Love Food Hate Waste NZ + TBWA launch campaign that literally goes off to help reduce food waste
Spoiler Alert: New Zealanders waste $3.2B of food every year, which is both terrible for the environment and for our pockets. So, in an effort to combat household food waste by 50% by 2030, Love Food Hate Waste NZ (LFHW) teamed up with TBWA\New Zealand to help bring much needed attention to this issue. To bring awareness to this, TBWA\NZ made their for good messages go bad, creating massive billboards that grew mould over a series of weeks.
TBWA\NZ worked with Landcare Biometrics and specially created three giant petri dishes filled with agar that would grow a mould unhazardous to the general public. That mould was of course from a food; blue cheese, with petri dishes themselves measure 1 metre in diameter. Then outdoor ad specialists Bootleg got onboard to help create the unique living billboards.
The billboards went live mid April, gradually producing mould naturally over the course of six weeks. The stunt was in service of drawing attention to the massive food waste issue and a new initiative, reusable Eat Me First stickers. The reusable stickers were free and made available to the public from a quick scan of a QR codes on the OOH, LFHW’s website, regional councils or available to pick up for free in selected Woolworth’s stores across the country.
Says Sophie Wolland, project manager of LFHW: “We needed our message to be in your face. Because food waste is such a major issue that we don’t often think about day to day.
“The stark visual representation of wasted food aims to shock passersby into action, motivating and inspiring Kiwis to reduce their food waste, minimise their carbon footprint by cutting harmful emissions from food waste and save money.”
Says Shane Brandnick, chief creative officer, TBWA\NZ: “It’s one of those issues where it’s tough to get people to take action, it needs some big attention grabbing stunts and a smart way to remind us all to eat our older food first, before it needs to be thrown out.
“This campaign was super technical for the team to deliver but a really vivid reminder, that if we don’t eat it, we waste it – and that’s terrible for a family’s budget and really bad for our environment.”
LFHW also went big with several giant monuments of mouldy food. A huge apple covered in mould by the waterfront in Wellington reminded Kiwis that “nobody likes a bad apple,” while a massive piece of mouldy toast in the train station nearby inspired people to “break the mould.”
The campaign culminated with the revived NZ Lamb & Beef’s 16-foot tall lamb chop in Te Komititanga Plaza at Britomart, of course, with a mouldy twist. Now gone off, just like all their campaign billboards and posters, the lamb chop towered over the public covered in faux mould. Accompanying signage read “the meat of the matter” – which is surely fitting for the way this for-good organisation approached solving this prevalent issue.
To find our more: https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/eat-me-first-stickers-explained
Agency: TBWA\New Zealand
Media: MBM
Scientists: Bevan Weir and Diana Lee/Landcare Research
Big Spoiler Monuments: Carl Moody/Bootleg
Marketing & Communications Manager: Juno Scott-Kelly
Project Manager: Sophie Wolland
Digital Marketing Co-ordinator and Content Manager: Gel Lim
7 Comments
What a great way to highlight a problem. I know it increased my own personal awareness that my waste ( which I try to limit) is magnified nationally. I need to make more of an effort. Stir fries and salads are not the only solutions to combat waste.
I’m back.
And, if can tell from timestamp, I’ve been at lunch all day. Now I’m at a bar on K Road named after someone who knows a lot about wine.
Anyhow, I would never have let this out of the office, and whomever did this would’ve been sent straight to the Departure Lounge. I would’ve also had stern words with the CD. And, if I were in a firing mood, I would’ve fired them.
But, perhaps that’s the Pinot taking.
I digress. The posters tell me NOTHING about food waste. It’s an execution looking for an idea. The only creative thing is the hyphenated words.
With mould you could’ve done a far better idea. Instead it’s a Petri dish of averageness.
Rant over. An improperly chilled bottle of 2011 Pegasus Bay Riesling awaits. That’s the great season. If you can afford it, buy it. But advertising being what it is now with very average clients intent on safe ideas that’ll not make waves, few of you will be able to afford it.
See you at Prego.
See you next week at Prego.
You must be both an inebriated AND illiterate ghost!
When you aren’t angrily typing away after indulging your sad midday ghost alcoholism, give them another read.
See you at Prego! 😂
Is clear, simple and awesome. So what’s with the giant foods?
The huge moldy chop has unofficially officially become the land mark where I meet up with friends.
A nice idea and a fab way to highlight a problem. Love the outdoor and activation is a great extension. Bravo to all involved.
Epic employee proves their bad decisions in advertising by bitterly commenting on work. Of course you wouldn’t have let this work get made and that’s why you’re out of work right now. Check into rehab and sober up.