Study finds that consumers are confused by the overwhelming number of packaging certifications and seals. How can you differentiate your package while conveying its environmentally friendly attributes?

Good Housekeeping now has a green seal of approval. So does Underwriters Laboratories, the global product safety tester. They join some 400 certifications now vying to validate social and environmental claims on behalf of companies targeting consumers who care about issues like whether a product is truly organic, can be recycled, or pays producers fair prices.

But how effective are certification seals in enhancing brand awareness and driving actual purchases?

As part of its annual survey of the nation's increasingly conscious consumers, brand innovation firm BBMG tested a battery of 13 certification seals with 2,000 respondents.

Not surprisingly, BBMG says, a majority of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with all labels tested, except for Recyclable (89% familiar), Energy Star (87% familiar), and USDA Organic (62% familiar). The next most familiar seal (Smart Choice, 45% familiar) lags 17 points behind USDA Organic. All three leading seals are sponsored by federal agencies. Consumers are much less familiar with seals sponsored by nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as LEED or Green Building certified (12% familiar) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified (6% familiar).

Regarding impact on intent to purchase, only two seals are sought out by consumers with any real frequency: Energy Star (31% always) and Recyclable (20% always). USDA Organic (8% always) and Smart Choice (7% always), both food industry seals, rank next in driving intent to purchase. The remaining seals do not drive consumer purchasing, which is not surprising, BBMG notes, as the vast majority of Americans has no recollection of ever seeing these trustmarks.

"While the majority of U.S. consumers are unfamiliar with most trustmarks today, we believe that certifications can work for forward-looking brands in several ways," says Mitch Baranowski, founding partner of BBMG. "Trustmarks help ensure companies follow best practices by setting clear and transparent standards. They serve as important proof points for overall brand messages and stories. And they can provide an objective, third-party stamp of approval that demonstrates how companies are following through on their social and environmental claims."

Tips on cutting through the clutter
In a recent blog, Baranowski offers brand owners seven prescriptive recommendations for cutting through the clutter and avoiding the common pitfalls of trustmark use. He advises:

• Claim ownership. If you’re going to go through the time and trouble of establishing and promoting certification standards, you deserve credit. Acronyms need help. The LEED trustmark is clearly brought to you by the U.S. Green Building Council.

• Design for the long haul. Reducing a complex idea to its visual essence takes time and expertise. But it’s done every day. Give designers clear direction (and space) to create symbols that are durable, functional and beautiful. Most people will only know the certifications through the symbol; it’s important.

• Go for one clear idea. It’s amazing how many trustmarks say…nothing at all…or way too much. It’s laughable to consider Fruit Loops a smart choice for breakfast, but at least the Smart Choices mark sends a clear message.

• Break the box on color. How many green logos can there be? Or blue, for that matter? Blue is often considered the safest color. Energy Star earns points for breaking out with a brighter blue.

• Get metaphoric. How might we move beyond the obvious — checkmarks, light bulbs, the scales of justice—without compromising legibility? Whatever metaphor you land on, make sure it has a clear connection to the standards at hand. Does that leaping bunny connote cruelty-free on its own? Does the Vitruvian-esque figure in the Fair Trade label capture empowering farmers and farm workers?

• Think avatar. Long before Second Life, avatars have advanced logo design: Elsie the Cow, Elmer the Bull, the Energizer Bunny. The Rainforest Alliance frog is often brought to life to support awareness-raising campaigns. How might your trustmark feature a character that can give the program real personality?

• Connect the dots for us. At the end of the day, make sure the mark on the front of the package is clearly connected to a communications platform on the back-end: how easy is it to find out what’s behind the mark, how the standards were created, how they are upheld and how it makes a difference in our lives today. Consumers care more than you think. And, given our research, so-called “box turning” conscious consumers will go to great lengths to learn the ins and outs of your program.