TIDAL Batteries
Single-use disposable batteries account for a large majority of pollution and non-regenerable waste on this earth. The most common types of single-use batteries are cylindrical alkaline and zinc-air button cell, which can only be charged once and are not viable for re-use or recharge. These types of batteries inevitably end up in landfills and dumping grounds where they sit for decades, unable to decompose but slowly leaking into & poisoning the environment.
With this in mind, TIDAL Batteries aims to be a more sustainable product and brand by utilizing sustainability at every step of the product life cycle, not just during consumer usage. TIDAL focuses specifically on single-use hearing aid button batteries and aims to accomplish these sustainable practices through three main touchpoints: product packaging, safe disposal resources, & mobile app compatibility. The design of this brand & product consider usability to its target market, as well as the regulatory parameters mandated by industry standards (i.e. universal color coding & sizing system for all hearing aid batteries on the market).
Traditional packaging systems for small button batteries typically utilize a large amount of plastic, tape, and adhesives that only serve to generate more waste. TIDAL’s packaging system in contrast, consists of a 100% paper made & no adhesive deliverable. The packaging system as seen by consumers, consists of the outer box, an inner packaging strip which binds the batteries together while still keeping in mind the functionality parameter that the batteries cannot touch each other, and an insert for used batteries to be housed in before being taken for safe disposal.
These elevation drawings illustrate Point of Purchase through product size context and environmental context in how they will be presented in stores & retail. The cardboard stands, which are typically placed at the ends of aisles & register lines, house the four available sizes of hearing aid batteries, as well as a used battery receptacle for consumers to leave old batteries when buying a new box, so that the batteries can be properly and safely disposed of by TIDAL, rather than landing in a landfill.
To accompany physical pieces of the brand, the TIDAL Mobile App is a full service app that guides users through every step of the consumer journey, start to finish. The app is compatible with the batteries and features an initial introduction to hearing aids & batteries for first time users, a control dashboard for existing users, a recycling process page for users to safely & properly end the product life cycle, and a digital storefront for users to buy their next set of batteries & other products.
