been made in your name to X? Just be sure it’s not a donation to George Costanza’s The Human Fund. Money for People.

Of course, less is more isn’t for everyone. One of our peddlers was in my office as I started writing this column and when I shared the topic, he exclaimed, “Oh, no, that’s not true! There are some great giveaways out there,” and launched into his sales pitch about a “stylish” wine tote with our Coatings World logo on it. That sort of short-sightedness is enough to make me want to drink.

And before I get emails about deforestation caused by printing Happi each month, you should know that our global reach continues to rise thanks to our digital edition and traffic from Happi.com, two paperless initiatives that we started back in 1996—isn’t technology grand?

We hope you enjoy this edition of Happi, which includes insights on the professional hair care market from the folks on the front lines—stylists and salon owners (p. 60). Also, this month, we report on the latest innovations coming out of the personal care packaging sector (p. 38). Finally, to keep up with the ever-evolving dermatologist skin care sector, turn to p. 56 in this issue.

Tom Branna
Editorial Director
[email protected]