Vermont passed a multi-phased Mandatory Recycling Law in 2012. Phase 1–banning recyclable materials from the landfill–started July 1, 2015. So how do you tell everyone in a state that's traditionally (maybe notoriously) proud of its individualism that it's time to start recycling?
Don't advertise the law–wagging fingers don't play well in the Green Mountain State. Instead, show how the law and the people working behind the scenes will make recycling in Vermont easier than ever.
Recycling was a simple idea. Take all the stuff we normally throw away that can be used for something else and use it. Easy to get behind. Much better than dumping everything in a landfill. But sometimes it doesn’t feel so easy: Pick up or drop off? Separate or single stream? Are there 27 kinds of plastic now? And some go in a recycling bin and some in the trash? Now there’s compostable plastic too? It can be confusing to say the least. But it doesn’t have to be. Let's make it simple. The landfill isn’t getting any smaller and recycling is here to stay. So wherever you throw something away–to the curb for pickup or transfer stations or public places, you have access to recycling. And let’s set a baseline for what is recyclable across the state with six things: paper, aluminum, cardboard, steel, glass and hard plastics. Take away the questions and the complications, and what are we left with? A simple idea-that won’t fill up the landfill.
Beyond positioning and strategy, creative executions ran from posters to print to radio and collateral.
Key partners across the state are leveraging the campaign tools and dedicating their individual budgets to further extend the campaign on a local (town by town) level. Facebook has grown from the ground up with a passionate fan base–with 10%–22% of fans sharing each post.