Executive Editor Packaging Digest / Lisa Pierce

https://www.packagingdigest.com/

40 years of packaging experience shows through in this great interview with the Executive Editor Lisa Pierce.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamctiguepierce/
How does Packaging Digest decide what the write about? 
What does Lisa do at shows? 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/packaging-today-show/id1656906367

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Packaging Today Podcast 

https://open.spotify.com/show/6dksVwqEFVDWdggd27fyFF?si=e924995740f94e19

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/

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This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

Transcript

Cory Connors: 0:15

Welcome to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors. Today's guest is my friend Lisa Pierce, who's the executive director at Packaging Digest. How are you, Lisa?

Lisa Pierce: 0:25

I'm doing good, Corey. Thanks for having me. Love talking about packaging in general and sustainability. So

Cory Connors: 0:31

it's, we go. It's an honor to, to have you on. We appreciate you and your wisdom and, what you do for the industry is really amazing. But let's talk about your background. How did you get into

Lisa Pierce: 0:41

packaging? Sure. I am so lucky that I am in the career that I am in, and when I say luck, there was a little bit of planning to it, but, a lot of luck. I, knew very early in my life. when I was in second grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer and a published writer. at that point I thought I was gonna be writing books, but, then I got a job. I think it was the same month that I graduated from college. I actually graduated from college in the summer. And, got a job the same month that I graduated with a business to Business magazine publisher, the largest one in the United States at the time. And that was Connor's Publishing. different spelling than your name, though. Yeah. c a h n e r s. Oh, yeah. Oh,

Cory Connors: 1:35

that's unique. I haven't heard that spelling of my last name. That's cool.

Lisa Pierce: 1:40

And, at that time I think they had like 30 to 50 business to business, publications. Their lead one at that time was Modern Materials Handling, which was a supply chain, book. And, I was lucky enough that. I was assigned to package Engineering magazine. that's what it was called at the time. It, shortly after that changed its name to packaging. And, then went through a variety of different, acquisitions and, ceased publication. Woo. I don't even know the years now, but I started, back in 1980. Two. so last year was 40 years of working in the packaging media industry and

Cory Connors: 2:34

Oh, congratulations. That's amazing. Thank

Lisa Pierce: 2:35

you. Yeah. And Corey, I have to say again, you know what? I really do think I have the best job in the whole wide world. Yeah. I've. It's such a dynamic industry, easy enough to understand without any formal training. Of course, education is always helpful. but no formal training. And, I have to say that I've never been bored, not even a single day, my job. And I don't think there's too many people who can say that.

Cory Connors: 3:03

I interview a lot of people and I think you're right. This job is so fun. It's so interesting, it's so unique, it's so different every day. I totally agree with you. Packaging is constantly changing and evolving and adapting to the nif, the different needs of the society. And, it's exciting to see. But let's talk a little bit about, packaging Digest and what do you do there? day to day.

Lisa Pierce: 3:28

Day to day, I manage the content for Packaging Digest and I am lucky enough to work with some of the top-notch editors, media people in the world. I believe I work with senior technical editor very closely, Rick Lingle and thank the world of him. we. Have similar values, but we think differently. And if you've ever had any, instances of where you either gel with your coworkers or you don't, I think those two things. sharing similar values, but thinking differently, I think that is the best. yeah. Because it just, it's a easy working relationship and yet it goes well beyond just a working relationship. So, thank the world to him. He does a fantastic job for the audience of Packaging Digest. He's very, focused on food and beverage and then, plastic packaging. So he gets, into the sustainability stuff quite a bit as well. I am, jack of all trades at this point. having had, so much time in the industry, I've. Seen a lot. Don't remember it all, but I've seen a lot and, really do appreciate having that history behind me as, as a, a base for where we are now. trying to put it a little bit more into context of where we are now and how it's different from it wa what it was and. Yeah. And why? Always changing. Always trying. Yeah. Yeah. always trying to answer that question for the audience of, why. why are we seeing this, why is this happening? why is this good? Why is this bad? things like that. So, that's pretty much what we do at Packaging Digest. We're really not focused on any one market, which allows us to share. Ideas from market to market, which is kind of interesting. And when we get into talking about sustainability a little later, I'll be able to talk about how the medical, packaging industry or medical industry is able to kind of, learn a lot from all these sustainability developments that, and activities that have been happening in other industries.

Cory Connors: 6:05

Amazing. Yeah, exactly right. And the industry keeps adapting and keeps changing and keeps growing. So it's exciting to see. I had the honor of meeting you in person at Westpac this year. Yes. And Anaheim, California. That was a great event. That was fun. I saw you being interviewed. I said, who's that? And they said, oh, that's Lisa. She's in charge of this and that and the other thing. And I said, oh wow. I'd love to meet her. And we got the honor of, meeting you and that was really fun. But tell us about when you go to a show like that cuz you are famous in the industry. what's a, what's your focus there?

Lisa Pierce: 6:41

Well, I am looking for just about what everybody else is looking for when they're there. what's new? In the industry. And that could be a new product, it could be an emerging trend, it could be a new supplier. that might be, fairly new. Either a startup or just getting into packaging. maybe they had been doing other things and just now getting into packaging, some automation companies, for example. doing that. And, so looking for something new. I love to sit in on some of the educational programs that, are, usually, special for these in-person events, getting to meet the people In the industry and, continuing to expand my network as well as, just getting a, getting out and being seen myself. Right. Because that, and I don't discount that at all though, Corey, because, you say I'm famous in the industry. I don't know about that, but, I've been around for a while. Yeah. I know a lot of people, but there are so many new people that I'm just meeting these days, as, the older generation retires and or God forbid dies. which is happening. so. looking for something that's new. Enjoying meeting new people. Yeah. Getting a chance to talk about one of my favorite topics in the world. Packaging Yes. With a bunch of other geeks who are just as excited about it.

Cory Connors: 8:26

Me. Yep. Yep. We packaging nerds unite, we say Yes, absolutely. Well done. Yep. I wanna, I was very excited and honored to now be a part of IPPO , the International Packaging Press Organization. Yes. And I wanna thank you and Tim Sykes and Lindy Hughson for, bringing me on board. It's exciting to be a part of that team.

Lisa Pierce: 8:51

Team. Well, welcome. Thank you. And, as, your application did, Bring up a lot of lively conversation with the group, especially the board, about what really constitutes a packaging journalist these days. There are a lot of different outlets for, packaging information these days. As the. Supplier community has been very active in recent years in providing what we call content. Blogs and videos and other thoughts. provoking pieces, editorial, what I would call editorial pieces, opinions. Yeah. And, it's all been very welcoming in the industry, but it can also be very overwhelming because there's so much, so many different sources of content these days. and, how do you know which ones are the. to make it easy. which ones are the best ones, which ones are the good ones, right? Which ones are the ones that you can really trust? Yeah. And, so, welcome, it is a great group. Thank you. the editors of the International Packaging Press Organization are the leading packaging geeks out there. Yes. All around the world. All the

Cory Connors: 10:17

world. it's a global community and, it really is. So I have been focused so much on, north America and, thankful to have my eyes opened and expanded by many people in the industry. people in South Africa, Europe, all over the world, Australia. it's an incredible world that we live in. And, we need to learn from each other on what to do and what not to do. Yes. And I think that's why the, I, the IPO organization is so key to this. and that word is so important. Trust. Yes. I built my career in 26 years, not 40 like you, but hopefully someday. And, On the basis of what I say I'm being honest about, and what I say is, not just self-serving, but to help the community. And I think you're right, press has changed the way we view information. so many people have, come up to me at shows and said, I saw you on TikTok, or I saw you on Instagram, or I saw you on LinkedIn. And I think that. There's so much value there and so much opportunity to engage.

Lisa Pierce: 11:26

And the editors in IPO really do take that very seriously, that, that trust factor very seriously. I know I do. the best thing is to get the news right? And as we saw in recent years in just the general media, That doesn't always happen. And yet, there are opinions within the packaging industry community that are also worth sharing and not everyone is gonna agree with everybody else's opinion. I'm pretty sure I say things that not everybody agrees with. Sure. Actually there's a little bit of a funny story. Yeah. behind that. So, many years ago, and to me, Corey, the years just have all run together. I can't keep track of like what year this happened in and what year that happened in it. Totally. But many years ago, easily 20, 25, maybe even 30 years ago. I had the opportunity to meet Scott Beyondi, who at that point was, I think maybe even a director of packaging at the time. He was pretty high up in Coca-Cola, north America, their packaging department. And I met him at an Institute of Packaging Professionals event, here in Chicago, Chicago. And, got to talking with him and he made the comments, me at the time. He said, I always read your editorials, because you always have interesting ideas. I don't always agree with them, but I always read them and I thanked him and then I thought to myself, well, what's doesn't he agree with? I've always been right. And for literally to this day, Cory, whenever I write. An opinion piece, an editorial in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, oh, I wonder if Scott would agree with this.

Cory Connors: 13:22

That's perfect. Yeah. And we're not always going to, not everybody's gonna agree they can't. No, it's not. It's not possible. And think you're right. We need to be aware that's okay and that we need to. Have an opinion and choose a side sometimes with, especially with these sustainability issues that we've been tackling as a community. So many changes coming up and a lot of greenwashing, but a lot of great things innovating the way into our society. Can you tell us a little bit about your thoughts on how we can educate consumers, through media and through, our networks on how to use sustainable packaging?

Lisa Pierce: 14:01

Yes. I'm so glad that we're talking about this, Corey, because I think it's key. I think we have, and I think we haven't been doing it correctly. Yeah. so hopefully maybe we can, do it a little bit differently in the future and, make it, have it make a difference. And I really do think it is going to be making a difference, in the past. The best way to communicate. With consumers about virtually anything product related, brand related was on pack. have messages on your package, compostable or recyclable, whatever. and You're limited because there's only so much space on the package and only so many things you wanna call out. For each thing to be, to actually get the emphasis that you want it to get. The more noise you have on the package, the less they're gonna absorb, the less the consumer is gonna absorb. Right. I am a big proponent of the How to Recycle label. Yeah. Which is the initiative of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. I gave a presentation. Last week in New York at the East Pack Show and, was talking about e-commerce packaging specifically for grocery. But, started to talk about e-commerce, packaging in general and just happened to ask, the folks who were in the audience, how many of you know about the how to recycle label? And I was Shocked. Yeah. How few did. And, so the more news I can get out there about the how to recycle label, I have no skin in the game at all, Corey? Yep. Except that I, believe that it is effective, it is elegant and it's effectiveness of communicating to the consumer. What to do at the end of life with any packaging material this label is printed on. Yeah. And to me the that knowledge. Is what's going to help drive the consumer behavior. And I know the folks at the, s PC have been doing, studies along the way of how this is helping to move the needle. I wish that it was, that label was printed on every single package that's out

Cory Connors: 16:33

there, and maybe it's trending that way. Yeah, I think you're right. It's a great organization. It's,

Lisa Pierce: 16:38

yeah. But, recycling isn't the only end of life scenario and you know how to recycle the label. They also have a sister label how to co compost, which is still, there's not a whole lot of infrastructure. In the United States at this point for compostable packaging. But, we may see a little bit of that change. maybe we can talk about that a little later. Yeah, too. but as far as like educating consumers about sustainable packaging and recycling, I think, over and above the how to recycle label. I think the most important thing is not to misinform them. Right. And I think a lot of that is happening these days, as a, knowing as much as I know about. The packaging options that are out there and how they fit in from a sustainability point of view. I have to say I've been disappointed and that might be a euphemism, disappointed in some of the brand owners and how they have just caved. To popular opinion, which is wrong, that plastic packaging is evil in this world. and just kind of buying into that or, and letting that statement just kinda like go out there without any argument, whatsoever. And I know you, you listened to your audit, your. Customers, try to give your customers what they want. But I think there's a higher level here, Corey, that I really wanna talk about and that's the truth.

Cory Connors: 18:17

Yeah. Yeah. Let's focus on that. sure.

Lisa Pierce: 18:20

Yeah. And the idea that, so many brand owners are moving away from plastic pa, plastic packaging, when that might be the best sustainable option, kind of makes me sad. explain why. Okay. So early on in my career, I learned that there is always a reason why a product is packaged the way that it's packaged. Okay. It might not always be a good reason, but there's always a reason. And, one of the reasons that our, may not necessarily be a good reason is, that's the way we've always done it. Yeah. Well, behind the scenes of that means we don't have money to invest in new equipment. Or, we're, we need to ma Use the equipment that we already have to, its, maximum use, if that's the right way of putting it. Sure. And all of those, it could be an economic reason. definitely. But, There's always a reason why something is packaged the way it is. And, tell consumers, right? Tell consumers why you're using p e t for a beverage bottle, because p e t is the highest recycled plastic out there, and beverage bottles are the highest collected, package in, recycled p e t is in high demand. So there's a whole business case for it, right? Why would anybody in a P E T beverage bottle. Leave p e t with all those sustainable benefits that I just laid out. Was that, did that take me a long time to, to make the case for that? No. Was it easy enough to understand? Sure. Do you think most consumers would buy into it? hopefully. If, maybe if the news is coming from a trusted source.

Cory Connors: 20:11

Right. Exactly. That's it. they have to believe what you're saying. and like you said before, not having skin in the game, not being the person that sells the p e t bottle, telling everyone why it's so great. although that can add value as well, but, it's nice to be a neutral party. I, which is why I think the people listen to groups like the BO community and, enjoy your content online and magazine. is it still in print? Is Packaging Digest still? it's not a magazine anymore.

Lisa Pierce: 20:44

it's, we call it a media brand. Media brand. Okay. I occasionally still do, refer to it as a publication. old school. Yeah. But, a media brand we're a hundred percent digital and we went a hundred percent digital many years ago. I think it's eight or nine years ago at this point. And being a legacy print editor, I was in print for, 30 something years at that point. I. Was afraid I was gonna miss it. Yeah. But, and I thought maybe we were a little ahead of the game. We were not, Corey, we were dead on with the timing of it. Yeah. It made total sense, economically, but also because this is how people consume content today. Right. Digitally. Yep. And being a digital publication, it allowed us to expand the different types of content that we could do, the different ways that we could share information, whether it be through a video that, explains how a packaging line works, Right. How, what do we mean by a forming collar on a vertical form fill seal machine? Well, this is exactly what we mean by a vertical here. It's right. Forming collar. Yeah. so, that's cool. Podcasts like this. Yeah. Which are like totally

Cory Connors: 21:58

awesome. Thank you. I agree. it's a new way of doing things. I, it's weird for me to think that I used to not do a podcast and it's, because it's so, such a big part of my life and my career now, it sent me all around the world and doing this for the betterment of our planet. it's exciting to do that. Well, how about you? What's next for you? you got any shows coming up? You going to pack, expo, any, anything you wanna talk

Lisa Pierce: 22:25

about? Wow. sure there's always, stuff going on. I'm trying to think. I will be at Pack Expo in Las Vegas this year. definitely. And, I'm also gonna be doing the Min Pack show, which is the, one of the pack shows within the Informa. series of packaging shows that we do. Westpac being our largest one. In, California. We have East Pack, which has been in, what just happened last week in New York City. Yeah, I was out there for that. we have Min Pack the. Midwest Minneapolis show that we do, and I'm kind of excited about that one because, that typically has been very focused on medical. It's, a med tech hub in Minneapolis. I didn't know if you knew that or not. I didn't. And, and yeah, the Midwest is also pretty big with, food and beverage manufacturing. So we're putting together, I don't have details. Yet, but we are putting together a pretty dynamic, educational conference on food and beverage packaging for exciting, for pack. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm really looking forward to that. of course, pack Expo, definitely a due every year, whether it's, here in my hometown of Chicago, or if it's in Las Vegas, which I think everybody should see Las Vegas in person at least once in your life to just. experience the craziness of Las Vegas.

Cory Connors: 23:56

Quite a city, right? Yeah. Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. I look forward to meeting you there, along with the IPO team. I know Tim's gonna be there. it's exciting, to look forward to these. Finally getting to meet people in person, at some of these events. I think there'll be 30,000 people there at, pack Expo, which is amazing. I've been asked to speak there a couple times, so, oh, congratulations. Oh, thank you. I'll be on the sustainability stage with, my friend Jonathan Quinn and Adam Peak and Vetos. we'll be talking about all kinds of things, packaging related, sustainability focused. I'll be doing some live, podcasting from there as well. So really looking forward to all that. Yep. Lisa, what's the best way for people to get in touch with you?

Lisa Pierce: 24:41

I'm old school. if my phone rings and I'm not already on another line, which could be, a teams call. It doesn't have to be, just the phone these days. Yeah. I usually do pick up my phone if I'm able. totally fine with that. I would say email. Yeah. But, Corey, let me just switch screens here for just one second because, Yeah. Okay. So, a co a couple, a little bit ago, two years ago or so, the company changed, informa, changed its policy here as far as email goes, and it only retains in your inbox, six months worth of emails. Yeah. And right now I have, 12,632 unread messages. Oh my goodness. In my inbox. And yes, I am horrified at that, but that's the reality of my life. I was not hired to, open and respond to email. I was hired to do another job and, reading emails is part of that job, but, the flood of email is just.

Cory Connors: 25:52

Overwhelming sometimes.

Lisa Pierce: 25:53

Yeah. Yeah. Overwhelming. And, so I apologize in advance if you've sent me, not you, but anybody out there has sent me an email and I haven't responded or been slow to respond. It's just even the important ones, it's kind of hard to find, Right. And all that. And, so, I. I would say just, the best way is to keep trying. Yeah.

Cory Connors: 26:19

Yeah.

Lisa Pierce: 26:20

Try again. Don't reach me. try

Cory Connors: 26:21

again. Yep. Well done. Well, it's been an honor to interview you today. I'm thankful for your friendship and for your wisdom. And, excited to meet you again in, in Las Vegas at Pack Expo. Anything else you want to tell? tell the audience.

Lisa Pierce: 26:36

always open to conversations, having conversations about packaging. even though I just said what I said about my email, if you've got something cool going on, I want to know about it. So harass me. Keep trying. Well, I need to know about it. That's my job. it's, so much is going on in so many areas. It's impossible. Impossible for one person. So, To know everything about, packaging in general or just the news of what's going on. But I do have to try. I mean, that's my job. Yeah. And so please reach out to me.

Cory Connors: 27:15

We're all in this together and try to make a difference. Well done. Thank you so much, Lisa Pierce. I

Lisa Pierce: 27:19

appreciate you Corey. I really appreciate you giving me this opportunity

Cory Connors: 27:23

to chat. Thank you. And, if you're listening, I wanna, I want to thank, Landsberg Orora for sponsoring this podcast. I want to, ask you to make sure to subscribe so you don't miss the next episode. And stay tuned for more.