Case Study

Bag it and bin it.

The City of Ottawa engages Accurate Creative to launch a multi-channel campaign aimed at boosting green bin use and waste diversion.

Accurate was tasked with developing a creative, multi-channel campaign to build awareness around new rules associated with the green bin program. Targeted at residents living in single family homes and multi-residential units, the campaign’s goal was to change behaviour, boost usage of the green bin, with the net benefit of reducing the amount of organic waste reaching landfill.

NEED

Research showed a large percentage of citizens were inconsistent users of their green bins, largely due to the mess factor. To encourage more use, the city resolved to allow people to place organic waste in plastic bags within the green bin as a way to increase use and boost waste diversion from the landfill.

STRATEGY

Residents who place their waste curb-side plus multi-unit residential dwellers were the targeted audiences. Our strategy focused on connecting two opposing emotions these groups share: they want to use their bin but are grossed out by it, especially during the summer months.

APPROACH

Children were cast as grownups. Adults were shown preparing their garbage for disposal as they normally would. Humour and the ‘ick’ factor came into play by showing subtle reactions as the children confronted the adults in the act of waste disposal. Children not only represent the future of the planet, but were also a fun and disarming way to challenge the real adults to change their behaviour.

Campaign theme and slogan:

Bag it and bin it. It’s in your best interest.

The video and radio commercials set the comedic tone of the campaign and anchored a wide range of assets.

Watch
Listen

Campaign Assets

  • English and French radio spots 
  • Out of home advertising including bus shelters, interior and exterior bus boards, digital billboards, and digital ad kiosks
  • English and French 30 second commercials shown on Youtube and cinemas
  • Bilingual print flyers
  • Digital/web display ads
  • Social media assets

Results

The campaign launched in July of 2019. We’ll update this post as the metrics come in.