Situation

Despite plenty of bins, litter is still thrown on the ground, which contributes to an increased sense of insecurity. This has been an increasing problem in the city of Malmö. It affects the experience of the place, gives the city a neglected and unkempt appearance with negative environmental outcome. Also, cleaning up costs taxpayers millions annually. Still, everyone knows that they shouldn’t throw litter on the ground, but do it anyway.

We found that littering is highly irrational, and it doesn't help to have authorities pointing their fingers and threatening fines.

Brief

The brief was to find incentives to break the littering habit.

Objectives

Create behavioural change that increases the possibility of a cleaner city for all by reaching the target group who don't care about their littering. The campaign needed to take place in the public space, attract attention and become a 'talking point' with a modest budget.

To create real impact that leads to discussion and then leads to behavioural change, we needed an idea that polarizes. We achieved desired behavioral change both immediately on the ground and over time with our campaign, as it spread to our target audience's preferred channels.

Litter

+398% increase in the use of bins during the campaign.

+330% increase in use 38 days after the campaign.

PR

+563 million in organic reach on social media.

+130,000 people talked about the dirtiest thing there is: littering.

+140 international media outlets highlighted the campaign, including Trevor Noah and John Oliver, both world-famous talk show hosts covered the news on their broadcasts.

Target audience

+44% of men aged 13-24 engaged on TikTok and YouTube.

As the main villains are young and mostly boys, we found that the uncool filth of the trash cans actually could become part of their most favored interest – filthy fantasies. So, with that ancient inner drive, which seems to peak at a certain age, we turned some of the most modern trash cans in Malmö into dirty talking dittos.

Doing something as boring as throwing away a piece of chewing gum should suddenly feel like doing something forbidden, in a good way.

So, we decided to talk on their frequency, and use decoys instead of pointers. To get someone to change a behaviour and use human motivations, you need a measure of incentive and reward, which can be an element of surprise. Malmö's smart bins would be smarter, and dirtier.

The insights about the target group based on extensive interviews:

1. Littering happens regardless of age, gender and background but young men stand out as the biggest litter-offenders.

2. Younger men are more likely to litter than older men.

3. An already dirty place makes people litter even more.

4. Social norms are the most influential factor.

5. Previous campaign messages didn't have an impact because the topic as such does not generate interest in the target group. Rather the opposite.