Designing a sustainability icon

Coca-Cola’s PlantBottle program represents a breakthrough in CPG packaging innovation – using renewable resources to create an environmentally friendly PET package that is 100% compatible with existing packaging recycling infrastructures. 

Challenge
Create a tangible brand from a complicated science and supply chain story – namely advances in high performance PET being made from agricultural waste products, reducing the requirement for the production of standard PET from petrochemical sources.

We needed to differentiate PlantBottle from other initiatives that have pursued alternative end-of-life solutions (such as composting and upcycling). We needed to communicate that PlantBottles are designed from the ground up to work with all existing PET recycling programs – leading to a smaller carbon footprint than conventional PET and a sightline to a 100% renewable, 100% recyclable beverage package.

Lastly, we needed to create an icon of packaging sustainability progress. 

What we did
We worked with Coca-Cola’s global packaging team to translate a complex and contentious advance in polymer production into a clear and compelling consumer proposition. 

The PlantBottle brand name evolved from our concept development and strategic positioning work. We designed the PlantBottle symbol, which has been now been featured on over 10 billion packages since its launch in 2010. 

Outcome
In its first year, PlantBottle was launched in nine global markets, including Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and the United States across brands such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Dasani and vitaminwater. 

PlantBottle has already been responsible for the elimination of almost 100,000 tons of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of over 200,000 barrels of crude oil – and in 2012 Coca-Cola announced a target of using PlantBottle packaging technology in all of its plastic bottles by 2020. 

In 2011 Coca-Cola PlantBottle was recognized with a Silver Award at the Edison Innovation Awards and a Gold Award at the 22nd annual global DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.