In plastics image fight, industry looks for its superhero

Plastics, meet Aquaman.

In a simple way, that's a short description for how plastics executives at a recent conference were grappling with how to turn around the industry's public image problems and legislative threats.

They were looking at how competing packaging materials get their message out to the public, when Kristin Kelley, global head of communications with Amcor Rigid Packaging, pointed out that aluminum packager Ball Corp. was using actor Jason Momoa, who plays the DC Comics superhero Aquaman in movies, in ads and social media to talk up their new aluminum beverage cup.

"If you look at what Ball's doing right now, their current ad campaign is using Aquaman, Jason Momoa, in an incredibly clever way," she told a Nov. 3 online panel at the Plastics Packaging Summit. "Aquaman doesn't have any intellectual expertise on sustainability, but what he does have is a lot of influence.

"They have certainly put a lot of dollars and a lot of resources behind education, awareness and marketing, and that is something we can lift and shift, and we should, if we expect to have that same sort of impact," she said.

Kelley urged her colleagues at the conference, which was sponsored by the Plastics Industry Association, to look at what aluminum and other industries are doing on messaging.

"I think there's a lot to learn from that," she said. "They've tapped into really great influencers in the space, not just professors or researchers, which I think is sometimes where we think we have to go to, at least at Amcor."

On the panel, a plastics association representative moderating the discussion said the trade group has recently formed a new communication working group that's expected to look at those image challenges.

But 20 years ago, the industry spent a lot trying to influence public attitudes.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, companies dropped up to $25 million a year on a TV and media effort, the Plastic Makes it Possible campaign, designed to communicate the benefits of plastics and help in political battles. It included regular public opinion surveys to try to measure attitudes toward plastic.

While there's no indication anything on that scale is being considered again, the executives on the panel were clear in their desire to get louder in communicating the benefits of plastics and mentioned areas like the medical industry, food packaging and manufacturing electric cars.

"Our industry needs to step up the game and then take some of the detractors head on and make sure that the full story gets out," said David McLain, director of sustainability at packaging maker Printpack Inc.

If the plastics groups want to step up efforts with celebrities like Momoa, though, they may need to take a number.

Coincidentally, on Nov. 2 a group of actors, Hollywood executives and environmental groups announced their own effort to change depictions of single-use plastics in movies, shows and media.

In a report titled "Flip the Script on Plastics" from the University of Southern California Annenberg Norman Lear Center, they called on "content creators to minimize depictions of single-use plastics and instead consciously model the use of package-free or reusable items."

The report was commissioned by the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

"Helping audiences to stop seeing plastic pollution as normal is critical as the world seeks to move away from fossil fuels — of which single-use plastics are made," actor Ed Begley Jr. said in a news release. "This initiative couldn't be more timely as people are realizing the injustice and inequity of plastic pollution and the climate crisis, and world leaders are being pushed to act."

The group said it would work with actors, writers and producers to change portrayals of single-use plastic. Its report analyzed 32 popular TV shows from the 2019-20 season for depictions of plastic use.

On the plastics industry panel, discussions went well beyond Hollywood or finding influencers on social media.

At times, panel members highlighted the need for companies to take a nuanced approach in their communications, as well as noting a need for industry to "get on with" efforts to improve upon low polypropylene packaging recycling levels.

A LyondellBasell Industries executive, for example, urged the industry to recognize concerns about plastic pollution.

"I think the approach we need to take is one of empathy," said David Greely, manager of marketing and brand communications with LBI. "We need to acknowledge that plastic in the environment, I think we all can agree, is not a good thing. We can do a better job of reducing our carbon output, and we can at least get on a respectable level playing field with the debate.

"Then we can start to shift and discuss … how plastics literally saved lives, our applications in health care or food packaging or hygiene," he said. "If you want to go to an electric car environment, you have to have plastics.

"The naysayers of plastics are going to approach the argument in a very emotional way," Greely said. "They're going to show the poor turtle with the plastic straw in its nose, the island of plastic in the Pacific and beaches littered with plastic."

The group also discussed what moderator George Southworth, senior director for processors and global packaging regulation at the plastics association, described as the industry "moving from a defensive position to a more offensive position."

Kelley believes it will require more effort from companies throughout the value chain.

"I've been giving a lot of thought to how to do that; we've been putting together plans for how to do that," she said. "As I said before, this is a fight and a war, and frankly, we're sort of on the losing end of that."

Kelley's boss, Amcor Rigid Packaging President Eric Roegner, gave a similar speech to kick off the event, where he said the industry was in a fight for its image. Roegner worked in the aluminum industry before joining Amcor.

"We all have to fight together, up and down the value chain," Kelley said. "I think this is what the Aluminum Association has done really, really well. I think that's another page we can take out of their playbook."

She said the plastics industry was in some ways "caught flat footed."

"My point of view is, we were growing so fast as an industry for a very long time," Kelley said. "When people were sort of cranking up their attack against us, we didn't have to pay attention."

But in her mind, that has now changed.

"We really have to learn that this is as much of an intellectual battle as it is an emotional battle, and we really need to engage hearts as much as minds, and perhaps more so," she said.