Over the past decade, environmental consciousness has undergone a significant transformation, with people increasingly recognizing the need for a more sustainable lifestyle. This has sparked numerous public debates and a growing demand for brands to clearly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. Consumers expect brands to share their values and take meaningful action to reduce their environmental impact.
Barilla has invested in eco-friendly practices, including a more sustainable supply chain and plastic-free packaging. Notably, Barilla is among the few brands to use no plastic in its packaging, instead opting for 99.7% virgin fiber paper that is over 99% responsibly sourced and FSC certified.
Building on its long-term commitment to sustainability, Barilla introduced the Secondhand Box concept. This initiative aims to elevate the brand's sustainability efforts by offering a practical, eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags used for shipping items on secondhand platforms.
The Secondhand Box campaign addresses a common issue: while millions of items are shipped via secondhand platforms, many sellers use plastic bags due to a lack of suitable packaging. Barilla's solution leverages its pasta boxes—of which over one billion are sold worldwide each year—as a more sustainable shipping option. To promote this idea, Barilla collaborated with renowned tidying expert Marie Kondo, creating tutorials on how to use Barilla boxes to pack various sizes of items. These tutorials were disseminated through PR, social media, secondhand shipping platforms, and the boxes themselves, which were shipped to new households as a form of media space.
The strategy capitalized on the fact that secondhand sellers often overlook the potential of repurposing existing boxes. To address this, Barilla needed a trusted voice to advocate for a sustainable alternative. Marie Kondo, known for her KonMari method and popular Netflix show, was the ideal spokesperson. With the secondhand market expected to more than double between 2021 and 2025, targeting this audience directly on major reselling platforms was crucial. Marie Kondo's tutorials demonstrated how to fit different types of clothing into Barilla boxes, leveraging her influence and relevant secondhand influencers to spread the message and inspire sustainable practices.
On World Recycling Day 2024, Barilla launched the Secondhand Box campaign. The initiative was designed to generate PR value and be organically shared by those passionate about secondhand goods and sustainability. Marie Kondo’s tutorials were shared across Barilla’s and her own social media channels, supported by selected influencers and editorial coverage. Site-specific banners on secondhand platforms engaged users during their buying and selling activities. Within a few days, the entertaining videos reached 115 million people.
The campaign effectively demonstrated to secondhand enthusiasts how easy it is to use a pre-loved box for shipping, aligning with a more sustainable lifestyle. If all 115 million viewers reused Barilla boxes for shipping, it could potentially save 6 billion kilograms of CO2 annually. The campaign received support from Marie Kondo, global KOLs, and influencers, with editorial outlets like Vanity Fair and culture sites like BuzzFeed highlighting the positive environmental impact of small changes in shopping and shipping habits. Conversations around the campaign were overwhelmingly positive, with 92.5% of feedback affirming that individual contributions toward sustainability can start anywhere and that Barilla is a trustworthy partner in this endeavor.
