How plastic makers are fighting an image crisis
Banned in Maharashtra and under attack in several states, the plastic industry has taken the digital route to lobby its case with customers and governments
At a time when plastic is being universally reviled , its makers are taking a leaf out of the book of their strongest detractors to clear its name. On Instagram and on Facebook, in the run-up to the ban in Maharashtra and in the days since, there are a bunch of posts pushing pro-plastic messages. ‘Tobacco causes cancer. PET doesn’t’ says one; ‘Some plastics are born to care’ says another.
Plastic manufacturers, associations and some anonymous handles whose industry affiliations are deftly masked are raising their voice against what they see a collective effort to besmirch the name of their product. As one post declares: ‘Plastic bags are being demonised across the world.’ Is this the last hurrah of an industry facing an existential crisis? Or can plastic claw its way back into the good books of people?
Too late for a change of heart, say industry experts, but by taking the message to social media, they may have got the attention they were seeking. It has also afforded legitimacy to their efforts. “PET is not the culprit, it’s (sic) the victim,” reads a post by a handle labelled #responsibleplastic on Instagram. Tracing the handle leads to a deadend, but many hint at its connections with one of the largest business groups in the country. What was an under-the-table, hush-hush activity is now open for comment. The All India Plastics Manufacturers ‘Association (AIPMA) also has a page on Facebook named AIPMA Environment where it extols the virtues of plastic.
“Public lobbying comes into play when one needs to generate a public opinion and then talk to bureaucrats and stakeholders,” said KV Sridhar, founder of HyperCollective.com. “Associations have always been a strong lobbying group for industry causes. For instance Advertising Agencies Association of India has run campaigns in the past, with the support of media owners, about the positive effects of advertising,” Ambi (M G) Parameswaran, founder- CEO of Brand-Building.com said. Lobbying for a policy change is not new, but the use of social media adds a whole new dimension to the process.
Social media posts garner eyeballs, generate conversations and if done well, can spread the message faster. The plastic industry’s lobbying efforts have caught the eye of the people online, but is it effective? “It won’t work for them, unless they act on it. You cannot say that I am a good person and keep repeating it,” said Sridhar. Also no matter how strong the pitch is, it has come too late, Parameswaran believes. Consumers’ minds are already made up. Still the medium offers every voice a chance to be heard, no matter how weak or distant. And the plastic industry could draw courage from the fact that big brands have had to tender public apologies, pull back their advertisements and offer an olive branch to their social media detractors, when the message was carried through effectively and with conviction. Parmeshwaran thinks that the industry is not serious enough and that is why, despite their social media push, the message may get lost. If they want to change the image of plastic, they need to speak up louder. It is surprising the industry associations have stayed away from mainstream media for instance. “Digital media is not cheap, it can be more expensive on eyeballs to eyeballs basis. So this looks like a half-hearted attempt to lock the stables after the horses have bolted,” Parameswaran said.