At the 2020 Summer Academic Conference, the Journal of Marketing hosted a special session honoring the 2019 蹤獲扦夥厙/Marketing Science Institute/H. Paul Root Award winning article, “Knowing What It Makes: How Product Transformation Salience Increases Recycling,” and its authors, Karen Page Winterich, Gergana Y. Nenkov, and Gabriel E. Gonzales.
The studies presented provide compelling evidence that when consumers consider that recyclables are transformed into something new, they recycle more. The authors also provide insights into how companies can use product transformation messages to increase consumer recycling. Two industry experts offer their own perspectives and support for the research. The recycling conversation needs to change from Where does this go? to What can this make? so consumers are inspired to recycle to make new products.
Karen Page Winterich of Pennsylvania State University
Gabriel E. Gonzales of SUNY/New Paltz
Scott Breen, Vice President of Sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute
Alec Cooley, Senior Advisor, Busch Systems (former Director of Recycling Programs, Keep America Beautiful)
The full article is available at
This session was held as a part of the 2020 蹤獲扦夥厙 Summer Academic Conference. Also available are a series of for the classroom presented by conference sponsors.