Don’t be so original, recycle your ads

In the ceaseless quest for the new, one can forget that there is value in rehashing the old. There are also many that forget – or didn't realise – how the mining of minerals and materials for electrical equipment causes planet-melting emissions and toxic waste. 

This smart campaign for Recipo, a Danish/Swedish organisation that recycles electrical equipment and batteries, brought together 70 companies and partners across the Nordic region to attempt to tackle the climate emergency together. The brainchild of creatives Micke Ring and David Hensher (Hensher also working on the client side), with the help of Stockholm-based agency Post, the concept took eight months of work to develop and get compliance schemes involved and onboard.

Marking last week’s International E-Waste Day, the activation saw the companies simultaneously share on their social channels a special ‘recyclable’ film, produced by Grandpa Electric, that humorously reminds viewers of the need to recycle e-waste, such as batteries and old tablets, mobiles, razors, coffee makers etc, so that raw materials can be harvested. 

The ad can be freely repurposed by any organisation, using a simple smart tool found on the website that tailors the film to the individual brand. Here's shots' version...