Glass is Life O-Is global communication campaign - builds on success

The campaign, by the worldwide leader in glass packaging O-I, is aimed at promoting the unrivalled advantages of glass in building brand identity and value, and delivering important benefits such as health, taste and sustainability.



After a first phase in 12 countries and 7 languages (USA, Canada, Benelux, France, Italy, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru), the campaign has already achieved great impact. Advertisements in trade magazines have reached decision-makers in the food and beverage industry across four continents, while a digital campaign has targeted consumers, giving them the opportunity to join the conversation on glass and glass packaging.



In the first five months of the campaign, 160,000 people visited the www.glassislife.com website and enjoyed its rich content, and over 270,000 viewed the Glass is Life videos posted on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/GlassIsLife ). Consumers can also interact with the campaign on the Glass is Life Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/GlassIsLife ), which has collected 16,000 fans; and on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/#!/GlassIsLife ), where the number of fans continues to grow.



The second phase of the campaign was launched in September, and presents two new glass advocates: Zefferino and Maria Flora Monini, producers of Monini extra virgin olive oils; and designer Francesco Lucchese, who has designed artistic glass vases for well-known companies in Murano (Venice). Their voices join those of Stefano Agostini, president and CEO of Sanpellegrino; Nick Lecloux, co-founder of true fruits; Geir Skeie, chef and winner of the Bocuse award; and Céline Cousteau, environmentalist and broadcaster – all of whom took part in the first phase of the campaign.



Zefferino Monini explains his company’s participation in the campaign: “Olives have very delicate flavours. My sister Maria Flora and I are committed to carrying on our family tradition by taking great care to preserve the balance and intensity of the taste. Glass preserves our olive oils perfectly so that the whole world can taste a little bit of Italy.”



As well as highlighting the role of glass in preserving the excellence of Italian food, the second phase of the “Glass is Life™” campaign also introduces the point of view of a well-known designer and true glass lover, Francesco Lucchese. Focusing on the versatility of glass, Lucchese says: “It is wonderful: the way it captures the light, the shapes you can create, the pleasant sensation when you touch it. There is something eternal about glass.”



In launching this campaign, O-I aims to give a voice to consumers, enabling them to express their packaging needs and their requirements regarding health, taste and sustainability. At the same time, by giving a voice to well-known, influential CEOs, O-I wants to inspire brand owners to consider packaging their products in glass and to think about the value glass can add to their brands in terms of quality perception, health, exceptional taste and sustainability.



One of the aims of “Glass is Life™” is to express the real essence of glass: a material that can be endlessly recycled with no loss of quality. By incorporating even greater quantities of cullet (recycled glass) in the creation of new bottles, a virtuous closed loop can be created, which avoids the exploitation of further natural resources. Making its long-term commitment to sustainability clear, O-I has announced its intention to increase the proportion of cullet in its glass bottles, while also cutting energy consumption by 50% and reducing carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by 65% by 2017. “Life” is the pivotal theme of a campaign that highlights the viewpoints of environmentalists, chefs and designers, looking at the benefits offered by glass packaging from every angle.