The Challenge:

Even after the Government banned single-use plastics, India’s crisis worsened, with plastics drowning the nation. The shocking reality of 9.4 million tons of annual plastic waste suffocating marine ecosystems to the brink of disaster.

The traditional methods of public awareness and “Say No to Plastic” banners struggled to cut through the noise, fading quickly from memory and failing to instigate lasting change. It was time for someone to raise the alarm.

The Brief:

India’s biggest changemaker, The Times of India, set out to instill a habitual change in the careless consumption of single use plastic products. The need of the hour was a powerful initiative to shatter ignorance and spark lasting change.

The Objective:

Awareness about the dangers of single use plastic is very high.

It was time to Inspire Behaviour Change. It was time to encourage people to eliminate single-use-plastic.

In India, plastic is seamlessly woven into our daily lives. From packaging street food to bundling flowers in religious offerings, it is an integral part of our culture. With over 9 million tons used annually, it's prevalent in daily grocery bags, plates, cups, bottles, straws, toys and more. Wherever it can add convenience – plastic is present. This widespread usage poses the biggest challenge in breaking the Indian habit of carelessly choosing single-use plastics.

There have been campaigns done in the past at local and state levels, to varying degrees of success. Many regulations created to reduce usage of single-use plastics have come undone in the face of lobbying.

On July 1, 2022, The Indian Government announced an ambitious plan to curb pollution caused by littered and unmanaged plastic waste. A ban was imposed on the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential. This covered 19 items, including disposable plastic thermocol cutlery and straws.

In spite of the ban, the deeply ingrained habits and cultural reliance on plastic persist. In the face of this unchanging habit and clutter of past creatives, The Times Of India realised the immediate need for a creative solution to change the habit of single-use-plastic.

India’s plastic waste generation has multipled annually over the last five years. Of the 9.4 million tons of annual plastic waste, 50% remains unutilized, adversely impacting the environment, the marine eco system, marine animals and even human lives.

A campaign that started by asking a small question changed the nation in a big way.

Over 500,000 Indians have pledged to stop using single-use plastic in less than three months.

Social Media: 71 million+ impressions.

Unique Reach: 31 million+ users.

Views: 14 million+

98% Positive Polarity with exceptional feedback and public commentary.

Beach Clean Up Drives: The campaign resulted in thousands of plastic waste collection centres in coastal areas being activated to ensure immediate action and reach every Indian out there.

Global and Local Chain Reaction: The campaign was shared widely on social media and was featured by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Complaints: The campaign was designed to elicit a reaction. While millions joined the movement, a few leading plastic bottle manufacturers protested against these ads by filing complaints with ASCI India’s advertising regulator and tried very hard to stop the campaign, in vain.