Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

High-five, Amazon.

The online retail giant has begun to roll out a multi-year initiative focused on eliminating unnecessary packaging for its entire catalog of products. The new "frustration-free packaging" is recyclable and comes without excess packaging materials such as hard plastic clamshell casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It's designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect products just as well as traditional packaging.

It's about time.

Not only is this fabulous for the environment, but yes, it is "frustration-free" for the customer. Some people are complaining they're collectors, and what if they want the original product box? Others say the plain cardboard is dull to look at and they miss the pretty pictures. I say too bad. This is an initiative that should have begun years ago. The amount of waste eliminated will be astronomical.

Is Amazon doing this for the environment or for selfish economic reasons? Maybe both, but who cares? I can't wait to see more companies (including ours, when applicable) adopt this approach to packaging. Not only am I all for less waste, but I have suffered many an injury at the hands of a knife and industrial strength plastic.

Besides, a pirate ship in a recycled box is still a pirate ship.