GreenWaste & Zanker Recycling

Case Study: A Brighter Shade of Green

GreenWaste’s Transformation and Acquisition: The Role of Orloff Marketing 2008 – 2022

GreenWaste, Zanker Recycling, and their four affiliated companies quickly grew into one of the most innovative solid waste recovery companies in the world. However, their achievements were nearly invisible to their target audience.

The Identity Challenge

The company’s original logo, featuring the acronym “GW,” looked and sounded like every other waste management company in the market. Competitors, many of whom were making baseless claims about being green, undermined GreenWaste’s genuine leadership in sustainability and innovation. GreenWaste needed a comprehensive rebrand to differentiate themselves from competitors and establish their rightful place as an industry environmental leader.

In 2008, Orloff Marketing was hired to reposition GreenWaste. Our task was clear: unite all of GreenWaste’s affiliated companies under a single, distinguishable brand umbrella and highlight their leadership in environmental innovation. This consolidation would create efficiencies in their marketing budget and amplify the visibility of their innovations.

Positioning and Strategy

Our strategy began by conducting a detailed audit, after which we developed a comprehensive positioning statement that guided the brand transformation:

  • Positioning drives identity: The statement helped position GreenWaste as a true leader in waste recovery innovations.
  • Creative execution builds brand equity: We crafted distinct visuals and language to differentiate GreenWaste from competitors, including the term “Greenovation,” a term exclusive to Zanker Recycling, to reflect their innovation in environmental practices.
  • Brand equity yields marketing efficiency: The unified brand allowed GreenWaste to achieve high visibility across all touchpoints, while reducing the overall marketing spend.

Positioning Statement:

“If you are a Bay Area/Sacramento public or private entity responsible for issuing solid waste contracts, GreenWaste offers superior customer service at competitive rates. Unlike large, publicly traded corporations headquartered elsewhere, GreenWaste delivers a proven track record of honesty, integrity, superior service, and quantifiable environmental leadership, so you can be confident you made the right move for your job and community.”

Tagline: A Brighter Shade of Green.

Branding

We opted for a graphics-driven logo with the company name spelled out, moving away from the industry standard of acronym-heavy identities. The tagline “A Brighter Shade of Green” communicated that GreenWaste was not only greener but also smarter in its environmental approach.

By executing the new brand identity faithfully across trucks, garbage bins, signage, websites, and more, we rapidly built brand equity. This cohesive identity across all communication channels reduced the need for constant brand promotion, leaving more budget for revenue-generating marketing initiatives.

Website

Following the rebrand, Orloff Marketing developed a new website to unify all affiliated companies under the GreenWaste brand umbrella. The website was designed with the following goals in mind:

  • Faithfully apply the brand standards across the site.
  • Spotlight GreenWaste and Zanker Recycling’s zero-waste approach to solid waste recovery.
  • Set up an e-commerce function for customers to purchase landscape materials online.
  • Ensure the site was optimized for search engines, targeting commercial contractors, residents, waste haulers, and local officials.

We also identified the following target audiences:

  • Commercial building, demolition, and landscaping contractors
  • Waste haulers (e.g., 1-800-GOT-JUNK)
  • Residents who need to dispose of bulky items
  • Consumers looking for landscaping materials
  • Local, regional, and state elected officials charged with overseeing solid waste management in their communities
  • Local, regional, and national trade industry influencers and general news media reporters

Social Media & Video Marketing

Our social media strategy used Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn to reach target audiences through a mix of organic and paid campaigns. The messaging ranged from brand-building to sales promotions, and recognition of GreenWaste’s accomplishments.

In our video marketing, we captured viewers’ attention through concise and engaging content. We produced more than 30 videos for Zanker Recycling, showcasing their unique recycling processes for solid waste materials. One memorable campaign involved the character “Gil the Landfill Seagull,” humorously portrayed by comedian Steve Mazan, to creatively illustrate the impact of Zanker’s waste repurposing.

 

 

Media Relations

Orloff Marketing leveraged our long-standing media relationships to showcase GreenWaste’s achievements in local news outlets, ensuring consistent visibility in stories about waste recycling and environmental leadership in Silicon Valley. We also managed crisis communications, providing GreenWaste with protocols to manage crises effectively.

Graphic Design

We handled various design projects, including:

  • Out-of-home signage and branding on delivery trucks
  • Tradeshow displays and marketing collateral
  • Social media marketing assets
  • Custom apparel and gifts for special events

Account Management

Faithful brand execution was the cornerstone of GreenWaste’s success. Our account management services tracked the performance of social media and SEO efforts, while monthly team meetings with GreenWaste ensured that their marketing strategy stayed ahead of industry trends. We used cloud-based platforms like Basecamp to streamline project management and ensure transparency in all billing and project activities.

Acquisition by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V (MIP V) 2022

Through this comprehensive rebrand and marketing overhaul, Orloff Marketing positioned GreenWaste as a leader in environmental waste management. This strong market position attracted the attention of Macquarie Infrastructure Partners V (MIP V), which acquired GreenWaste in 2021.

The acquisition was supported by a $400 million term loan B and an additional $100 million revolver, though the exact purchase price remains undisclosed. This deal marked a significant milestone for GreenWaste, validating their rebranding efforts and propelling the company into a new era of growth and expansion in the circular economy, including waste-to-energy and organic waste diversion initiatives.

 

“Following their brand audit of GreenWaste and Zanker Recycling in 2008, our executive team accepted Orloff Marketing’s recommendation to unite all of our subsidiaries under one brand and tagline: A Brighter Shade of Green. Today, we’re one of the nation’s leading solid waste management companies with a growing customer base and expert standing in the community.”

Michael Gross
Director of Sustainability, Zanker Recycling

 

Related Environmental Marketing Experience

Every day is Earth Day at Orloff Marketing. Since 1992, we’ve guided the brands of several solid waste management companies and government organizations focused on environmental issues.

Browning Ferris (1992 to 1993)

We produced an environmental news minute called Earth Journal(initially underwritten Browning Ferris and subsequently by the City of San Jose and USA Waste) that ran during evening news casts on KNTV, Channel 11 for nearly two years and was recognized for excellence with a national “Telly” award.  Subjects on Earth Journal included residential and commercial recycling tips, wildlife habitat, and water conservation.

City of San Jose, Environmental Services Department (1992 – 2010)

We were retained by the City of San Jose’s Environmental Services Department to assist the City in reaching its 50% reduction in landfill materials goal by end of year 2000. The multi-media campaign focused on residential and commercial recycling to reach the diversion rate.

Campaigns targeted to residential and commercial customers began in 1999 and ran through June 2000. The “100% San Jose! Recycle where you work, live and play” campaign was targeted at residents and businesses throughout the city.

Research provided by the client indicated that the female dictated recycling habits in the household, but she was often unsure about what could, and should, be recycled. The creative campaign addressed this issue, and the media buy was targeted to San Jose female residents. Newspaper utilized a combination of stand-by and pick-up rates, effectively reducing the contract rate by 30%. San Jose residents were also reached with weekly neighborhood newspapers. Television combined local news shows with prime-time rotation on the ABC affiliate. Ads ran on Lifetime, A&E, Home & Garden, Family Channel, and USA. On-screen advertising at local movie theaters proved very effective in reaching families and residents throughout San Jose.

Recognizing the ethnicity of the market, Hispanic radio advertising, and Hispanic and Vietnamese print ads were also developed. Commercial businesses were targeted through business publications such as the San Jose/Silicon Valley/Business Journal and San Jose Chamber of Commerce Advocate, vertical publications such as Building Owners and Managers Association newsletters and direct mailers.

In addition, we leveraged many news media opportunities. The talent for the television spots, Roberta Gonzales (meteorologist with KPIX-TV) also included live interviews with City of San Jose Environmental Services Department spokespersons, during some of her broadcasted weather segments. Bonus weather and traffic sponsorships on radio joined forces with the halo sign at the San Jose Arena – even the local Presbyterian church carried the recycling message! All told, local businesses and organizations donated almost $70,000 in time and services to the “100% San Jose” campaign. 

GreenTeam of San Jose (1995 – 1998)

As part of the Recycle Plus! campaign, Orloff Marketing assisted GreenTeam in their advertising and community outreach efforts to the multi-family markets of San Jose.  This included producing several direct mail pieces to the residents of multi-family dwellings and property managers of those complexes.  We also developed an internal campaign designed to encourage safety in the workplace.

Santa Clara Valley Water District (1999 – 2002)

The power crisis in California in 2001 directly ties to water usage and conservation. In fact, pumping water is the single most significant use of power in California. Orloff Marketing was retained by the Santa Clara Valley Water District in 2oo1 to educate residents and businesses on the connection between conserving water and conserving electricity.

Trilingual focus groups were conducted to determine resident’s attitudes and perceptions on water and electricity conservation. In addition, the slogan, “Tales from the Grid” was tested on all participants.Ads for radio, television, and newspaper were created in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Value-added promotions were developed with all broadcast media. Links between station web sites and the web site for the Water District were promoted on air.

In addition to the paid advertising schedule, personal appearances on community service shows were arranged on several television stations. Our media director, with many years of consumer media negotiating experience, placed transit ads starting mid-month, in most cases adding two weeks to the paid schedule. In fact, the transit advertising is still on many county buses, two and a half months after the paid schedule ended.

Santa Clara Valley Water District reported increased hits to their web site, as consumers and businesses alike looked for suggestions on conserving water to conserve power.

South Bay Water Recycling (1998 – 2002)

Orloff Marketing was brought in to develop collateral materials and assist South Bay Water Recycling with community outreach and relations. Radio commercials, print advertisements, flyers and newsletters were developed and produced communicating the purpose and benefits of recycled water. Additionally, press releases and news articles were developed to provide updates on the progress of the project construction.

Waste Management (1995 – 2002)

Orloff Marketing was retained to augment Waste Management’s communications deliverables under its contract with the City of San Jose by providing additional advertising and public relations.  Specifically, we coordinated a full-fledged crisis communications plan, designed a multi-year partnership with the San Jose Sharks and their mascot S.J. Sharkie for outreach purposes into the schools and a web site incorporating recycling messages, customers service support and S.J. Sharkie.

We also provided direct sales support, using its network and relationships, which led to several lucrative transactions including Westfield Valley Fair, the 400,000 square foot Horizon Center office complex in downtown San Jose and San Jose Arena.

Our role was further expanded to assist in Bay Area-wide communications of Waste Management’s other divisions and in preparing Waste Management’s response to the City of San Jose’s curbside recycling Request for Proposal in 2000 and other jurisdictions.

Integrated Branding Across All Media

From websites to brochures social media posts and promotional items, Orloff Marketing provides a full range of marketing collateral.

Here's another Zanker Recycling video we are particularly proud of as well as a few environmental marketing-related work samples from the archives.

A fun video we produced for Zanker Recyling that was used to honor them as they received the 2020 CRRA Outstanding Construction & Demolition Award. Visit more video samples here.

Zanker Earthquake
Zanker Wood Waste

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